Stoichiometry regulates rice straw-induced priming effect: The microbial life strategies

Straw and nutrients retained in soil are crucial for priming effect (PE) and consequently for soil organic matter (SOM) turnover. However, the mechanisms by which carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) and their stoichiometric ratios impact microbial communities and regulate the PE intensity remain controversial, particularly in the flooded rice soils. In this work, the PE dynamics and microbial life strategies were measured over 100 days following an analysis of C:N:P stoichiometry after ¹³C labeled straw and nutrient inputs. P was the most limiting nutrient for microorganisms in Straw + N, and soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition was thus reduced by 18%. This was evidenced by: (i) the highest stoichiometric imbalance of C:P (0.97) between available resources and microbial biomass, (ii) the highest dissolved organic C (DOC):Olsen P ratio (140), and (iii) the lowest bacterial abundance. In contrast, lowering the soil C:P ratio (65) under straw + NP accelerated SOM decomposition. Compared to straw + N, the bacterial gene abundance increased by 170% under straw + NP, and the relative abundance of Y-strategists (Firmicutes, Betaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria and Bacteroidetes) was 6.8 times greater than that of straw + N, suggesting that P was a major limiting factor for microbes in this paddy soil. With the depletion of available C during incubation, bacterial gene abundance decreased for 9 times, and the abundance of Firmicutes decreased from 39% to 19%, the abundance of Deltaproteobacteria increased from 20% to 24%, indicating a shift from Y-strategists to A-strategists and acquiring the resources from SOM and inducing positive PE. Our study elucidates the complex and dynamic linkages between C, N and P and their available ratio in resources, and evidence changes in the microbial community structure and PE.