Fungi and bacteria respond differently to changing environmental conditions within a soil profile

In conclusion, fungal C utilization relies mainly on the quantity of recent plant-derived substrates, whereas bacterial access to substrates is additionally controlled by environmental conditions. This study indicates that limited microbial access to their heterogeneously distributed substrates may be an important factor for C accumulation and stabilization in subsoils.
Source: Soil Biology and Biochemistry - Category: Biology Source Type: research