Soil respiration, microbial biomass, and stoichiometry within riparian buffers and adjacent land use

Terrestrial ecosystems exhibit varied land uses as a result of both anthropogenic activities and natural processes. These variations in land use alter plant composition, soil characteristics, topography, and management practices, and hence lead to significant differences in soil microbial communities and their properties. This study evaluates the impact of distinct land use types (riparian, forest, pasture) on soil microbial biomass and microbial stoichiometric indices under uniform climatic and pedological conditions within a micro-basin in the Eastern Mediterranean region. The microbial biomass C (Cmic) in the riparian area was 2.5 and 4 times lower than in the meadow and forest areas, respectively. Additionally, the riparian zone’s microbial quotient (qMic) was 0.5 times higher than the forest and meadow areas. Microbial stoichiometric indices, particularly qMic and metabolic quotient (qCO2), across all land uses, indicated that soils within this micro-basin were healthy and exhibited no signs of stress. The study further corroborated that land use exerts significant effects on soil microbial communities, with microbial biomass and activities largely influenced by soil organic matter. Notably, the Cmic/Nmic ratio remained within the range of 10–12 across all land uses, illustrating a fungal dominance in the microbial biomass. These findings underscore the role of land use patterns in altering soil properties, thereby influencing microbial biomass, microbial respiration, and stoichiometry in soils under similar environmental conditions.