Perennial grain crop roots and nitrogen management shape soil food webs and soil carbon dynamics

Abstract Perennial grain crops may confer greater ecosystem services relative to annual row crop systems due to their extensive roots systems and year-round ground cover. However, less is known about the extent to which perennial grain crops affect food web dynamics and soil carbon (C) cycling over time. Furthermore, many mechanistic questions remain regarding the influence of root quantity and quality on soil biological communities and C cycling function. In this study, we quantified root biomass and quality, bacterial and nematode community structure, and labile soil C pools of perennial intermediate wheatgrass [Thinopyrum intermedium (Host) Buckworth and Dewey] and annual winter wheat (Triticum aes L.) across three nitrogen (N) management systems (Organic, Low inorganic N, High inorganic N). After 4 years, the perennial grain crop had significantly greater root quantity and permanganate oxidizable carbon (POXC) relative to annual wheat. Mineralizable C was similar between the two plant systems but differed by N management. Perenniality more than management influenced nematode community structure and function; perennial grains increased the structure index (a measure of trophic complexity) by 55% compared to annual wheat. Both plant type and management influenced bacterial communities, but not until the final year of the experiment. Our findings demonstrate that established perennial grain crops increase labile soil C and support more highly structured and complex food webs relative to annual cropping systems.

• Publication year

  2019

• Venue

  Soil Biology and Biochemistry

• Publication date

  2019-10-01

• Fields of study

  Agricultural and Food Sciences, Biology, Environmental Science

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.1016/J.SOILBIO.2019.107573
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

• Reduced nitrate leaching in a perennial grain crop compared to maize in the Upper Midwest, USA

  2019cited by this paper
• Managing for Multifunctionality in Perennial Grain Crops

  2018cited by this paper
• Early accumulation of active fraction soil carbon in newly established cellulosic biofuel systems

  2018cited by this paper
• Decreasing soil microbial diversity is associated with decreasing microbial biomass under nitrogen addition

  2018cited by this paper
• How Does Nitrogen and Perenniality Influence Belowground Biomass and Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Small Grain Cereals?

  2018cited by this paper
• Microbial community structure and functions differ between native and novel (exotic-dominated) grassland ecosystems in an 8-year experiment

  2018cited by this paper
• Perennial cereals provide ecosystem benefits

  2017cited by this paper
• Soil aggregate and particulate C and N under corn rotations: responses to management and correlations with yield

  2017cited by this paper
• Impact of root diversity upon coupling between soil C and N accumulation and bacterial community dynamics and activity: result of a 30 year rotation experiment

  2017cited by this paper
• Soil mycorrhizal and nematode diversity vary in response to bioenergy crop identity and fertilization

  2017cited by this paper
• Intermediate wheatgrass grain and forage yield responses to nitrogen fertilization

  2017cited by this paper
• Perennial grain on a Midwest Alfisol shows no sign of early soil carbon gain

  2017cited by this paper
• Soil respiration declines with increasing nitrogen fertilization and is not related to productivity in long-term grassland experiments

  2017cited by this paper
• ggplot2 - Elegant Graphics for Data Analysis (2nd Edition)

  2017cited by this paper
• Going where no grains have gone before: From early to mid-succession

  2016cited by this paper
• Responses of soil nematodes to water and nitrogen additions in an old-field grassland

  2016cited by this paper
• Comparison of Permanganate-Oxidizable Carbon and Mineralizable Carbon for Assessment of Organic Matter Stabilization and Mineralization

  2016cited by this paper
• Relationships between labile soil organic matter and nematode communities in a California oak woodland

  2016cited by this paper
• Carbon-rich organic fertilizers to increase soil biodiversity: Evidence from a meta-analysis of nematode communities

  2016cited by this paper
• Crop rotational diversity enhances belowground communities and functions in an agroecosystem.

  2015cited by this paper
• Aromatic metabolism of filamentous fungi in relation to the presence of aromatic compounds in plant biomass.

  2015cited by this paper
• Contribution of roots and amendments to soil carbon accumulation within the soil profile in a long-term field experiment in Sweden

  2015cited by this paper
• Above‐ and Belowground Growth, Biomass, and Nitrogen Use in Maize and Reconstructed Prairie Cropping Systems

  2015cited by this paper
• Mechanisms of soil carbon accrual and storage in bioenergy cropping systems

  2015cited by this paper
• Consistent responses of soil microbial communities to elevated nutrient inputs in grasslands across the globe

  2015cited by this paper
• Root traits and soil properties in harvested perennial grassland, annual wheat, and never-tilled annual wheat

  2014cited by this paper
• Nematode indicators as integrative measures of soil condition in organic cropping systems

  2013cited by this paper
• Physiological shifts in the microbial community drive changes in enzyme activity in a perennial agroecosystem

  2013cited by this paper
• Short- and long-term labile soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics reflect management and predict corn agronomic performance

  2013cited by this paper
• Going back to the roots: the microbial ecology of the rhizosphere

  2013cited by this paper
• Soil and Water Quality Rapidly Responds to the Perennial Grain Kernza Wheatgrass

  2013cited by this paper
• Soil respiration and litter decomposition responses to nitrogen fertilization rate in no-till corn systems

  2013cited by this paper
• Development of a Dual-Index Sequencing Strategy and Curation Pipeline for Analyzing Amplicon Sequence Data on the MiSeq Illumina Sequencing Platform

  2013cited by this paper
• Root carbon input in organic and inorganic fertilizer-based systems

  2012cited by this paper
• Permanganate Oxidizable Carbon Reflects a Processed Soil Fraction that is Sensitive to Management

  2012cited by this paper
• Ultra-high-throughput microbial community analysis on the Illumina HiSeq and MiSeq platforms

  2012cited by this paper
• The origin of litter chemical complexity during decomposition.

  2012cited by this paper
• Consistent effects of nitrogen amendments on soil microbial communities and processes across biomes

  2012cited by this paper
• Tradeoffs in Biomass and Nutrient Allocation in Prairies and Corn Managed for Bioenergy Production

  2012cited by this paper
• Long-term nitrate loss along an agricultural intensity gradient in the Upper Midwest USA

  2012cited by this paper
• Increased Food and Ecosystem Security via Perennial Grains

  2010cited by this paper
• Long-term impacts of high-input annual cropping and unfertilized perennial grass production on soil properties and belowground food webs in Kansas, USA

  2010cited by this paper
• N fertilization affects on soil respiration, microbial biomass and root respiration in Larix gmelinii and Fraxinus mandshurica plantations in China

  2010cited by this paper
• Progress in breeding perennial grains

  2010cited by this paper
• No-tillage conversion of harvested perennial grassland to annual cropland reduces root biomass, decreases active carbon stocks, and impacts soil biota

  2010cited by this paper
• Rhizosphere fauna: the functional and structural diversity of intimate interactions of soil fauna with plant roots

  2009cited by this paper
• Nitrogen influences biomass and nutrient partitioning by perennial, warm-season grasses.

  2009cited by this paper
• Plant host habitat and root exudates shape soil bacterial community structure

  2008cited by this paper
• The underestimated importance of belowground carbon input for forest soil animal food webs.

  2007cited by this paper
• Is soil carbon mostly root carbon? Mechanisms for a specific stabilisation

  2005cited by this paper
• A meta-analysis of mycorrhizal responses to nitrogen, phosphorus, and atmospheric CO2 in field studies.

  2004cited by this paper
• Estimating active carbon for soil quality assessment: A simplified method for laboratory and field use

  2003cited by this paper
• A framework for soil food web diagnostics : extension of the nematode faunal analysis concept

  2001cited by this paper
• A rapid procedure for estimating nitrogen mineralization in manured soil

  2001cited by this paper
• Soil carbon sequestration and land‐use change: processes and potential

  2000cited by this paper
• Global patterns of root turnover for terrestrial ecosystems

  2000cited by this paper
• Flush of carbon dioxide following rewetting of dried soil relates to active organic pools.

  2000cited by this paper
• Functional diversity of nematodes

  1998cited by this paper
• Root and leaf attributes accounting for the performance of fast- and slow-growing grasses at different nutrient supply

  1995cited by this paper
• Tri-state fertilizer recommendations for corn, soybeans, wheat and alfalfa

  1995influential reference
• Feeding habits in soil nematode families and genera-an outline for soil ecologists.

  1993cited by this paper
• The maturity index: an ecological measure of environmental disturbance based on nematode species composition

  1990cited by this paper
• Perennial Grain

  1990cited by this paper
• Distributed under Creative Commons Cc-by 4.0 Vsearch: a Versatile Open Source Tool for Metagenomics

  year unknowncited by this paper

• Development and adoption of Kernza—A perennial grain crop for sustainable agriculture

  2026cites this paper
• Cropping Systems Mediate Carbon and Nitrogen Substrate Effects on Soil Carbon Dioxide and Nitrous Oxide Emissions

  2026cites this paper
• Legacy effects of inundation on greenhouse gas emissions and soil dynamics in forage systems

  2025cites this paper
• From Forage to Grain: Structural and Functional Changes Occurred During 10 Generations of Transition of Intermediate Wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium) to Kernza®

  2025cites this paper
• Perennial Kernza cropping promotes rhizosphere microbiome stability and endophyte recruitment compared to annual wheat

  2025cites this paper
• Can perennials plants be used to improve soil health in drought affected Mediterranean regions?

  2025cites this paper
• Rooting for microbes: Impacts of plant breeding on the Kernza rhizosphere

  2025cites this paper
• Artificial Root: Development Based on Synthetic Rhizosphere Fertilizers for Agriculture under Environmental Stresses

  2025cites this paper
• Comparative life cycle assessment of perennial and annual crop production: impact of farming systems and management practices

  2025cites this paper
• Carbon and Nitrogen Management for Climate-Resilient Agriculture: Toward the 4p1000 Target and Sustainable Development Goals

  2025cites this paper
• Soil organic carbon fractions influenced by organic input diversity and tillage frequency after 25 years in Mid-Atlantic US grain cropping systems

  2025cites this paper
• Unveiling the root–rhizosphere environment of perennial wheat: a metabolomic perspective

  2025cites this paper
• Decomposition of Litter and Root Residues From Perennial Intermediate Wheatgrass Governed by the Soil Microbiome and Different Earthworm Species

  2025cites this paper
• Newly established prairie strips intermittently increase soil carbon beneath the strip, but not in surrounding cropland

  2025cites this paper
• Stacking soil health practices is necessary to enhance soil ecosystem multifunctionality of semi-arid almond agroecosystems

  2025cites this paper
• Connections between roots and soil health across agriculture management practices

  2025cites this paper
• Soil microbial and plant biomass carbon allocation within perennial and annual grain cropping systems

  2025cites this paper
• Impact of litter quality on soil nematode communities with the intensifies of grassland degradation: Shifting from resource input to environmental stress

  2025cites this paper
• Green Ammonia, Nitric Acid, Advanced Fertilizer and Electricity Production with In Situ CO2 Capture and Utilization by Integrated Intensified Nonthermal Plasma Catalytic Processes: A Technology Transfer Review for Distributed Biorefineries

  2025cites this paper
• Greenhouse gas intensity from beef systems grazing stockpiled intermediate wheatgrass in the late fall/early winter with impacts from fertilizer and legume integration

  2025cites this paper
• Maintaining grain yield of Th. intermedium across stand age through constant spike fertility and spike density: Understanding its response to various agronomic managements

  2024cites this paper
• Perennial crops shape the soil microbial community and increase the soil carbon in the upper soil layer

  2024influential citation
• Plant invasion down under: exploring the below-ground impact of invasive plant species on soil properties and invertebrate communities in the Central Plateau of New Zealand

  2024cites this paper
• Perennial cultivation of green pepper provides pest suppression, ecosystem development and high crop yield

  2024cites this paper
• Determining the footprint of breeding in the seed microbiome of a perennial cereal

  2024cites this paper
• Early changes in carbon uptake and partitioning moderate belowground carbon storage in a perennial grain

  2024cites this paper
• Intercropping prairie cordgrass with kura clover had little effect on soil biogeochemistry

  2024cites this paper
• Roots are the key for soil C restoration: A comparison of land management in the semiarid Argentinean Pampa

  2024cites this paper
• Perenniality, more than genotypes, shapes biological and chemical rhizosphere composition of perennial wheat lines

  2023influential citation
• Soil health improvements from using a novel perennial grain during the transition to organic production

  2023cites this paper
• Weed community shifts during the aging of perennial intermediate wheatgrass crops harvested for grain in arable fields

  2023cites this paper
• Learning about the growing habits and reproductive strategy of Thinopyrum intermedium through the establishment of its critical nitrogen dilution curve

  2023cites this paper
• Nematodes Require Space: The Relationship between Nematode Community Assemblage and Soil Carbon Across Varying Aggregate Sizes

  2023cites this paper
• The multi-year effect of different agroecological practices on soil nematodes and soil respiration

  2023cites this paper
• Discussion: Prioritize perennial grain development for sustainable food production and environmental benefits.

  2023cites this paper
• Soil carbon storage and compositional responses of soil microbial communities under perennial grain IWG vs. annual wheat

  2023cites this paper
• Photosynthetic capacity, canopy size and rooting depth mediate response to heat and water stress of annual and perennial grain crops

  2023cites this paper
• Learning about the growing habits and reproductive 1 strategy of Thinopyrum intermedium through the 2 establishment of its critical nitrogen dilution curve 3

  2023cites this paper
• Perennial intermediate wheatgrass accumulates more soil organic carbon than annual winter wheat – a model assessment

  2023cites this paper
• Soil organic nitrogen priming to nitrous oxide: A synthesis

  2023cites this paper
• Plant-soil feedback across spatiotemporal scales from immediate effects to legacy

  2023cites this paper
• Soil organic matter formation, persistence, and functioning: A synthesis of current understanding to inform its conservation and regeneration

  2022cites this paper
• Reversion of Perennial Biomass Crops to Conserve C and N: A Meta-Analysis

  2022cites this paper
• PROPOSAL TO THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

  2022cites this paper
• Agronomic performance, nitrogen acquisition and water-use efficiency of the perennial grain crop Thinopyrum intermedium in a monoculture and intercropped with alfalfa in Scandinavia

  2022cites this paper
• ECOLOGICAL NETWORKS IN AGROECOSYSTEMS: APPROACHES AND APPLICATIONS

  2022cites this paper
• Rapid improvement in soil health following the conversion of abandoned farm fields to annual or perennial agroecosystems

  2022cites this paper
• Sensitive Measures of Soil Health Reveal Carbon Stability Across a Management Intensity and Plant Biodiversity Gradient

  2022cites this paper
• Soil food web structure and function in annual row-crop systems: How can nematode communities infer soil health?

  2022cites this paper
• Climate change challenges, plant science solutions

  2022cites this paper
• Nitrogen transfer and yield effects of legumes intercropped with the perennial grain crop intermediate wheatgrass

  2022cites this paper
• Annual and perennial crop composition impacts on soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics at two different depths

  2022influential citation
• Soil organic matter pools response to perennial grain cropping and nitrogen fertilizer

  2022cites this paper
• Quality or Quantity? Determining the Impact of Fine Root Traits on Soil Health in Row Crop Agriculture

  2022cites this paper
• Agronomic performance, nitrogen acquisition and water-use efficiency of the perennial grain crop Thinopyrum intermedium in a monoculture and intercropped with alfalfa in Scandinavia

  2022cites this paper
• Fungal plant pathogens observed on perennial cereal crops in New York during 2017–2018

  2022cites this paper
• Changes in microbial biomass and activity support ecological intensification of marginal land through cultivation of perennial wheat in organic agriculture

  2022cites this paper
• Perennial cereal grain cultivation: Implication on soil organic matter and related soil microbial parameters

  2022cites this paper
• Forage Species Identity Shapes Soil Biota in a Temperate Agroecosystem

  2021cites this paper
• Perennial grain cropping enhances the soil methane sink in temperate agroecosystems

  2021cites this paper
• Review and analysis of perennial cereal crops at different maturity stages

  2021cites this paper
• Review and analysis of technologies for harvesting perennial grain crops

  2021cites this paper
• The Perennial Grain Crop Thinopyrum intermedium (Host) Barkworth & D.R. Dewey (Kernza™) as an Element in Crop Rotations: A Pilot Study on Termination Strategies and Pre-Crop Effects on a Subsequent Root Vegetable

  2021cites this paper
• Impact of irrigated and non-irrigated cropping systems on soil physicochemical properties in a small-scale irrigation farming system in Eastern Uganda

  2021influential citation
• Belowground Dynamics Influence Nitrogen Cycling and Crop Productivity in Diversified Corn Systems

  2021cites this paper
• Combined attributes of soil nematode communities as indicators of grassland degradation

  2021cites this paper
• Quantification of the global impact of agricultural practices on soil nematodes: A meta-analysis

  2021cites this paper
• Climate Change and Food Systems

  2021cites this paper
• A meta-analysis of nematode community composition across soil aggregates: Implications for soil carbon dynamics

  2021cites this paper
• Moderate grazing increases the structural complexity of soil micro-food webs by promoting root quantity and quality in a Tibetan alpine meadow

  2021cites this paper
• Response of soil organic carbon and soil health indicators to treated wastewater irrigation in bioenergy sorghum production on an arid soil

  2021cites this paper
• Introducing Perennial Grain in Grain Crops Rotation: The Role of Rooting Pattern in Soil Quality Management

  2020cites this paper
• A Mini-Review on Overcoming a Calorie-Centric World of Monolithic Annual Crops

  2020cites this paper
• Strip-tillage renovation of intermediate wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium) for maintaining grain yield in mature stands

  2020cites this paper
• Nematodes and the effect of seasonality in grassland habitats of South Africa

  2020cites this paper
• Sources and priming of soil N2O and CO2 production: Nitrogen and simulated exudate additions

  2020cites this paper
• No-till annual wheat increases plant productivity, soil microbial biomass, and soil carbon stabilization relative to intermediate wheatgrass in a Mediterranean climate

  year unknowncites this paper