Fungal metabolic carbon acquisition and its subsequent partitioning between biomass production and respiration, i.e. the carbon-use efficiency (CUE), are central parameters in biogeochemical modeling. However, current available techniques for estimating these parameters are all associated with practical and theoretical shortcomings, making assessments unreliable. Gene expression analyses hold the prospect of phenotype prediction by indirect means, providing new opportunities to obtain information about metabolic priorities. We cultured four different fungal isolates (Chalara longipes, Laccaria bicolor, Serpula lacrymans and Trichoderma harzianum) in liquid media with contrasting nitrogen availability and measured growth rates and respiration to calculate CUE. By relating gene expression markers to measured carbon fluxes, we identified genes coding for 1,3-\uffce\uffb2-glucan synthase and 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase as suitable markers for growth and respiration, respectively, capturing both intraspecific variation as well as within-strain variation dependent on growth medium. A transcript index based on these markers correlated significantly with differences in CUE between the fungal isolates. Our study paves the way for the use of these markers to assess differences in growth, respiration and CUE in natural fungal communities, using metatranscriptomic or the RT-qPCR approach.Thermal adaptations of soil microorganisms could mitigate or facilitate global warming effects on soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition and soil CO2 efflux. We incubated soil from warmed and control subplots of a forest soil warming experiment to assess whether 9\uffc2\uffa0years of soil warming affected the rates and the temperature sensitivity of the soil CO2 efflux, extracellular enzyme activities, microbial efficiency, and gross N mineralization. Mineral soil (0\uffe2\uff80\uff9310\uffc2\uffa0cm depth) was incubated at temperatures ranging from 3 to 23\uffc2\uffa0\uffc2\uffb0C. No adaptations to long\uffe2\uff80\uff90term warming were observed regarding the heterotrophic soil CO2 efflux (R10 warmed: 2.31\uffc2\uffa0\uffc2\uffb1\uffc2\uffa00.15\uffc2\uffa0\uffce\uffbcmol\uffc2\uffa0m\uffe2\uff88\uff922\uffc2\uffa0s\uffe2\uff88\uff921, control: 2.34\uffc2\uffa0\uffc2\uffb1\uffc2\uffa00.29\uffc2\uffa0\uffce\uffbcmol\uffc2\uffa0m\uffe2\uff88\uff922\uffc2\uffa0s\uffe2\uff88\uff921; Q10 warmed: 2.45\uffc2\uffa0\uffc2\uffb1\uffc2\uffa00.06, control: 2.45\uffc2\uffa0\uffc2\uffb1\uffc2\uffa00.04). Potential enzyme activities increased with incubation temperature, but the temperature sensitivity of the enzymes did not differ between the warmed and the control soils. The ratio of C\uffc2\uffa0:\uffc2\uffa0N acquiring enzyme activities was significantly higher in the warmed soil. Microbial biomass\uffe2\uff80\uff90specific respiration rates increased with incubation temperature, but the rates and the temperature sensitivity (Q10 warmed: 2.54\uffc2\uffa0\uffc2\uffb1\uffc2\uffa00.23, control 2.75\uffc2\uffa0\uffc2\uffb1\uffc2\uffa00.17) did not differ between warmed and control soils. Microbial substrate use efficiency (SUE) declined with increasing incubation temperature in both, warmed and control, soils. SUE and its temperature sensitivity (Q10 warmed: 0.84\uffc2\uffa0\uffc2\uffb1\uffc2\uffa00.03, control: 0.88\uffc2\uffa0\uffc2\uffb1\uffc2\uffa00.01) did not differ between warmed and control soils either. Gross N mineralization was invariant to incubation temperature and was not affected by long\uffe2\uff80\uff90term soil warming. Our results indicate that thermal adaptations of the microbial decomposer community are unlikely to occur in C\uffe2\uff80\uff90rich calcareous temperate forest soils.
", "keywords": ["0106 biological sciences", "570", "substrate use efficiency", "Nitrogen", "ARCTIC SOIL", "Acclimatization", "Forests", "soil CO2 efflux", "Global Warming", "01 natural sciences", "630", "COMMUNITY COMPOSITION", "BOREAL FOREST", "Soil", "gross N mineralization", "SEASONAL PATTERNS", "thermal adaptation", "EXTRACELLULAR ENZYMES", "CARBON-USE EFFICIENCY", "soil warming", "Enzyme activities", "BEECH FOREST", "ENZYME-ACTIVITY", "Soil Microbiology", "2. Zero hunger", "106022 Mikrobiologie", "Soil CO efflux", "NITROGEN AVAILABILITY", "04 agricultural and veterinary sciences", "Carbon Dioxide", "15. Life on land", "Primary Research Articles", "Thermal adaptation", "enzyme activities", "13. Climate action", "Austria", "106022 Microbiology", "Soil warming", "0401 agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries", "CYCLE FEEDBACKS", "Gross N mineralization", "Seasons", "Substrate use efficiency"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.12996"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Global%20Change%20Biology", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1111/gcb.12996", "name": "item", "description": "10.1111/gcb.12996", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1111/gcb.12996"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2015-09-28T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "2954315845", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-07-25T16:26:04Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2019-06-26", "title": "Soil multifunctionality is affected by the soil environment and by microbial community composition and diversity", "description": "Microorganisms are critical in mediating carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling processes in soils. Yet, it has long been debated whether the processes underlying biogeochemical cycles are affected by the composition and diversity of the soil microbial community or not. The composition and diversity of soil microbial communities can be influenced by various environmental factors, which in turn are known to impact biogeochemical processes. The objectives of this study were to test effects of multiple edaphic drivers individually and represented as the multivariate soil environment interacting with microbial community composition and diversity, and concomitantly on multiple soil functions (i.e. soil enzyme activities, soil C and N processes). We employed high-throughput sequencing (Illumina MiSeq) to analyze bacterial/archaeal and fungal community composition by targeting the 16S rRNA gene and the ITS1 region of soils collected from three land uses (cropland, grassland and forest) deriving from two bedrock forms (silicate and limestone). Based on this data set we explored single and combined effects of edaphic variables on soil microbial community structure and diversity, as well as on soil enzyme activities and several soil C and N processes. We found that both bacterial/archaeal and fungal communities were shaped by the same edaphic factors, with most single edaphic variables and the combined soil environment representation exerting stronger effects on bacterial/archaeal communities than on fungal communities, as demonstrated by (partial) Mantel tests. We also found similar edaphic controls on the bacterial/archaeal/fungal richness and diversity. Soil C processes were only directly affected by the soil environment but not affected by microbial community composition. In contrast, soil N processes were significantly related to bacterial/archaeal community composition and bacterial/archaeal/fungal richness/diversity but not directly affected by the soil environment. This indicates direct control of the soil environment on soil C processes and indirect control of the soil environment on soil N processes by structuring the microbial communities. The study further highlights the importance of edaphic drivers and microbial communities (i.e. composition and diversity) on important soil C and N processes.", "keywords": ["0301 basic medicine", "570", "550", "ECOSYSTEM MULTIFUNCTIONALITY", "BACTERIAL COMMUNITY", "106027 \u00d6kotoxikologie", "FUNGAL COMMUNITIES", "Soil functions", "Article", "03 medical and health sciences", "Microbial community composition and diversity", "CARBON-USE EFFICIENCY", "106027 Ecotoxicology", "ENZYME-ACTIVITIES", "14. Life underwater", "SDG 15 \u2013 Leben an Land", "Life Below Water", "SDG 15 - Life on Land", "2. Zero hunger", "106022 Mikrobiologie", "0303 health sciences", "Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences", "LAND-USE", "SUBSTRATE USE EFFICIENCY", "Agronomy & Agriculture", "Biological Sciences", "15. Life on land", "6. Clean water", "TEMPERATE FOREST", "13. Climate action", "LONG-TERM N", "106022 Microbiology", "Edaphic drivers", "BAYESIAN CLASSIFIER", "Environmental Sciences"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://escholarship.org/content/qt83b3006k/qt83b3006k.pdf"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/2954315845"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Soil%20Biology%20and%20Biochemistry", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "2954315845", "name": "item", "description": "2954315845", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/2954315845"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2019-09-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "11585/996222", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-07-25T16:25:06Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2021-07-10", "title": "A critical perspective on interpreting amplicon sequencing data in soil ecological research", "description": "Abstract Microbial community analysis via marker gene amplicon sequencing has become a routine method in the field of soil research. In this perspective, we discuss technical challenges and limitations of amplicon sequencing and present statistical and experimental approaches that can help addressing the spatio-temporal complexity of soil and the high diversity of organisms therein. We illustrate the impact of compositionality on the interpretation of relative abundance data and discuss effects of sample replication on the statistical power in soil community analysis. Additionally, we argue for the need of increased study reproducibility and data availability, as well as complementary techniques for generating deeper ecological insights into microbial roles and our understanding thereof in soil ecosystems. At this stage, we call upon researchers and specialized soil journals to consider the current state of data analysis, interpretation, and availability to improve the rigor of future studies.", "keywords": ["0301 basic medicine", "2. Zero hunger", "Soil microbial diversity", "0303 health sciences", "Soil metabarcoding", "DIVERSITY", "Ecology; Soil microbes; Amplicon sequencing", "Compositional data", "SCALE SPATIAL HETEROGENEITY", "15. Life on land", "BIOMASS", "03 medical and health sciences", "106026 \u00d6kosystemforschung", "Soil complexity", "CARBON-USE EFFICIENCY", "BACTERIA", "DNA EXTRACTION", "MICROORGANISMS", "MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES", "106026 Ecosystem research", "RIBOSOMAL-RNA", "Amplicon sequencing", "Soil microorganisms", "GENERATION"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/11585/996222"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Soil%20Biology%20and%20Biochemistry", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "11585/996222", "name": "item", "description": "11585/996222", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/11585/996222"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2021-09-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "3191592786", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-07-25T16:26:23Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2021-07-30", "title": "Transcriptomic markers of fungal growth, respiration and carbon-use efficiency", "description": "ABSTRACTFungal metabolic carbon acquisition and its subsequent partitioning between biomass production and respiration, i.e. the carbon-use efficiency (CUE), are central parameters in biogeochemical modeling. However, current available techniques for estimating these parameters are all associated with practical and theoretical shortcomings, making assessments unreliable. Gene expression analyses hold the prospect of phenotype prediction by indirect means, providing new opportunities to obtain information about metabolic priorities. We cultured four different fungal isolates (Chalara longipes, Laccaria bicolor, Serpula lacrymans and Trichoderma harzianum) in liquid media with contrasting nitrogen availability and measured growth rates and respiration to calculate CUE. By relating gene expression markers to measured carbon fluxes, we identified genes coding for 1,3-\uffce\uffb2-glucan synthase and 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase as suitable markers for growth and respiration, respectively, capturing both intraspecific variation as well as within-strain variation dependent on growth medium. A transcript index based on these markers correlated significantly with differences in CUE between the fungal isolates. Our study paves the way for the use of these markers to assess differences in growth, respiration and CUE in natural fungal communities, using metatranscriptomic or the RT-qPCR approach.Fungal metabolic carbon acquisition and its subsequent partitioning between biomass production and respiration, i.e. the carbon-use efficiency (CUE), are central parameters in biogeochemical modeling. However, current available techniques for estimating these parameters are all associated with practical and theoretical shortcomings, making assessments unreliable. Gene expression analyses hold the prospect of phenotype prediction by indirect means, providing new opportunities to obtain information about metabolic priorities. We cultured four different fungal isolates (Chalara longipes, Laccaria bicolor, Serpula lacrymans and Trichoderma harzianum) in liquid media with contrasting nitrogen availability and measured growth rates and respiration to calculate CUE. By relating gene expression markers to measured carbon fluxes, we identified genes coding for 1,3-\uffce\uffb2-glucan synthase and 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase as suitable markers for growth and respiration, respectively, capturing both intraspecific variation as well as within-strain variation dependent on growth medium. A transcript index based on these markers correlated significantly with differences in CUE between the fungal isolates. Our study paves the way for the use of these markers to assess differences in growth, respiration and CUE in natural fungal communities, using metatranscriptomic or the RT-qPCR approach.