
You have already added 0 works in your ORCID record related to the merged Research product.
You have already added 0 works in your ORCID record related to the merged Research product.
<script type="text/javascript">
<!--
document.write('<div id="oa_widget"></div>');
document.write('<script type="text/javascript" src="https://beta.openaire.eu/index.php?option=com_openaire&view=widget&format=raw&projectId=undefined&type=result"></script>');
-->
</script>
Links Between Heathland Fungal Biomass Mineralization, Melanization, and Hydrophobicity


Wim Deferme

Jaco Vangronsveld

Robert Carleer

Francois Rineau

Wim Deferme

Jaco Vangronsveld

Robert Carleer

Francois Rineau

Frederik De Laender
Comprehending the decomposition process is crucial for our understanding of the mechanisms of carbon (C) sequestration in soils. The decomposition of plant biomass has been extensively studied. It revealed that extrinsic biomass properties that restrict its access to decomposers influence decomposition more than intrinsic ones that are only related to its chemical structure. Fungal biomass has been much less investigated, even though it contributes to a large extent to soil organic matter, and is characterized by specific biochemical properties. In this study, we investigated the extent to which decomposition of heathland fungal biomass was affected by its hydrophobicity (extrinsic property) and melanin content (intrinsic property). We hypothesized that, as for plant biomass, hydrophobicity would have a greater impact on decomposition than melanin content. Mineralization was determined as the mineralization of soil organic carbon (SOC) into CO2 by headspace GC/MS after inoculation by a heathland soil microbial community. Results show that decomposition was not affected by hydrophobicity, but was negatively correlated with melanin content. We argue that it may indicate that either melanin content is both an intrinsic and extrinsic property, or that some soil decomposers evolved the ability to use surfactants to access to hydrophobic biomass. In the latter case, biomass hydrophobicity should not be considered as a crucial extrinsic factor. We also explored the ecology of decomposition, melanin content, and hydrophobicity, among heathland soil fungal guilds. Ascomycete black yeasts had the highest melanin content, and hyaline Basidiomycete yeasts the lowest. Hydrophobicity was an all-or-nothing trait, with most isolates being hydrophobic.
- Hasselt University Belgium
- Marum Germany
- Marum Germany
- University of Namur Belgium
Melanins, Decomposition, Fungi/growth & development, Hydrophobicity, decomposition; fungal biomass; heathland; hydrophobicity; melanin, Fungi, Plants/chemistry, Plants, Melanins/analysis, Fungal biomass, Soil, Melanin, Biomass, Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions, Heathland, Ecosystem, Soil Microbiology, Soil/chemistry
Melanins, Decomposition, Fungi/growth & development, Hydrophobicity, decomposition; fungal biomass; heathland; hydrophobicity; melanin, Fungi, Plants/chemistry, Plants, Melanins/analysis, Fungal biomass, Soil, Melanin, Biomass, Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions, Heathland, Ecosystem, Soil Microbiology, Soil/chemistry
citations This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).14 popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.Top 10% influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).Average impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.Top 10%
