DOE OSTI · 3384920
Heterotrophic respiration by soil microbes in a changing climate
Abstract
Soil microbes strongly influence the soil organic carbon (SOC) pool, which globally stores ~2,000 PgC. Specifically, the balance between microbial heterotrophic respiration (R H ), which degrades SOC, and plant–microbe interactions that stabilize SOC determines whether terrestrial ecosystems are a net source or sink of CO 2 to the atmosphere. Here, in this Review, we evaluate how climate change alters these competing processes. R H is approximately half of total soil respiration, at ~50 PgC yr −1 , with 70% occurring in topsoils. Warming accelerates microbial metabolism, with a 10 °C temperature increase estimated to raise R H by ~50%, an effect that is particularly strong in Arctic soils. Warming also reduces soil moisture, further modulating R H , which responds nonlinearly to soil moisture, being limited by saturation and desiccation and meeting a maximum at intermediate levels. Consequently, R H is highly sensitive to future precipitation changes and drought. However, soil management strategies could enhance SOC stocks and persistence under climate change. Bacterial and fungal inoculants can promote SOC production and stabilization, while deep-rooting plants increase SOC inputs to deeper layers that experience lower R H . Agricultural practices and biochar amendments can also enhance SOC and reduce R H . Expanding field trials across regions, climates and soil types would improve empirical understanding of these responses and support better representation of R H in predictive models, enabling more accurate assessments of climate impacts on SOC storage.
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Jansson, Janet K. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Applied Microbiology International, Cambridge (United Kingdom). The Soil Stars] (ORCID:0000000254874315), Flamholz, Avi I. [Rockefeller University, New York, NY (United States)] (ORCID:0000000292785479), Peixoto, Raquel [Applied Microbiology International, Cambridge (United Kingdom). The Soil Stars; King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal (Saudi Arabia)], Falcao Salles, Joana [Applied Microbiology International, Cambridge (United Kingdom). The Soil Stars; University of Groningen (Netherlands)] (ORCID:0000000343177263), Lennon, Jay T. [Applied Microbiology International, Cambridge (United Kingdom). The Soil Stars; Indiana University, Bloomington, IN (United States)] (ORCID:0000000331266111), Rosado, Alexandre Soares [Applied Microbiology International, Cambridge (United Kingdom). The Soil Stars; King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal (Saudi Arabia)] (ORCID:0000000151351394), Sanders, Ian R. [Applied Microbiology International, Cambridge (United Kingdom). The Soil Stars; University of Lausanne (Switzerland)] (ORCID:0000000295918214), Jacobsen, Carsten S. [Applied Microbiology International, Cambridge (United Kingdom). The Soil Stars; Aarhus University, Roskilde (Denmark)], Makhalanyane, Thulani [Applied Microbiology International, Cambridge (United Kingdom). The Soil Stars; Stellenbosch University (South Africa). School for Data Science and Computational Thinking (SDSCT)] (ORCID:0000000281731678), Schadt, Christopher Warren [Applied Microbiology International, Cambridge (United Kingdom). The Soil Stars; Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)] (ORCID:0000000187592448), Gilbert, Jack A. [Applied Microbiology International, Cambridge (United Kingdom). The Soil Stars; University of California, San Diego, CA (United States). Scripps Inst. of Oceanography]. 2026-07-10. Heterotrophic respiration by soil microbes in a changing climate. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-026-00806-x
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