Warming Effects Enzyme Turnover During Decomposition of Subtropical Peat

Abstract:

Extracellular enzymes are the proximate agents for organic matter degradation, but the turnover rate of enzymes is often assumed in most decomposition models without direct observations. Here, we assess turnover rates of C (ß-D-glucosidase), N (Leucine aminopeptidase), and P (Phosphomonoesterase) degrading enzymes by spiking commercially available enzymes to the dissolved organic matter of two subtropical peats incubated at 15°C and 25°C and monitoring of net activity of spiked enzymes (i.e. the difference between the spiked and the non-spiked samples) over time. Turnover rates of all three enzymes were greater in the samples incubated at 25°C (ranged between 0.006 hr^-1 to 0.014 hr^-1) as compared to those incubated at 15°C (ranged between 0.002 hr^-1 to 0.009 hr^-1). Concentrations of dissolved organic matter were positively correlated with the turnover rates (R² ranged between 0.71-0.77) of all enzyme groups. To our knowledge, this is the first attempt to evaluate the turnover rates of enzymes in wetland soils as a function of warming and dissolved organic matter concentration. The findings suggest that warming-induced changes in the size of soil enzyme pool due to direct (by increasing protease activity) and indirect (by increasing concentrations of dissolved organic matter) effects on their turnover rates has potential to alter soil C stocks in a warmer world.