Paper · 2026 · Microorganisms

Combined Microbiome and Metabolomic Analyses Reveal That Fine-Root Invasion of Rhododendron auriculatum Sapling Enhances Microbial Decomposition of Sphagnum palustre L.

Qiuxia Xiang; Guijun Bu; Xiaorong Tang; et al.

9
claims
15
verbatim quotes
0
citations
3
research areas
✓
Open access · cc-by

Abstract

Phenolics in Sphagnum can inhibit its microbial decomposition. Climate warming and drainage have driven vascular plants, such as Ericaceae, to expand into Sphagnum-dominated peatland. However, the impact of fine root invasion by Rhododendron auriculatum Hemsl. on Sphagnum decomposition and changes in phenolic compounds remains unclear. This study compared Sphagnum decomposition in a Sphagnum palustre L.-dominated peatland and an R. auriculatum (Sapling)–S. palustre peatland by examining the microscopic structure of S. palustre and microbial community composition. Decomposition was higher in the R. auriculatum–S. palustre peatland. On this site, bacterial metabolic types such as aerobic chemoheterotrophy and chemoheterotrophy had higher relative abundances, as did fungal trophic modes, including those with combined ectomycorrhizal, ericoid mycorrhizal, and saprotrophic functions. Acid phosphatase, laccase, total nitrogen (TN), C/N ratio (C:N), and pH differed significantly across decomposition stages. Microbial communities are affected by physicochemical factors and enzyme activities. Untargeted metabolomics revealed more downregulated than upregulated phenolics, cinnamic acids, and tannins, indicating loss of phenolic compounds. In summary, R. auriculatum fine root invasion altered enzyme activities and physicochemical properties, driving the restructuring of bacterial and fungal trophic modes and accelerating S. palustre cell wall and hyaline cell decomposition.

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Claims 9

Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Sphagnum decomposition was higher in the R. auriculatum–S. palustre peatland than in the S. palustre-dominated peatland.

Taxon
Sphagnum palustreSphagnum palustree0
Treatment
R. auriculatum (Sapling)e0
Interactor
R. auriculatumRhododendron auriculatume0other
Outcome
Decompositione0
Direction
highere0
Comparator
Sphagnum palustre L.-dominated peatlande0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Sphagnum palustre
Sphagnum palustre · TaxonJames K. Lindsey · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗
Rhododendron auriculatum
Rhododendron auriculatum · InteractorUleli · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“This study compared Sphagnum decomposition in a Sphagnum palustre L.-dominated peatland and an R. auriculatum (Sapling)–S. palustre peatland by examining the microscopic structure of S. palustre and microbial community composition. Decomposition was higher in the R. auriculatum–S. palustre peatland”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 338–637 · show in text ↑
Associationobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Bacterial metabolic types such as aerobic chemoheterotrophy and chemoheterotrophy had higher relative abundances in the R. auriculatum peatland.

Taxon
Sphagnum palustreSphagnum palustree0
Interactor
bacterial metabolic typese1other
Outcome
relative abundancese1
Direction
highere1

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Sphagnum palustre
Sphagnum palustre · TaxonJames K. Lindsey · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“This study compared Sphagnum decomposition in a Sphagnum palustre L.-dominated peatland and an R. auriculatum (Sapling)–S. palustre peatland by examining the microscopic structure of S. palustre and microbial community composition. Decomposition was higher in the R. auriculatum–S. palustre peatland”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 338–637 · show in text ↑
e1

“bacterial metabolic types such as aerobic chemoheterotrophy and chemoheterotrophy had higher relative abundances, as did fungal trophic modes, including those with combined ectomycorrhizal, ericoid mycorrhizal, and saprotrophic functions”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 653–890 · show in text ↑
Associationobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Fungal trophic modes, including combined ectomycorrhizal, ericoid mycorrhizal and saprotrophic functions, also had higher relative abundances in the R. auriculatum peatland.

Taxon
Sphagnum palustreSphagnum palustree0
Interactor
fungal trophic modese1other
Outcome
relative abundancese1
Direction
highere1

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Sphagnum palustre
Sphagnum palustre · TaxonJames K. Lindsey · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“This study compared Sphagnum decomposition in a Sphagnum palustre L.-dominated peatland and an R. auriculatum (Sapling)–S. palustre peatland by examining the microscopic structure of S. palustre and microbial community composition. Decomposition was higher in the R. auriculatum–S. palustre peatland”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 338–637 · show in text ↑
e1

“bacterial metabolic types such as aerobic chemoheterotrophy and chemoheterotrophy had higher relative abundances, as did fungal trophic modes, including those with combined ectomycorrhizal, ericoid mycorrhizal, and saprotrophic functions”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 653–890 · show in text ↑
Observationobservedoriginal resultsignificant (as stated)measured

Claim · model-written summary

Acid phosphatase and laccase differed significantly across decomposition stages.

Taxon
Sphagnum palustreSphagnum palustree0
Outcome
Acid phosphatase, laccasee2
Qualifier
across decomposition stagese2

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Sphagnum palustre
Sphagnum palustre · TaxonJames K. Lindsey · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“This study compared Sphagnum decomposition in a Sphagnum palustre L.-dominated peatland and an R. auriculatum (Sapling)–S. palustre peatland by examining the microscopic structure of S. palustre and microbial community composition. Decomposition was higher in the R. auriculatum–S. palustre peatland”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 338–637 · show in text ↑
e2

“Acid phosphatase, laccase, total nitrogen (TN), C/N ratio (C:N), and pH differed significantly across decomposition stages”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 892–1014 · show in text ↑
Observationobservedoriginal resultsignificant (as stated)measured

Claim · model-written summary

Total nitrogen, C/N ratio and pH differed significantly across decomposition stages.

Taxon
Sphagnum palustreSphagnum palustree0
Outcome
total nitrogen (TN), C/N ratio (C:N), and pHe2
Qualifier
across decomposition stagese2

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Sphagnum palustre
Sphagnum palustre · TaxonJames K. Lindsey · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“This study compared Sphagnum decomposition in a Sphagnum palustre L.-dominated peatland and an R. auriculatum (Sapling)–S. palustre peatland by examining the microscopic structure of S. palustre and microbial community composition. Decomposition was higher in the R. auriculatum–S. palustre peatland”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 338–637 · show in text ↑
e2

“Acid phosphatase, laccase, total nitrogen (TN), C/N ratio (C:N), and pH differed significantly across decomposition stages”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 892–1014 · show in text ↑
Associationobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Microbial communities are affected by physicochemical factors and enzyme activities in Sphagnum peat.

Taxon
Sphagnum palustreSphagnum palustree0
Treatment
physicochemical factors and enzyme activitiese3
Outcome
Microbial communitiese3

Not reportedDirection

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Sphagnum palustre
Sphagnum palustre · TaxonJames K. Lindsey · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“This study compared Sphagnum decomposition in a Sphagnum palustre L.-dominated peatland and an R. auriculatum (Sapling)–S. palustre peatland by examining the microscopic structure of S. palustre and microbial community composition. Decomposition was higher in the R. auriculatum–S. palustre peatland”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 338–637 · show in text ↑
e3

“Microbial communities are affected by physicochemical factors and enzyme activities”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1016–1099 · show in text ↑
Observationobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Phenolics, cinnamic acids and tannins were more downregulated than upregulated, indicating loss of phenolic compounds.

Taxon
Sphagnum palustreSphagnum palustree0
Outcome
phenolics, cinnamic acids, and tanninse4
Direction
downregulatede4
Qualifier
indicating loss of phenolic compoundse4

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Sphagnum palustre
Sphagnum palustre · TaxonJames K. Lindsey · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“This study compared Sphagnum decomposition in a Sphagnum palustre L.-dominated peatland and an R. auriculatum (Sapling)–S. palustre peatland by examining the microscopic structure of S. palustre and microbial community composition. Decomposition was higher in the R. auriculatum–S. palustre peatland”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 338–637 · show in text ↑
e4

“Untargeted metabolomics revealed more downregulated than upregulated phenolics, cinnamic acids, and tannins, indicating loss of phenolic compounds”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1101–1247 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

R. auriculatum fine root invasion accelerated S. palustre cell wall and hyaline cell decomposition.

Taxon
S. palustreSphagnum palustree5
Treatment
R. auriculatum fine root invasione5
Interactor
R. auriculatumRhododendron auriculatume5other
Outcome
cell wall and hyaline cell decompositione5
Direction
acceleratinge5

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Sphagnum palustre
Sphagnum palustre · TaxonJames K. Lindsey · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗
Rhododendron auriculatum
Rhododendron auriculatum · InteractorUleli · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e5

“R. auriculatum fine root invasion altered enzyme activities and physicochemical properties, driving the restructuring of bacterial and fungal trophic modes and accelerating S. palustre cell wall and hyaline cell decomposition”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1261–1486 · show in text ↑
Mechanismauthor interpretationoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

R. auriculatum fine root invasion, through altered enzyme activities and physicochemical properties, is suggested to drive restructuring of bacterial and fungal trophic modes in Sphagnum peat.

Taxon
S. palustreSphagnum palustree5
Treatment
R. auriculatum fine root invasione5
Outcome
restructuring of bacterial and fungal trophic modese5
Qualifier
altered enzyme activities and physicochemical propertiese5

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Sphagnum palustre
Sphagnum palustre · TaxonJames K. Lindsey · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e5

“R. auriculatum fine root invasion altered enzyme activities and physicochemical properties, driving the restructuring of bacterial and fungal trophic modes and accelerating S. palustre cell wall and hyaline cell decomposition”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1261–1486 · show in text ↑