Open AccessLitter chemistry explains contrasting feeding preferences of bacteria, fungi, and higher plants
Author(s) -
Giuliano Bonanomi,
Gaspare Cesarano,
Nadia Lombardi,
Riccardo Motti,
Felice Scala,
Stefano Mazzoleni,
Guido Incerti
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
scientific reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.24
H-Index - 213
ISSN - 2045-2322
DOI - 10.1038/s41598-017-09145-w
Subject(s) - decomposer , litter , detritus , plant litter , bacteria , nutrient , ecosystem , botany , chemistry , biology , carbon fibers , environmental chemistry , ecology , genetics , materials science , composite number , composite material
Litter decomposition provides a continuous flow of organic carbon and nutrients that affects plant development and the structure of decomposer communities. Aim of this study was to distinguish the feeding preferences of microbes and plants in relation to litter chemistry. We characterized 36 litter types by 13 C-CPMAS NMR spectroscopy and tested these materials on 6 bacteria, 6 fungi, and 14 target plants. Undecomposed litter acted as a carbon source for most of the saprophytic microbes, although with a large variability across litter types, severely inhibiting root growth. An opposite response was found for aged litter that largely inhibited microbial growth, but had neutral or stimulatory effects on root proliferation. 13 C-CPMAS NMR revealed that restricted resonance intervals within the alkyl C, methoxyl C, O -alkyl C and di- O -alkyl C spectral regions are crucial for understanding litter effects. Root growth, in contrast to microbes, was negatively affected by labile C sources but positively associated with signals related to plant tissue lignification. Our study showed that plant litter has specific and contrasting effects on bacteria, fungi and higher plants, highlighting that, in order to understand the effects of plant detritus on ecosystem structure and functionality, different microbial food web components should be simultaneously investigated.