Data from: Soil microbial processes and resource limitation in karst and non-karst forests

1. Soil microorganisms play a key role in soil biogeochemical cycles, but their growth and activities are often limited by resource availability. Understanding soil processes that are driven by microorganisms and resource limitation of microbes will help to elucidate controls on soil fertility and improve the ability to predict the responses of an ecosystem to global changes. As a widespread ecosystem type, karst ecosystem develops from limestone or dolomite with unique soil, however, karst ecosystems remains poorly understood regarding their soil microbial processes and microbial resource limitation. 2. Here, ecoenzymatic stoichiometry was used as an indicator of microbial resource limitation, and to model major microbial processes (i.e., decomposition of soil organic carbon and microbial respiration) in a karst and a non-karst forest. 3. Results showed that the modeled decomposition and respiration rates were significantly higher in the karst forest than in the non-karst forest. In addition, results of ecoenzymatic stoichiometry showed that the karst forest was more carbon-limited than the non-karst forest. In contrast, the karst forest was likely saturated with nitrogen, but the non-karst forest was limited by nitrogen. Both the karst and non-karst forests were limited by phosphorus, but phosphorus deficiency was more evident in the non-karst forest than in the karst forest. 4. These findings highlight the specific profiles of karst ecosystems, and they suggest that the responses of karst ecosystems to global changes should be very different compared to other ecosystems.

1. 土壤微生物在土壤生物地球化学循环中发挥关键作用，但其生长与活性常受资源可获得性限制。解析微生物驱动的土壤过程以及微生物的资源限制机制，有助于阐明土壤肥力的调控机理，并提升预测生态系统对全球变化响应的能力。喀斯特生态系统（karst ecosystem）是一类广泛分布的生态系统类型，由石灰岩或白云岩发育而来，拥有独特的土壤特征，但目前学界对其土壤微生物过程与微生物资源限制的认知仍较为匮乏。
2. 本研究以生态酶化学计量学（ecoenzymatic stoichiometry）作为微生物资源限制的指示指标，对喀斯特与非喀斯特森林的主要微生物过程（即土壤有机碳分解与微生物呼吸）进行建模分析。
3. 研究结果显示，喀斯特森林的模拟分解速率与呼吸速率均显著高于非喀斯特森林。此外，生态酶化学计量学分析结果表明，喀斯特森林的碳限制程度高于非喀斯特森林；与之相反，喀斯特森林的氮素供给可能已饱和，而非喀斯特森林则受氮素限制。两类森林均受磷素限制，但非喀斯特森林的磷素缺乏程度较喀斯特森林更为显著。
4. 本研究结果凸显了喀斯特生态系统的独特属性，这表明喀斯特生态系统对全球变化的响应模式与其他生态系统存在显著差异。