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Warming and Reduced Rainfall Alter Fungal Necromass Decomposition Rates and Associated Microbial Community Composition and Functioning at a Temperate–Boreal Forest Ecotone

Summary

Scientists studied how climate change affects the breakdown of dead fungal material in forest soils. They found that warmer temperatures and less rainfall initially speed up decomposition in the first two weeks, but then slow it down later. The microbial communities eating the dead fungi also changed over time, with different bacteria and fungi becoming dominant depending on soil moisture and temperature conditions.

Background

Fungal necromass represents a significant portion of soil organic carbon pools and is sensitive to climate change. Understanding how warming and drought affect fungal necromass decomposition is critical for predicting soil carbon dynamics in temperate-boreal forest ecosystems experiencing rapid climate shifts.

Objective

To determine how combined effects of warming (+3.3°C) and reduced rainfall (~40% reduction) impact fungal necromass decomposition rates, microbial community composition, and functional capacity at a temperate-boreal forest ecotone.

Results

Warming and reduced rainfall accelerated initial necromass decay by ~20% but slowed overall mass loss by ~6% at 14 weeks. The altered treatment stimulated fast-growing fungi and increased fungal:bacterial ratios early in decomposition. Microbial communities showed higher metabolic capacity for carbon and nitrogen substrate utilization early in the altered plots but lower capacity later, with these shifts paralleling changing soil moisture conditions.

Conclusion

Fungal necromass decomposition responds to climate change in a dynamic, stage-dependent manner driven by shifting abiotic conditions, necromass substrate chemistry, and microbial community functional capacity. These findings highlight the importance of considering temporal dynamics when predicting soil carbon persistence under climate change.
  • Published in:Global Change Biology,
  • Study Type:Field Experiment,
  • Source: PMID: 41065083, DOI: 10.1111/gcb.70536
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