Adding labile carbon to peatland soils triggers deep carbon breakdown

Abstract Peatlands store vast amounts of carbon, with deep peat carbon remaining stable due to limited thermodynamic energy and transport. However, climate change-induced increases in labile carbon inputs could destabilize these stores. Here, we combined DNA stable isotope probing with stable isotop...

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Main Authors: Sumudu Rajakaruna, Ghiwa Makke, Nathalia Graf Grachet, Christian Ayala-Ortiz, John Bouranis, David W. Hoyt, Jason Toyoda, Elizabeth H. Denis, James J. Moran, Tianze Song, Xiaoxu Sun, Elizabeth K. Eder, Allison R. Wong, Rosalie Chu, Heino Heyman, Max Kolton, Jeffrey P. Chanton, Rachel M. Wilson, Joel Kostka, Malak M. Tfaily
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2024-12-01
Series:Communications Earth & Environment
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01954-y
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author Sumudu Rajakaruna
Ghiwa Makke
Nathalia Graf Grachet
Christian Ayala-Ortiz
John Bouranis
David W. Hoyt
Jason Toyoda
Elizabeth H. Denis
James J. Moran
Tianze Song
Xiaoxu Sun
Elizabeth K. Eder
Allison R. Wong
Rosalie Chu
Heino Heyman
Max Kolton
Jeffrey P. Chanton
Rachel M. Wilson
Joel Kostka
Malak M. Tfaily
author_facet Sumudu Rajakaruna
Ghiwa Makke
Nathalia Graf Grachet
Christian Ayala-Ortiz
John Bouranis
David W. Hoyt
Jason Toyoda
Elizabeth H. Denis
James J. Moran
Tianze Song
Xiaoxu Sun
Elizabeth K. Eder
Allison R. Wong
Rosalie Chu
Heino Heyman
Max Kolton
Jeffrey P. Chanton
Rachel M. Wilson
Joel Kostka
Malak M. Tfaily
author_sort Sumudu Rajakaruna
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Peatlands store vast amounts of carbon, with deep peat carbon remaining stable due to limited thermodynamic energy and transport. However, climate change-induced increases in labile carbon inputs could destabilize these stores. Here, we combined DNA stable isotope probing with stable isotope-assisted metabolomics employing a multi-platform approach to investigate microbial dynamics driving deep peat carbon degradation upon labile carbon (e.g., glucose) amendment. Our findings highlight the vulnerability of deep peat carbon, as glucose addition triggers the breakdown of older organic matter. By uniquely integrating these techniques, we identified active glucose metabolizers to specific microbial populations and mapped carbon flow through microbial networks, elucidating their role in priming recalcitrant carbon mineralization. This multi-omics approach offers crucial insights into how changing resources reshape the peatland microbiome, enhancing our understanding of deep carbon processing, and refining model parameterization to predict microbial responses and carbon cycle feedbacks under global change pressures.
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spelling doaj-art-db05aacdbc1f4211a4aabbd43924b07a2025-08-20T02:43:27ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Earth & Environment2662-44352024-12-015111410.1038/s43247-024-01954-yAdding labile carbon to peatland soils triggers deep carbon breakdownSumudu Rajakaruna0Ghiwa Makke1Nathalia Graf Grachet2Christian Ayala-Ortiz3John Bouranis4David W. Hoyt5Jason Toyoda6Elizabeth H. Denis7James J. Moran8Tianze Song9Xiaoxu Sun10Elizabeth K. Eder11Allison R. Wong12Rosalie Chu13Heino Heyman14Max Kolton15Jeffrey P. Chanton16Rachel M. Wilson17Joel Kostka18Malak M. Tfaily19Department of Environmental Science, University of ArizonaDepartment of Environmental Science, University of ArizonaDepartment of Environmental Science, University of ArizonaDepartment of Environmental Science, University of ArizonaDepartment of Environmental Science, University of ArizonaPacific Northwest National LaboratoryPacific Northwest National LaboratoryPacific Northwest National LaboratoryPacific Northwest National LaboratorySchool of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of TechnologySchool of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of TechnologyPacific Northwest National LaboratoryPacific Northwest National LaboratoryPacific Northwest National LaboratoryPacific Northwest National LaboratoryThe Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the NegevDepartment of Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Science, Florida State UniversityDepartment of Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Science, Florida State UniversitySchool of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of TechnologyDepartment of Environmental Science, University of ArizonaAbstract Peatlands store vast amounts of carbon, with deep peat carbon remaining stable due to limited thermodynamic energy and transport. However, climate change-induced increases in labile carbon inputs could destabilize these stores. Here, we combined DNA stable isotope probing with stable isotope-assisted metabolomics employing a multi-platform approach to investigate microbial dynamics driving deep peat carbon degradation upon labile carbon (e.g., glucose) amendment. Our findings highlight the vulnerability of deep peat carbon, as glucose addition triggers the breakdown of older organic matter. By uniquely integrating these techniques, we identified active glucose metabolizers to specific microbial populations and mapped carbon flow through microbial networks, elucidating their role in priming recalcitrant carbon mineralization. This multi-omics approach offers crucial insights into how changing resources reshape the peatland microbiome, enhancing our understanding of deep carbon processing, and refining model parameterization to predict microbial responses and carbon cycle feedbacks under global change pressures.https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01954-y
spellingShingle Sumudu Rajakaruna
Ghiwa Makke
Nathalia Graf Grachet
Christian Ayala-Ortiz
John Bouranis
David W. Hoyt
Jason Toyoda
Elizabeth H. Denis
James J. Moran
Tianze Song
Xiaoxu Sun
Elizabeth K. Eder
Allison R. Wong
Rosalie Chu
Heino Heyman
Max Kolton
Jeffrey P. Chanton
Rachel M. Wilson
Joel Kostka
Malak M. Tfaily
Adding labile carbon to peatland soils triggers deep carbon breakdown
Communications Earth & Environment
title Adding labile carbon to peatland soils triggers deep carbon breakdown
title_full Adding labile carbon to peatland soils triggers deep carbon breakdown
title_fullStr Adding labile carbon to peatland soils triggers deep carbon breakdown
title_full_unstemmed Adding labile carbon to peatland soils triggers deep carbon breakdown
title_short Adding labile carbon to peatland soils triggers deep carbon breakdown
title_sort adding labile carbon to peatland soils triggers deep carbon breakdown
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-024-01954-y
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