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Experimental warming alters free-living nitrogen fixation in a humid tropical forest.

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Title: Experimental warming alters free-living nitrogen fixation in a humid tropical forest.
Authors: Bartz PM; Department of Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA., Grullón-Penkova IF; International Institute of Tropical Forestry, USDA Forest Service, Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, 00926, USA., Cavaleri MA; College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI, 49931, USA., Reed SC; Southwest Biological Science Center, US Geological Survey, Moab, UT, 84532, USA., Shahid S; Department of Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA.; Plants, Photosynthesis and Soil, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK., Wood TE; International Institute of Tropical Forestry, USDA Forest Service, Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, 00926, USA., Bachelot B; Department of Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA.
Source: The New phytologist [New Phytol] 2025 Dec; Vol. 248 (6), pp. 2750-2763. Date of Electronic Publication: 2025 Oct 08.
Publication Type: Journal Article
Language: English
Journal Info: Publisher: Wiley on behalf of New Phytologist Trust Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 9882884 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1469-8137 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 0028646X NLM ISO Abbreviation: New Phytol Subsets: MEDLINE
Imprint Name(s): Publication: Oxford : Wiley on behalf of New Phytologist Trust
Original Publication: London, New York [etc.] Academic Press.
MeSH Terms: Nitrogen Fixation* , Tropical Climate* , Forests* , Humidity* , Global Warming* , Temperature*, Plant Leaves/microbiology ; Soil Microbiology ; Soil/chemistry ; Bacteria/metabolism ; Nitrogen/metabolism ; Puerto Rico
Abstract: Microbial nitrogen (N) fixation accounts for c. 97% of natural N inputs to terrestrial ecosystems. These microbes can be free-living in the soil and leaf litter (asymbiotic) or in symbiosis with plants. Warming is expected to increase N-fixation rates because warmer temperatures favor the growth and activity of N-fixing microbes. We investigated the effects of warming on asymbiotic components of N fixation at a field warming experiment in Puerto Rico. We analyzed the function and composition of bacterial communities from surface soil and leaf litter samples. Warming significantly increased asymbiotic N-fixation rates in soil by 55% (to 0.002 kg ha -1  yr -1 ) and by 525% in leaf litter (to 14.518 kg ha -1  yr -1 ). This increase in N fixation was associated with changes in the N-fixing bacterial community composition and soil nutrients. Our findings suggest that warming increases the natural N inputs from the atmosphere into this tropical forest due to changes in microbial function and composition, especially in the leaf litter. Given the importance of leaf litter in nutrient cycling, future research should investigate other aspects of N cycles in the leaf litter under warming conditions.
(© 2025 The Author(s). New Phytologist © 2025 New Phytologist Foundation. This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.)
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Grant Information: 1754713 Division of Environmental Biology; 2120085 Division of Environmental Biology; 89243018S-SC-000014 Basic Energy Sciences; 89243018S-SC-000017 Basic Energy Sciences; 89243021S-SC-000076 Basic Energy Sciences; DE-SC-0011806 Basic Energy Sciences; DE-SC-0018942 Basic Energy Sciences; DE-SC0012000 Basic Energy Sciences; DE-SC0022095 Basic Energy Sciences
Contributed Indexing: Keywords: climate warming; global change; hurricane; microbial ecology; microbiome; nitrogen fixation; tropical ecology; tropical forest
Substance Nomenclature: 0 (Soil)
N762921K75 (Nitrogen)
Entry Date(s): Date Created: 20251009 Date Completed: 20251120 Latest Revision: 20251122
Update Code: 20251122
PubMed Central ID: PMC12630463
DOI: 10.1111/nph.70592
PMID: 41063423
Database: MEDLINE
Description
Abstract:Microbial nitrogen (N) fixation accounts for c. 97% of natural N inputs to terrestrial ecosystems. These microbes can be free-living in the soil and leaf litter (asymbiotic) or in symbiosis with plants. Warming is expected to increase N-fixation rates because warmer temperatures favor the growth and activity of N-fixing microbes. We investigated the effects of warming on asymbiotic components of N fixation at a field warming experiment in Puerto Rico. We analyzed the function and composition of bacterial communities from surface soil and leaf litter samples. Warming significantly increased asymbiotic N-fixation rates in soil by 55% (to 0.002 kg ha <sup>-1</sup>  yr <sup>-1</sup> ) and by 525% in leaf litter (to 14.518 kg ha <sup>-1</sup>  yr <sup>-1</sup> ). This increase in N fixation was associated with changes in the N-fixing bacterial community composition and soil nutrients. Our findings suggest that warming increases the natural N inputs from the atmosphere into this tropical forest due to changes in microbial function and composition, especially in the leaf litter. Given the importance of leaf litter in nutrient cycling, future research should investigate other aspects of N cycles in the leaf litter under warming conditions.<br /> (© 2025 The Author(s). New Phytologist © 2025 New Phytologist Foundation. This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.)
ISSN:1469-8137
DOI:10.1111/nph.70592