Abstract
Extracellular enzymes are the proximate agents of organic matter decomposition and measures of these activities can be used as indicators of microbial nutrient demand. We conducted a global-scale meta-analysis of the seven-most widely measured soil enzyme activities, using data from 40 ecosystems. The activities of β-1,4-glucosidase, cellobiohydrolase, β-1,4-N-acetylglucosaminidase and phosphatase g-1 soil increased with organic matter concentration; leucine aminopeptidase, phenol oxidase and peroxidase activities showed no relationship. All activities were significantly related to soil pH. Specific activities, i.e. activity g-1 soil organic matter, also varied in relation to soil pH for all enzymes. Relationships with mean annual temperature (MAT) and precipitation (MAP) were generally weak. For hydrolases, ratios of specific C, N and P acquisition activities converged on 1 : 1 : 1 but across ecosystems, the ratio of C : P acquisition was inversely related to MAP and MAT while the ratio of C : N acquisition increased with MAP. Oxidative activities were more variable than hydrolytic activities and increased with soil pH. Our analyses indicate that the enzymatic potential for hydrolyzing the labile components of soil organic matter is tied to substrate availability, soil pH and the stoichiometry of microbial nutrient demand. The enzymatic potential for oxidizing the recalcitrant fractions of soil organic material, which is a proximate control on soil organic matter accumulation, is most strongly related to soil pH. These trends provide insight into the biogeochemical processes that create global patterns in ecological stoichiometry and organic matter storage.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1252-1264 |
| Number of pages | 13 |
| Journal | Ecology letters |
| Volume | 11 |
| Issue number | 11 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Nov 1 2008 |
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Keywords
- C : N : P ratio
- Cellobiohydrolase
- Ecological stoichiometry
- Leucine aminopeptidase
- Peroxidase
- Phenol oxidase
- Phosphatase
- Soil enzyme activity
- Soil organic matter
- β-1,4-N-acetylglucosaminidase
- β-1,4-glucosidase
Cite this
Stoichiometry of soil enzyme activity at global scale. / Sinsabaugh, Robert L.; Lauber, Christian L.; Weintraub, Michael N.; Ahmed, Bony; Allison, Steven D.; Crenshaw, Chelsea; Contosta, Alexandra R.; Cusack, Daniela; Frey, Serita; Gallo, Marcy E.; Gartner, Tracy B.; Hobbie, Sarah E; Holland, Keri; Keeler, Bonnie L; Powers, Jennifer S; Stursova, Martina; Takacs-Vesbach, Cristina; Waldrop, Mark P.; Wallenstein, Matthew D.; Zak, Donald R.; Zeglin, Lydia H.
In: Ecology letters, Vol. 11, No. 11, 01.11.2008, p. 1252-1264.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Stoichiometry of soil enzyme activity at global scale
AU - Sinsabaugh, Robert L.
AU - Lauber, Christian L.
AU - Weintraub, Michael N.
AU - Ahmed, Bony
AU - Allison, Steven D.
AU - Crenshaw, Chelsea
AU - Contosta, Alexandra R.
AU - Cusack, Daniela
AU - Frey, Serita
AU - Gallo, Marcy E.
AU - Gartner, Tracy B.
AU - Hobbie, Sarah E
AU - Holland, Keri
AU - Keeler, Bonnie L
AU - Powers, Jennifer S
AU - Stursova, Martina
AU - Takacs-Vesbach, Cristina
AU - Waldrop, Mark P.
AU - Wallenstein, Matthew D.
AU - Zak, Donald R.
AU - Zeglin, Lydia H.
PY - 2008/11/1
Y1 - 2008/11/1
N2 - Extracellular enzymes are the proximate agents of organic matter decomposition and measures of these activities can be used as indicators of microbial nutrient demand. We conducted a global-scale meta-analysis of the seven-most widely measured soil enzyme activities, using data from 40 ecosystems. The activities of β-1,4-glucosidase, cellobiohydrolase, β-1,4-N-acetylglucosaminidase and phosphatase g-1 soil increased with organic matter concentration; leucine aminopeptidase, phenol oxidase and peroxidase activities showed no relationship. All activities were significantly related to soil pH. Specific activities, i.e. activity g-1 soil organic matter, also varied in relation to soil pH for all enzymes. Relationships with mean annual temperature (MAT) and precipitation (MAP) were generally weak. For hydrolases, ratios of specific C, N and P acquisition activities converged on 1 : 1 : 1 but across ecosystems, the ratio of C : P acquisition was inversely related to MAP and MAT while the ratio of C : N acquisition increased with MAP. Oxidative activities were more variable than hydrolytic activities and increased with soil pH. Our analyses indicate that the enzymatic potential for hydrolyzing the labile components of soil organic matter is tied to substrate availability, soil pH and the stoichiometry of microbial nutrient demand. The enzymatic potential for oxidizing the recalcitrant fractions of soil organic material, which is a proximate control on soil organic matter accumulation, is most strongly related to soil pH. These trends provide insight into the biogeochemical processes that create global patterns in ecological stoichiometry and organic matter storage.
AB - Extracellular enzymes are the proximate agents of organic matter decomposition and measures of these activities can be used as indicators of microbial nutrient demand. We conducted a global-scale meta-analysis of the seven-most widely measured soil enzyme activities, using data from 40 ecosystems. The activities of β-1,4-glucosidase, cellobiohydrolase, β-1,4-N-acetylglucosaminidase and phosphatase g-1 soil increased with organic matter concentration; leucine aminopeptidase, phenol oxidase and peroxidase activities showed no relationship. All activities were significantly related to soil pH. Specific activities, i.e. activity g-1 soil organic matter, also varied in relation to soil pH for all enzymes. Relationships with mean annual temperature (MAT) and precipitation (MAP) were generally weak. For hydrolases, ratios of specific C, N and P acquisition activities converged on 1 : 1 : 1 but across ecosystems, the ratio of C : P acquisition was inversely related to MAP and MAT while the ratio of C : N acquisition increased with MAP. Oxidative activities were more variable than hydrolytic activities and increased with soil pH. Our analyses indicate that the enzymatic potential for hydrolyzing the labile components of soil organic matter is tied to substrate availability, soil pH and the stoichiometry of microbial nutrient demand. The enzymatic potential for oxidizing the recalcitrant fractions of soil organic material, which is a proximate control on soil organic matter accumulation, is most strongly related to soil pH. These trends provide insight into the biogeochemical processes that create global patterns in ecological stoichiometry and organic matter storage.
KW - C : N : P ratio
KW - Cellobiohydrolase
KW - Ecological stoichiometry
KW - Leucine aminopeptidase
KW - Peroxidase
KW - Phenol oxidase
KW - Phosphatase
KW - Soil enzyme activity
KW - Soil organic matter
KW - β-1,4-N-acetylglucosaminidase
KW - β-1,4-glucosidase
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=55949134434&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=55949134434&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2008.01245.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2008.01245.x
M3 - Review article
VL - 11
SP - 1252
EP - 1264
JO - Ecology Letters
JF - Ecology Letters
SN - 1461-023X
IS - 11
ER -