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Forests accumulate and store large amounts of carbon (C), and a sub 6 v9 r. i, z9 K" _/ Z# ^stantial fraction of this stock is contained in deadwood. This transient pool is subject5 L/ _, a1 Q" V& r# E5 v9 X
to decomposition by deadwood-associated organisms, and in this process it contrib 7 C5 q3 q1 e' vutes to CO2 9 Q3 q# v, b9 ^emissions. Although fungi and bacteria are known to colonize dead2 R% B. j$ D' A! R/ ^: `
wood, little is known about the microbial processes that mediate carbon and nitro& P# A) \) q4 g6 t# i; z
gen (N) cycling in deadwood. In this study, using a combination of metagenomics,$ c) T+ l6 O3 @4 f8 m- `6 n2 O% z* @
metatranscriptomics, and nutrient flflux measurements, we demonstrate that the decom ) z( ^. w! @/ I$ ?' B0 Gposition of deadwood reflflects the complementary roles played by fungi and bacteria. 4 l8 G: X: l4 W2 \1 iFungi were found to dominate the decomposition of deadwood and particularly its re $ T) s& S. h( L+ [' lcalcitrant fractions, while several bacterial taxa participate in N accumulation in dead/ U; U! O: Q" ^% Z- x" Y) n* X' [
wood through N fifixation, being dependent on fungal activity with respect to deadwood / g" T0 w- L$ S( ^4 L _5 j9 mcolonization and C supply. Conversely, bacterial N fifixation helps to decrease the con/ z F0 X+ U5 ^
straints of deadwood decomposition for fungi. Both the CO2 efflflux and N accumulation# e, u& h. N0 \3 z; X+ L9 e" V3 v
that are a result of a joint action of deadwood bacteria and fungi may be signifificant for 7 g$ I& [' V0 W; |/ ~( K' {) G1 rnutrient cycling at ecosystem levels. Especially in boreal forests with low N stocks, dead1 Q- o* Y' j; h8 b- ~7 p. }
wood retention may help to improve the nutritional status and fertility of soils., |8 q* c# p( N# K( w
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