Zhou, Y, Biro, A, Wong, MY et al. (2 more authors) (2022) Fire decreases soil enzyme activities and reorganizes microbially‐mediated nutrient cycles: A meta‐analysis. Ecology, 103 (11). e3807. ISSN 0012-9658
Abstract
The biogeochemical signature of fire shapes the functioning of many ecosystems. Fire changes nutrient cycles not only by volatilizing plant material, but also by altering organic matter decomposition—a process regulated by soil extracellular enzyme activities (EEAs). However, our understanding of fire effects on EEAs and their feedbacks to nutrient cycles is incomplete. We conducted a meta-analysis with 301 field studies and found that fire significantly decreased EEAs by ~20-40%. Fire decreased EEAs by reducing soil microbial biomass and organic matter substrates. Soil nitrogen-acquiring EEA declined alongside decreasing available nitrogen, likely from fire-driven volatilization of nitrogen and decreased microbial activity. Fire decreased soil phosphorus-acquiring EEA but increased available phosphorus, likely from pyro-mineralization of organic phosphorus. These findings suggest that fire suppresses soil microbes and consumes their substrates, thereby slowing microbially-mediated nutrient cycles (especially phosphorus) via decreased EEAs. These changes can become increasingly important as fire frequency and severity in many ecosystems continue to shift in response to global change.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2022 The Ecological Society of America. Reproduced in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | fire; soil extracellular enzymes; nutrient cycling; biogeochemistry; nitrogen; phosphorus; effect size |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Environment (Leeds) > School of Geography (Leeds) > Ecology & Global Change (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 04 Aug 2022 10:43 |
Last Modified: | 21 Feb 2023 17:19 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Wiley |
Identification Number: | 10.1002/ecy.3807 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:189708 |