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The contribution of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to ecosystem respiration and methane flux in an ephemeral plants‐dominated desert
Author(s) -
Yue Ping,
Cui Xiaoqing,
Zuo Xiaoan,
Li Kaihui,
Wang Shaokun,
Jia Yangyang,
Misselbrook Tom,
Liu Xuejun
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
land degradation and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.403
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1099-145X
pISSN - 1085-3278
DOI - 10.1002/ldr.3838
Subject(s) - soil respiration , ecosystem , environmental science , carbon cycle , flux (metallurgy) , ephemeral key , biomass (ecology) , respiration , soil carbon , soil water , agronomy , chemistry , soil science , biology , ecology , botany , organic chemistry
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can significantly influence the soil carbon cycle, however, their impacts on desert soils are still unclear. Here, a field control experiment, using in‐growth mesocosms, was conducted to quantitatively assess the contribution of AMF and ephemeral plants to ecosystem respiration (R e ) and methane (CH 4 ) flux in the Gurbantunggut Desert in China, from April to May 2017. Ephemeral plant biomass was significantly increased by AMF infection. R e was significantly positively correlated with AMF infection rate, whereas CH 4 flux was significantly negatively correlated. The contribution of AMF to R e was up to 24%, comparable to the contribution of non‐AMF microbial respiration, which accounted for up to 36%, whereas the respiration of ephemeral plants accounted for 40%. Variation in R e was most strongly associated with soil organic carbon and soil available potassium concentrations and soil temperature. Non‐AMF microorganisms accounted for most of the CH 4 flux (up to 85%). In contrast, AMF only accounted for 15% of total CH 4 flux. The CH 4 flux was significantly influenced by soil NO 3 − ‐N content, soil moisture, soil temperature and soil NH 4 + ‐N content. Overall, AMF significantly influenced R e and CH 4 flux, and also enhanced the growth of ephemeral plants, which have an important role in the carbon cycle in desert ecosystems.