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Prolonged exposure to manure from livestock‐administered antibiotics decreases ecosystem carbon‐use efficiency and alters nitrogen cycling
Author(s) -
Wepking Carl,
Badgley Brian,
Barrett John E.,
Knowlton Katharine F.,
Lucas Jane M.,
Minick Kevan J.,
Ray Partha P.,
Shawver Sarah E.,
Strickland Michael S.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
ecology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.852
H-Index - 265
eISSN - 1461-0248
pISSN - 1461-023X
DOI - 10.1111/ele.13390
Subject(s) - ecosystem , manure , terrestrial ecosystem , cycling , microbial population biology , nitrogen cycle , environmental chemistry , environmental science , ecology , agronomy , biology , nitrogen , chemistry , bacteria , genetics , archaeology , organic chemistry , history
Microbial communities drive soil ecosystem function but are also susceptible to environmental disturbances. We investigated whether exposure to manure sourced from cattle either administered or not administered antibiotics affected microbially mediated terrestrial ecosystem function. We quantified changes in microbial community composition via amplicon sequencing, and terrestrial elemental cycling via a stable isotope pulse‐chase. Exposure to manure from antibiotic‐treated cattle caused: (i) changes in microbial community structure; and (ii) alterations in elemental cycling throughout the terrestrial system. This exposure caused changes in fungal : bacterial ratios, as well as changes in bacterial community structure. Additionally, exposure to manure from cattle treated with pirlimycin resulted in an approximate two‐fold increase in ecosystem respiration of recently fixed‐carbon, and a greater proportion of recently added nitrogen in plant and soil pools compared to the control manure. Manure from antibiotic‐treated cattle therefore affects terrestrial ecosystem function via the soil microbiome, causing decreased ecosystem carbon use efficiency, and altered nitrogen cycling.