Divergent phenological responses of soil microorganisms and plants to climate warming
Publisher DOI
Abstract
Anthropogenic climate warming is altering phenology—the biological
timing of life-cycle events—across trophic levels worldwide. However,
it remains unclear whether warming induces differential changes in
phenology between plants and soil microorganisms—two fundamental
components of terrestrial biodiversity and food chains. Here we report a
consistent mismatch between plant and soil microbial phenology under
climate warming, on the basis of 1,032 globally distributed observations of
phenological shifts in plant and/or soil microbial respiration in response
to experimental warming. Advances in spring phenology and delays in
autumn phenology are greater in soil microorganisms than in both plant
shoots and roots, particularly under tall vegetation (for example, forests)
compared with low vegetation (for example, grasslands). Furthermore,
phenology shifts in soil microorganisms are greater in soils with high
carbon-to-nitrogen ratios, such as those in boreal regions, than in those
with lower ratios. Such phenological mismatches between plants and soil
microorganisms could destabilize their temporal synchrony, decoupling
above- and belowground processes, and ultimately degrading energy flow
and ecosystem functioning under climate warming.
timing of life-cycle events—across trophic levels worldwide. However,
it remains unclear whether warming induces differential changes in
phenology between plants and soil microorganisms—two fundamental
components of terrestrial biodiversity and food chains. Here we report a
consistent mismatch between plant and soil microbial phenology under
climate warming, on the basis of 1,032 globally distributed observations of
phenological shifts in plant and/or soil microbial respiration in response
to experimental warming. Advances in spring phenology and delays in
autumn phenology are greater in soil microorganisms than in both plant
shoots and roots, particularly under tall vegetation (for example, forests)
compared with low vegetation (for example, grasslands). Furthermore,
phenology shifts in soil microorganisms are greater in soils with high
carbon-to-nitrogen ratios, such as those in boreal regions, than in those
with lower ratios. Such phenological mismatches between plants and soil
microorganisms could destabilize their temporal synchrony, decoupling
above- and belowground processes, and ultimately degrading energy flow
and ecosystem functioning under climate warming.
Date Issued
2025-07-29
Publication Type
Article
Subject(s)
Language(s)
en
Author(s)
Wang, Hao | |
Zhou, Huimin | |
He, Jin-Sheng | |
Lu, Chunyan | |
Huang, Yixuan | |
Zhang, Juanjuan | |
Liu, Huiying |
Journal
Nature Geoscience
Publisher
Nature Research
ISSN
1752-0894
1752-0908
Access(Rights)
restricted