Molecular Microbiology Research 2024, Vol.14, No.2, 79-91 http://microbescipublisher.com/index.php/mmr 79 Review Article Open Access Breaking Down the Dead: Microbial Decomposition and Ecosystem Health Chunyang Zhan , Xiaomei Xu Hainan Institute of Biotechnology, Haikou, 570206, Hainan, China Corresponding author: chunyang.zhan@hibio.org Molecular Microbiology Research, 2024, Vol.14, No.2 doi: 10.5376/mmr.2024.14.0009 Received: 09 Feb., 2024 Accepted: 15 Mar., 2024 Published: 26 Mar., 2024 Copyright © 2024 Zhan and Xu, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Zhan C.Y., and Xu X.M., 2024, Breaking down the dead: microbial decomposition and ecosystem health, Molecular Microbiology Research, 14(2): 79-91 (doi: 10.5376/mmr.2024.14.0009) Abstract Microbial decomposition is an essential process in ecosystems, crucial for maintaining soil fertility, nutrient cycling, and overall ecosystem health. Through the breakdown of plant and animal remains, microbes convert organic matter into inorganic nutrients, facilitating the cycling of elements such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus. This study provides a comprehensive review of the mechanisms of microbial decomposition, the types of key decomposer microbes, and their roles in different ecosystems, particularly their impact on soil and aquatic environments. As climate change and human activities increasingly disrupt ecosystems, understanding the dynamics of microbial decomposition and its feedback mechanisms becomes ever more important. This research aims to explore the relationship between microbial decomposition and ecosystem health, proposing effective ecological conservation and restoration strategies to address future environmental challenges. Keywords Microbial decomposition; Ecosystem health; Nutrient cycling; Climate change; Environmental restoration 1 Introduction Microbial decomposition is a critical ecological process in ecosystems, primarily carried out by fungi and bacteria, involving the breakdown of organic matter and nutrient cycling. This process plays a crucial role in maintaining ecosystem health, whether in soil, leaf litter, or aquatic environments, by releasing nutrients that support plant growth and maintain soil structural stability (Bani et al., 2018; Hicks et al., 2021; Tláskal et al., 2021). However, decomposition is not merely a simple breakdown process; it involves complex biological and chemical reactions influenced by environmental factors and substrate quality, driven by dynamically changing microbial communities (Purahong et al., 2016). The impact of decomposition on ecosystems is not only reflected in its contribution to nutrient cycling but also in its importance in maintaining the balance of biogeochemical cycles. The decomposition process releases key nutrients such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, which support plant growth and maintain soil fertility (Metcalf et al., 2016; Maron et al., 2018; Arias-Real et al., 2019). In forest ecosystems, the decomposition of leaf litter and deadwood not only prevents soil erosion but also stabilizes the local climate and provides habitats for various organisms, maintaining the diversity and functionality of the ecosystem (Bani et al., 2018). Moreover, decomposition contributes to the global carbon cycle by releasing carbon dioxide (CO2), which is significant for understanding climate change dynamics (Tláskal et al., 2021; Manzoni et al., 2023). The intensification of human activities, such as land-use changes and pollution, can significantly impact microbial decomposition functions, thereby affecting nutrient balance in ecosystems. For example, temperature and humidity changes brought about by climate change directly influence microbial activity, thereby altering decomposition rates (Metcalf et al., 2016). As global warming continues, rising temperatures may accelerate decomposition in some regions, leading to rapid carbon release and further increasing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere (Tláskal et al., 2021). However, in extreme environments, rising temperatures may inhibit microbial activity, slowing decomposition and adding complexity to ecosystem response prediction and management (Manzoni et al., 2023).
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