Open AccessLegume–microbiome interactions unlock mineral nutrients in regrowing tropical forests
Author(s) -
Dimitar Z. Epihov,
Kristin Saltonstall,
Sarah A. Batterman,
Lars O. Hedin,
Jefferson S. Hall,
Michiel van Breugel,
Jonathan R. Leake,
David J. Beerling
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.2022241118
Subject(s) - biogeochemical cycle , metagenomics , acidobacteria , ecosystem , nutrient cycle , biogeochemistry , biology , nitrogen cycle , weathering , nitrogen fixation , nutrient , temperate rainforest , carbon cycle , ecology , microbiome , frankia , actinobacteria , chemistry , nitrogen , bacteria , root nodule , paleontology , biochemistry , genetics , 16s ribosomal rna , organic chemistry , gene , bioinformatics
Significance Symbiotic dinitrogen (N2 )-fixing trees fulfill a critical function in tropical forests by bringing in new nitrogen, yet it remains unclear how they overcome constraints by highly weathered, nutrient-poor tropical soils. We advance forest biogeochemistry and microbial ecology with the discovery from field trials in Panama that fast-growing N2 -fixing trees in tropical forests exhibit accelerated mineral weathering and distinctive soil metagenomes that improve their access to inorganic nutrients in nutrient-poor soils. Furthermore, we show that N2 -fixing trees exert similar effects on non-N2 –fixing trees nearby thus having previously overlooked community-wide effects on tropical forest nutrient cycling. These results offer insights into the role of N2 -fixing trees and their associated microbiomes in safeguarding the function of tropical forests within the global biosphere.