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Mineral surface-reactive metabolites secreted during fungal decomposition contribute to the formation of soil organic matter

Wang, Tao LU ; Tian, Zhaomo LU ; Bengtson, Per LU ; Tunlid, Anders LU and Persson, Per LU (2017) In Environmental Microbiology 19(12). p.5117-5129
Abstract

Soil organic matter (SOM) constitutes the largest terrestrial C pool. An emerging, untested, view is that oxidation and depolymerization of SOM by microorganisms promote the formation of SOM-mineral associations that is critical for SOM stabilization. To test this hypothesis, we performed laboratory-scale experiments involving one ectomycorrhizal and one saprotrophic fungus that represent the two major functional groups of microbial decomposers in the boreal forest soils. Fungal decomposition enhanced the retention of SOM on goethite, partly because of oxidative modifications of organic matter (OM) by the fungi. Moreover, both fungi secreted substantial amounts (> 10% new biomass C) of aromatic metabolites that also contributed to an... (More)

Soil organic matter (SOM) constitutes the largest terrestrial C pool. An emerging, untested, view is that oxidation and depolymerization of SOM by microorganisms promote the formation of SOM-mineral associations that is critical for SOM stabilization. To test this hypothesis, we performed laboratory-scale experiments involving one ectomycorrhizal and one saprotrophic fungus that represent the two major functional groups of microbial decomposers in the boreal forest soils. Fungal decomposition enhanced the retention of SOM on goethite, partly because of oxidative modifications of organic matter (OM) by the fungi. Moreover, both fungi secreted substantial amounts (> 10% new biomass C) of aromatic metabolites that also contributed to an enhanced mineral retention of OM. Our study demonstrates that soil fungi can form mineral-stabilized SOM not only by oxidative conversion of the SOM but also by synthesizing mineral surface-reactive metabolites. Metabolites produced by fungal decomposers can play a yet overlooked role in the formation and stabilization of SOM.

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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Environmental Microbiology
volume
19
issue
12
pages
13 pages
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • pmid:29124857
  • wos:000418352800024
  • scopus:85036524871
ISSN
1462-2912
DOI
10.1111/1462-2920.13990
project
MICCS - Molecular Interactions Controlling soil Carbon Sequestration
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
293d3ba6-ff46-48e7-9e7c-ede6ba83b0cd
date added to LUP
2018-01-02 11:58:15
date last changed
2025-04-16 14:52:48
@article{293d3ba6-ff46-48e7-9e7c-ede6ba83b0cd,
  abstract     = {{<p>Soil organic matter (SOM) constitutes the largest terrestrial C pool. An emerging, untested, view is that oxidation and depolymerization of SOM by microorganisms promote the formation of SOM-mineral associations that is critical for SOM stabilization. To test this hypothesis, we performed laboratory-scale experiments involving one ectomycorrhizal and one saprotrophic fungus that represent the two major functional groups of microbial decomposers in the boreal forest soils. Fungal decomposition enhanced the retention of SOM on goethite, partly because of oxidative modifications of organic matter (OM) by the fungi. Moreover, both fungi secreted substantial amounts (&gt; 10% new biomass C) of aromatic metabolites that also contributed to an enhanced mineral retention of OM. Our study demonstrates that soil fungi can form mineral-stabilized SOM not only by oxidative conversion of the SOM but also by synthesizing mineral surface-reactive metabolites. Metabolites produced by fungal decomposers can play a yet overlooked role in the formation and stabilization of SOM.</p>}},
  author       = {{Wang, Tao and Tian, Zhaomo and Bengtson, Per and Tunlid, Anders and Persson, Per}},
  issn         = {{1462-2912}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{12}},
  number       = {{12}},
  pages        = {{5117--5129}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Environmental Microbiology}},
  title        = {{Mineral surface-reactive metabolites secreted during fungal decomposition contribute to the formation of soil organic matter}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.13990}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/1462-2920.13990}},
  volume       = {{19}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}