Beyond N and P fertilization: Tropical ground hexapod communities are tied to micronutrients
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Human-induced inputs of nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P) disrupt global biogeochemical cycles and life itself. And yet there is no consensus on whether micro- or macronutrients are the main drivers of soil community assemblages. Tropical forests allow us to trace the response of nutrients on highly weathered soils, where previous studies have already shown N and P limitation. To address this, we conducted an N, P and NP field fertilization experiment in two French Guiana tropical rainforests (the Nouragues and Paracou forests) to study the response of metabarcoded ground-dwelling Hexapoda communities to macronutrients, while also assessing the impact of micronutrient availability (calcium (Ca), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg) and sodium (Na)). We assessed the importance of these nutrients through their impact on the abundance, richness, and composition of ground hexapod communities using linear models, canonical correlation analyses and analyses of variance. Our findings revealed that experimental fertilization with nitrogen and/or phosphorous did not drive ground hexapod community structure. In contrast, Ca, Mg and Na were positively associated with hexapod abundance. Ca, K and Mg positively correlated with OTU richness. And Ca and Na shaped community composition. Our results argue against the widespread assumption that macronutrient imbalances drive ground-dwelling hexapods, and we suggest that micronutrients need much more attention to properly assess the impact of nutrient imbalances and excessive fertilization in soils.
Source: Applied Soil Ecology
Institutions: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Centre for Research on Ecology and Forestry Applications, Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement, University of Antwerp, AgroParisTech, Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement, Ecologie des Forêts de Guyane, Technical University of Munich, University of Vienna, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier, Institut National Polytechnique de Toulouse, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Centre de Recherche sur la Biodiversité et l'Environnement, Université de Toulouse, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat de la Universitat de Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona
Language: English
Subfield: Soil Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDGs: Life on land, Zero hunger
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,320
Funders: Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, Agence Nationale de la Recherche, Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Conseil National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement, European Research Council, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas
OpenAlex ID: W4416265879