Fertilization alters microbial community composition and functional patterns by changing the chemical nature of soil organic carbon: A field study in a Halosol

Abstract

Insight into the effects of fertilization on soil organic carbon (C) content and composition, and on microbial community and functions related to C decomposition are being gained, although the linkage between them remains elusive. To address this knowledge gap, a field experiment was conducted under different fertilization regimes, no fertilization (CL), chemical fertilization for 11 years (CF), organic fertilization for 6 years (OF6) and organic fertilization for 11 years (OF11) in an alkaline sandy loam soil. Changes in soil C chemistry using 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, microbial community using phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis and microbial functions using si..