Work

Pika bioturbation alters soil microbial networks, reducing stability but enhancing soil functionality in alpine meadows

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Soil microorganisms are central to ecosystem functioning, as they regulate nutrient cycling, mediate plant–soil interactions, and drive biogeochemical processes. However, the ecological consequences of burrowing mammal bioturbation for microbial communities and their functional networks remain poorly understood in alpine ecosystems. Here, we investigated the effects of plateau pika ( Ochotona curzoniae ) bioturbation on soil microbial diversity, community composition, and co-occurrence network structures across distinct patch types in alpine meadows of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. Our results showed that pika activity markedly reduced bacterial richness, while exerting limited influence on fungal diversity. Bioturbation induced a shift toward oligotrophic and potentially pathogenic bacterial taxa in bare patches. Microbial networks in these patches displayed higher complexity but lower structural stability, suggesting a trade-off between enhanced interspecific interactions and reduced ecosystem resilience. Notably, network complexity was positively associated with both individual soil functions and overall multifunctionality, underscoring the regulatory role of microbial networks in ecosystem processes. Available nutrients, particularly available nitrogen (AN), emerged as key drivers of microbial network structure in bare patches, whereas pH and soil moisture content (SMC) were more influential in original vegetation. Collectively, our findings indicate that bioturbation-induced changes in microbial community structure increase network complexity, which may weaken stability but simultaneously enhance soil functionality. These insights provide a mechanistic understanding of how bioturbating mammals reshape belowground microbial networks and highlight their functional significance for the restoration and management of fragile alpine meadows.

Source: CATENA

DOI: 10.1016/j.catena.2025.109642

Authors: Xiaozheng Wang, Jiena Li, Zhenggang Guo, Xiaoxing Wei, Xiaopan Pang

Institutions: State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, Lanzhou University, Qinghai University

Language: English

Topic: Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics

Subfield: Soil Science

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Life on land

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,680