Different Responses of Plant- and Microbial-Derived Carbon Decomposition Potential between Alpine Steppes and Meadows on the Tibetan Plateau

The alpine grasslands account for approximately 54.5% of the total carbon in China’s grasslands, and carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) play key roles turnover carbon. However, variation factors influencing gene-encoding plant- microbial-derived decomposition steppes meadows remain unclear. Here, trends microbial their responses to biomass different origins were studied using metagenomics on Tibetan Plateau. Our results revealed abundance GTs CBMs was higher than meadows, whereas AAs meadows. Soil properties (i.e., soil water content, ammonium nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen) highly related CAZyme genes (GTs, CBMs, AAs) showed an abundant pattern between Moreover, our indicated that relative encoding CAZymes involved (indicated by cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin) fungi-derived chitin glucans) 8.7% 10.1%, respectively, bacteria-derived peptidoglycan) lower 7.9% content (SWC), nitrogen (NO3−), pH influenced plant-, fungal-, bacterial-derived In addition, dominant phyla (Actinobacteria, Protebacteria, Acidobacteria) mineralized sources from through corresponding families. conclusion, study compared potentials illustrate contribution dead accumulation grasslands.