Fragile foundations: succession patterns of bacterial communities in fine woody debris and soil under long-term microclimate influence
Abstract Background Fine woody debris (FWD; deadwood < 10 cm diameter) is a crucial but often overlooked component of forest ecosystems. It provides habitat for microbial communities and enhances soil fertility through nutrient cycling. This role is especially important in managed forests, which...
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BMC
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Environmental Microbiome |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40793-025-00756-9 |
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| author | Vojtěch Tláskal Priscila Thiago Dobbler Jason Bosch Jörg Müller Roland Brandl Claus Bässler Petr Baldrian Vendula Brabcová |
| author_facet | Vojtěch Tláskal Priscila Thiago Dobbler Jason Bosch Jörg Müller Roland Brandl Claus Bässler Petr Baldrian Vendula Brabcová |
| author_sort | Vojtěch Tláskal |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Fine woody debris (FWD; deadwood < 10 cm diameter) is a crucial but often overlooked component of forest ecosystems. It provides habitat for microbial communities and enhances soil fertility through nutrient cycling. This role is especially important in managed forests, which typically have limited deadwood stocks. Climate change is increasing forest disturbances and expanding early successional forests with low canopy cover, yet the effects on microbial communities and related processes remain poorly understood. Results In a ten-year canopy manipulation experiment, we examined the decomposition of FWD of Fagus sylvatica and Abies alba. Increased canopy openness significantly decreased bacterial diversity in decomposing FWD and altered the community composition in surrounding soil. Decomposition time was the main factor shaping bacterial community structure in FWD, with tree species and canopy cover also contributing. We identified bacterial groups involved in carbohydrate degradation, fungal biomass breakdown, and nitrogen fixation. Importantly, bacterial communities in fully decomposed FWD remained distinct from soil communities. Conclusions Deadwood decomposition and nutrient cycling are driven by complex ecological interactions. Microbial community dynamics are influenced by the interplay of FWD decomposition stage, tree species, and microclimatic conditions. Bacterial communities, although less frequently studied in this context, appear more stable over time than previously studied fungi. This stability may help sustain decomposition processes and nutrient turnover under the environmental variability associated with global change. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a8a23da32d7e4ada8afed2c6c7960c21 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2524-6372 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Microbiome |
| spelling | doaj-art-a8a23da32d7e4ada8afed2c6c7960c212025-08-20T04:02:44ZengBMCEnvironmental Microbiome2524-63722025-08-0120111710.1186/s40793-025-00756-9Fragile foundations: succession patterns of bacterial communities in fine woody debris and soil under long-term microclimate influenceVojtěch Tláskal0Priscila Thiago Dobbler1Jason Bosch2Jörg Müller3Roland Brandl4Claus Bässler5Petr Baldrian6Vendula Brabcová7Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of SciencesLaboratory of Environmental Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of SciencesLaboratory of Environmental Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of SciencesChair of Conservation Biology and Forest Ecology, Biocenter, Julius-Maximilians-Universität WürzburgAnimal Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Philipps-Universität MarburgBavarian Forest National ParkLaboratory of Environmental Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of SciencesLaboratory of Environmental Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of SciencesAbstract Background Fine woody debris (FWD; deadwood < 10 cm diameter) is a crucial but often overlooked component of forest ecosystems. It provides habitat for microbial communities and enhances soil fertility through nutrient cycling. This role is especially important in managed forests, which typically have limited deadwood stocks. Climate change is increasing forest disturbances and expanding early successional forests with low canopy cover, yet the effects on microbial communities and related processes remain poorly understood. Results In a ten-year canopy manipulation experiment, we examined the decomposition of FWD of Fagus sylvatica and Abies alba. Increased canopy openness significantly decreased bacterial diversity in decomposing FWD and altered the community composition in surrounding soil. Decomposition time was the main factor shaping bacterial community structure in FWD, with tree species and canopy cover also contributing. We identified bacterial groups involved in carbohydrate degradation, fungal biomass breakdown, and nitrogen fixation. Importantly, bacterial communities in fully decomposed FWD remained distinct from soil communities. Conclusions Deadwood decomposition and nutrient cycling are driven by complex ecological interactions. Microbial community dynamics are influenced by the interplay of FWD decomposition stage, tree species, and microclimatic conditions. Bacterial communities, although less frequently studied in this context, appear more stable over time than previously studied fungi. This stability may help sustain decomposition processes and nutrient turnover under the environmental variability associated with global change.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40793-025-00756-9DecompositionDeadwoodBacterial communitySuccessionCanopy coverMicroclimate |
| spellingShingle | Vojtěch Tláskal Priscila Thiago Dobbler Jason Bosch Jörg Müller Roland Brandl Claus Bässler Petr Baldrian Vendula Brabcová Fragile foundations: succession patterns of bacterial communities in fine woody debris and soil under long-term microclimate influence Environmental Microbiome Decomposition Deadwood Bacterial community Succession Canopy cover Microclimate |
| title | Fragile foundations: succession patterns of bacterial communities in fine woody debris and soil under long-term microclimate influence |
| title_full | Fragile foundations: succession patterns of bacterial communities in fine woody debris and soil under long-term microclimate influence |
| title_fullStr | Fragile foundations: succession patterns of bacterial communities in fine woody debris and soil under long-term microclimate influence |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fragile foundations: succession patterns of bacterial communities in fine woody debris and soil under long-term microclimate influence |
| title_short | Fragile foundations: succession patterns of bacterial communities in fine woody debris and soil under long-term microclimate influence |
| title_sort | fragile foundations succession patterns of bacterial communities in fine woody debris and soil under long term microclimate influence |
| topic | Decomposition Deadwood Bacterial community Succession Canopy cover Microclimate |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40793-025-00756-9 |
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