Microbial life history mediates the drought-induced decrease in wood decomposition in subtropical forests
Jia, Shuxian (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i d'Aplicacions Forestals)
Zhou, Xuhui (East China Normal University)
Fu, Yuling (East China Normal University)
Zhou, Guiyao (Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla)
Zhou, Lingyan (Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Sustainable Plant Innovation)
Wang, Xinxin (East China Normal University)
Jiang, Zheng (Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences)
Sardans i Galobart, Jordi (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i d'Aplicacions Forestals)
Peñuelas, Josep (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i d'Aplicacions Forestals)

Date:	2025
Abstract:	Progressive intensification of drought regimes worldwide threatens wood decomposition - a critical biogeochemical process in forest carbon cycling. However, the interactions between microbial strategies, wood traits and microclimate in regulating wood decomposition remain poorly understood under drought conditions. In a throughfall exclusion experiment (control 35% and 70% rainfall reduction) across 12 tree species, we found that drought-induced reductions in wood CO2 efflux rates were primarily driven by wood traits (density and carbon reduction) and shifts in fungal K/r-strategies. Coarse wood debris with higher Basidiomycota and lower Ascomycota abundance decomposed faster. Significant positive correlations were observed between fungal K/r-strategies and wood CO2 efflux under control, 35%, and 70% rainfall reduction, while bacterial strategies showed no correlation. Our findings highlight the greater drought sensitivity of fungi than bacteria, emphasising their critical role in forest carbon dynamics and informing carbon models to improve the prediction of climate-biosphere feedback in the changing world.
Grants:	Agencia Estatal de Investigación PID2022-140808NB-I00 Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca 2021/SGR-1333 Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca 2023/SGR-00118
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Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió acceptada per publicar
Subject:	Deadwood decomposition ; Drought ; Microbial strategy ; Wood traits ; Carbon cycling
Published in:	Ecology letters, Vol. 28, Issue 5 (May 2025) , art. e70133, ISSN 1461-0248

DOI: 10.1111/ele.70133

Available from: 2026-05-31 Postprint

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Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Experimental sciences > CREAF (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i d'Aplicacions Forestals)
Articles > Research articles
Articles > Published articles