What are the primary soil chemical compounds that enable microbes to build stable carbon in the soil?4 answersMicrobes in soil utilize various chemical compounds to build stable carbon, crucial for soil health and carbon sequestration. The primary compounds involved include plant and microbial-derived biomolecules like lipids, lignin, sugars, and amino sugars. Additionally, soil organic carbon (SOC) chemistry plays a key role in forming organo-mineral (O-M) complexes, which enhance carbon protection and stability against microbial degradation. Microbes fix carbon dioxide (CO2) through pathways like the Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle, reductive tricarboxylic acid cycle, 3-hydroxypropionic acid cycle, reductive acetyl-CoA pathway, and carboxylases, utilizing diverse chemical and biochemical strategies. Furthermore, bacteria synthesize poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB), a water-insoluble polyester lipid, which serves as a carbon and energy storage compound in soil, indicating its importance in microbial life and carbon cycling.
What are the Main pathways of carbon release by soil microbes?5 answersSoil microbes release carbon through various pathways. One significant pathway is the direct root exudation by plants and associated mycorrhizal fungi, facilitating nutrient availability. Additionally, microbial decomposition of amino sugars and amino acids from bacterial and fungal cell walls contributes to carbon release. The central carbon metabolic network in soil bacteria utilizes different pathways like glycolysis and pentose phosphate pathways for carbon metabolism, impacting carbon use efficiency. Moreover, soil microbial responses to climate change, influenced by factors like temperature and moisture, play a crucial role in soil carbon cycling and storage. Understanding these pathways is essential for managing soil carbon dynamics and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions.
How do soil microbials improve crop performance?4 answersSoil microbials improve crop performance by enhancing nutrient availability, alleviating abiotic and biotic stresses, and improving soil health and fertility. Microbes play a vital role in soil nutrient cycling, converting organic compounds into inorganic forms that can be readily absorbed by plants. Inoculating crop plants with effective microbial agents can enhance crop performance by mobilizing soil nutrients, producing phytohormones, and protecting plants from stresses. Microbial inoculants, when used as a consortium, have synergistic effects on plant growth and can improve productivity and quality of agricultural crops. These microorganisms also have the potential to improve plant health, nutritional status, and soil quality, thus playing a pivotal role in agriculture. Mechanisms by which microbial inoculants improve crop yield include alleviating stresses and improving plant nutrient availability. Overall, microbial inoculants have the potential to enhance agricultural productivity, nutritional quality, and sustainability, and can be used in combination with reduced agrochemicals to promote sustainable agriculture.
How biochar can increase soil carbon?5 answersBiochar can increase soil carbon through several mechanisms. Firstly, biochar application rates have been shown to gradually increase soil organic carbon (SOC) levels over time. Higher biochar application rates result in higher SOC levels, indicating a positive effect of biochar for carbon stabilization. Additionally, biochar can enhance the activities of soil enzymes involved in carbon cycling, such as β-D-glucosidase, cellobiohydrolase, and β-N-acetylglucosaminidase. These enzyme activities are positively correlated with the soil carbon pool management index (CPMI), which is a measure of carbon stabilization. Furthermore, biochar can influence the composition of bacterial communities in the soil, favoring oligotrophic bacteria that are more conducive to carbon sequestration. Overall, increasing biochar application rates and time can enhance soil carbon stabilization by reducing labile organic carbon proportions and promoting enzyme activities and bacterial communities that facilitate carbon sequestration.
How compost increases soil organic carbon?5 answersCompost increases soil organic carbon through several mechanisms. Firstly, the addition of compost directly fertilizes the soil with carbon, increasing soil carbon content. Secondly, compost stimulates plant productivity, leading to increased plant-derived carbon inputs into the soil. Thirdly, compost application enhances soil microbial biomass and activity, which promotes the formation and maintenance of soil aggregates. These aggregates provide physical protection to organic matter, preventing its decomposition and increasing soil carbon storage. Additionally, compost inputs introduce stable humic substances into the soil, which can bind and stabilize labile organic carbon compounds, further contributing to soil carbon accumulation. Overall, the combination of direct carbon input, increased plant productivity, enhanced microbial activity, and the formation of stable soil aggregates all contribute to the increase in soil organic carbon with compost application.
What are the effects of potassium on the microbiome of disturbed soil?5 answersPotassium has significant effects on the microbiome of disturbed soil. Addition of potassium mineral stressed compost increased the soluble potassium in the soil and led to changes in the microbial consortia and community composition. Disturbances such as clearcut logging, salvage logging, and fires also altered the diversity and composition of soil microbial communities, including ectomycorrhizal fungi, archaea, and bacteria. Furthermore, the addition of potassium fulvic acid (BSFA) and potassium humate (KHM) as organic fertilizers increased soil pH, nutrient content, and microbial function, while reshaping the microbial community structure. These changes in the microbiome can have implications for nutrient cycling, soil health, and plant diseases.