Complementary effects of phyllosphere and soil microbiomes on litter decomposition dynamics in Pinus massoniana forests

doi:10.1093/jpe/rtag027

J Plant Ecol ›› Advance articles DOI:10.1093/jpe/rtag027

• Research Article • Previous Articles Next Articles

Complementary effects of phyllosphere and soil microbiomes on litter decomposition dynamics in Pinus massoniana forests

Guiyun Yuan^1,2,3, Yang Zheng^1,2,3, Xueguang Sun^1,2,3*

¹Institute for Forest Resources & Environment of Guizhou, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China

²Key Laboratory of Forest Cultivation in Plateau Mountain of Guizhou Province, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, 550025, China

³College of Forestry, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China

^*Corresponding author: Xueguang Sun Address: Institute for Forest Resources & Environment of Guizhou, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China

Received:2025-10-20 Accepted:2026-02-01 Online:2026-03-02 Published:2026-03-02
Supported by:
This research was supported by the Guizhou Provincial Postgraduate Research Grant Projects (2024YJSKYJJ036), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32360372), Guizhou Provincial Science and Technology Projects, QKHZHYD[2024]044 and the Open Research Fund Program of Guizhou Key Laboratory of Forest Cultivation in Plateau Mountain (LMPY202504).

叶际微生物和土壤微生物对马尾松林凋落物分解动态的互补效应

Abstract

Abstract: Soil microorganisms are central to litter decomposition, yet the functional role of phyllosphere microorganisms—the initial colonizers of senescing leaves—and their interaction with soil biota remain poorly understood. To disentangle their respective and combined contribution, we conducted a 12-month decomposition experiment with Pinus massoniana needle litter under three microbial treatments: NS (non-sterilized needles + non-sterilized soil), NSS (non-sterilized needles + sterilized soil), and SNS (sterilized needles + non-sterilized soil). The combined microbial community (NS) exhibited the highest decomposition rates, resulting in greater mass loss (∼36%) and lignin loss (∼33%) after 12 months than treatments containing either microbial source alone (NSS: ∼26% mass loss, ∼24% lignin loss; SNS: ∼19% mass loss, ∼17% lignin loss). This enhancement was attributable to functional complementarity between phyllopshere and soil microbial communities, expressed through stage-specific shifts in community composition and lignin degradation capacity. Co-occurrence network analysis further revealed treatment-specific microbial interaction patterns and highlighted key decomposer taxa, including Oidiodendron, Mycena, and Acidothermus. Microbial succession occurred throughout decomposition, while dominant decomposer-related phyla remained broadly consistent, with fungi largely dominated by Ascomycota (∼84%) and bacteria mainly represented by Proteobacteria (∼47%), Acidobacteria (∼17%), Actinobacteria (∼15%), and Firmicutes (∼13%). Importantly, these shared taxonomic groups exhibited distinct temporal dynamics and interaction patterns across treatments. Overall, our results demonstrate that phyllosphere microorganisms actively contribute to litter decomposition and, through functional complementarity with soil biota, enhance decay process. These phyllosphere-soil microbiome interactions provide new mechanistic insights into microbial regulation of litter decomposition and nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems.

This study demonstrates the function of phyllosphere microorganisms, the initial colonizers of litter, in the process of litter decomposition, confirming that they can directly participate in decomposition and form functional complementarities with the soil microbiome, jointly promoting the decomposition process. This unique microbiome interaction model provides new insights into the microbial regulatory mechanisms of forest litter decomposition and nutrient cycling.

Key words: Pinus massoniana, phyllosphere, soil microbiome, litter decomposition, microbial succession

摘要：
微生物被视为凋落物分解的核心驱动因素，但叶际微生物——凋落叶的初始定殖者在分解过程中的功能以及其与土壤微生物的相互作用仍知之甚少。为了理清它们单独、共同存在对凋落物分解的贡献，本研究设置NS（未灭菌针叶+未灭菌土壤）、NSS（未灭菌针叶+灭菌土壤）和SNS（灭菌针叶+未灭菌土壤）3个微生物处理组，开展了为期12个月的马尾松针叶凋落物分解实验。结果发现叶际-土壤微生物群落共存（NS）的分解率最高，其在12个月后的质量损失率（∼36%）和木质素损失率（∼33%）均高于其余两个仅保留单一微生物群落的处理（NSS：质量损失率∼26%，木质素损失率∼24%；SNS：质量损失率∼19%，木质素损失率∼17%）。这种增强的分解效果归因于叶际和土壤微生物群落间的功能互补，其主要体现在不同分解阶段的群落组成和木质素分解能力的变化上。共现网络分析进一步揭示了特定处理下的微生物相互作用模式，并突出了树粉孢属（Oidiodendron）、小菇属（Mycena）和热酸菌属（Acidothermus）等关键的分解类群。凋落物分解过程伴随着明显的微生物演替，但与优势分解者相关的门基本保持一致，真菌以子囊菌门（Ascomycota，∼84%）为主，细菌以变形菌门（Proteobacteria，∼47%）、酸杆菌门（Acidobacteria，∼17%）、放线菌门（Actinobacteria，∼15%）和厚壁菌门（Firmicutes，∼13%）为主。重要的是，这些共有的分类群在不同处理间，表现出了不同的时间动态与互作模式。综上，该研究结果表明叶际微生物可直接参与凋落物的分解，并与土壤微生物形成功能互补，两者共同促进了分解进程。这种叶际-土壤微生物组的相互作用为森林生态系统凋落物分解和养分循环的微生物调控提供了新的机制见解。

关键词: 马尾松, 叶际, 土壤微生物, 凋落物分解, 微生物演替

Guiyun Yuan, Yang Zheng, Xueguang Sun. Complementary effects of phyllosphere and soil microbiomes on litter decomposition dynamics in Pinus massoniana forests[J]. J Plant Ecol, DOI: 10.1093/jpe/rtag027.

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Complementary effects of phyllosphere and soil microbiomes on litter decomposition dynamics in Pinus massoniana forests

叶际微生物和土壤微生物对马尾松林凋落物分解动态的互补效应

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