Microbiota-induced asymmetry in coastal methane emission potential under experimental precipitation gradients

Lifeng Zhou; Lirong Zhang; Run Dang; Guangxuan Han; Jian Liu; Meng Zhou; Leilei Xiao

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2024.120601

Microbiota-induced asymmetry in coastal methane emission potential under experimental precipitation gradients

Environ Res. 2024 Dec 11:266:120601. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.120601. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Lifeng Zhou¹, Lirong Zhang², Run Dang¹, Guangxuan Han³, Jian Liu⁴, Meng Zhou⁵, Leilei Xiao⁶

Affiliations

¹ School of Geography and Environment, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, 252059, PR China; CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, 264003, PR China.
² CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, 264003, PR China.
³ CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, 264003, PR China; The Yellow River Delta Ecological Research Station of Coastal Wetland, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, PR China; Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, Yantai, PR China.
⁴ Shandong Key Laboratory of Biophysics, Institute of Biophysics, Dezhou University, Dezhou, 253023, PR China.
⁵ State Key Laboratory of Black Soils Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Harbin, 150081, PR China.
⁶ CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, 264003, PR China; The Yellow River Delta Ecological Research Station of Coastal Wetland, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, PR China; Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, Yantai, PR China. Electronic address: llxiao@yic.ac.cn.

PMID: 39672497
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.120601

Abstract

Climate models predict that the frequency and intensity of extreme precipitation events will increase globally. Despite carbon budget in coastal wetlands is known to be sensitive to precipitation variability, in where CH₄ productions and potential mechanisms remain poorly understood. We investigated CH₄ emission potential and its drivers after 7-year of field experiments with five precipitation gradients (-60%, -40%, ambient condition, +40%, +60%) in Yellow River Delta, China. The response of CH₄ emission potential to precipitation gradients exhibited significant asymmetry, with the highest emission potential occurring under +40% precipitation. ¹³C-isotope tracing experiment discovered the primary contribution of acetoclastic methanogenic pathway. +40% precipitation significantly improved the accumulation of aboveground biomass, soil organic carbon and total nitrogen. Microbial community abundance, but not composition, referring to metagenome-assembled genomes also actively responded to precipitation changes. For example, +40% precipitation increased the relative abundance of Methanosarcinia and Methanobacteria. Furthermore, CH₄ emission potential was also promoted by higher microbial enzyme activity. Collectively, CH₄ emission potential in response to 7-year experimental precipitations was regulated by microbiota-driven, showing obvious asymmetry.

Keywords: Asymmetry response; CH(4) emission potential; Metagenome-assembled genomes; Microbial enzyme activity; Precipitation.