Unlocking the biogeochemical black box: What drives microbial response to climate forcing in semi-arid soils?

Microbial mediated cycling of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) and their loss from soils are closely linked to soil moisture and temperature. Yet, it is unclear how microbial communities will respond to climatic forcing (namely increased inter-annual precipitation variability and severe drought) and to what extent parent material controls these responses. We used Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) and C utilization assays to determine the relative abundance and diversity of microbial populations during pre-, mid- and post-monsoon time intervals at four sites along a steep elevation gradient (temperature and precipitation range of >10°C and >50 cm, respectively) in the Santa Catalina Mountains, AZ. Contrasting parent materials (schist and granite) were paired at elevations. RT-PCR results showed large increases of bacterial and fungal biomarkers at high elevations with the onset of precipitation (pre- to mid- monsoon conditions) (as much as 824%). In contrast, bacteria biomarkers did not change at low elevation granite site as a result of the onset of precipitation whereas fungal biomarkers increased by 177% at this site. Both bacteria and fungal biomarkers increased substantially at low elevation schist sites with the onset of precipitation. Finally, C utilization assays indicated that high elevation sites had a relatively high diversity of C utilization compared to low elevation soils. We hypothesize that increased bacterial and fungal abundance in low elevation schist-derived soils relative to granite soils after the onset of monsoon rains may be a function of soil texture, with higher clay content in schist soils leading to higher soil moisture availability. Alternatively, differences in microbial responses may be due to higher C availability in schist soils compared to granite soils. Higher C utilization diversity as well as similar bacteria and fungal biomarker responses found at high elevation sites (both granite and schist soils) in response to increased precipitation suggest that climate conditions rather than parent materials direct microbial response under wet/cool soil conditions. Findings from our lower elevation sites suggest that microbial sensitivity to dryer and hotter conditions result in a decrease in soil microbial diversity and seasonal response and stronger control of parent material in modulating these responses. Rainout and rainon experiments and reciprocal transplants are underway to test these hypotheses.