Fungal necromass fate in paddy soil depending on fertilization

Microbial necromass, particularly fungal cell residues, primarily contribute to soil organic carbon. Long-term fertilization strongly influences the contribution of microbial carbon to SOC formation, altering microbial life strategies. Fungal necromass utilization and the mechanisms underlying their contribution to SOC accumulation remain unclear, especially in anaerobic paddy soils. To address these questions, labelled fungal necromass was added to paddy soils from long-term (34 years) experiments without fertilization, with mineral fertilizers, and with mineral fertilizers combined with chicken manure were incubated for 210 days. 13C incorporation into phospholipid fatty acids combined with high-throughput sequencing allowed to trace the detailed processes of fungal residue utilization within the microbial food web and its contribution to SOC sequestration.