SOIL MICROBIAL BIOMASS

The thermodynamic efficiency of soil microbial communities subject to long-term stress is lower than those under conventional input regimes

Abstract

Abstract
Aim
While soil microorganisms play key roles in Earth's biogeochemical cycles, methodological constraints and sparse data have hampered our ability to describe and understand the global distribution of soil microbial biomass. Here, we present a comprehensive quantification of the environmental drivers of soil microbial biomass.

Location
Global.

Methods
We used a comprehensive global dataset of georeferenced soil microbial biomass estimates and high-resolution climatic and soil data.

Results

Xu et al. 2013. A global analysis of soil microbial biomass carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus in terrestrial ecosystems. Global Ecology and Biogeography 22:737-749.

Main conclusions