caa a22 4500 60621769X CHVBK 20210128101109.0 cr unu---uuuuu 210128e20150701xx s 000 0 eng 10.1007/s11104-014-2300-9 doi (NATIONALLICENCE)springer-10.1007/s11104-014-2300-9 13C PLFAs: a key to open the soil microbial black box? [Elektronische Daten] [Huaiying Yao, Stephen Chapman, Barry Thornton, Eric Paterson] Background: Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis is an effective non-culture-based technique for providing information on the living soil microbial community. The coupling of 13C tracers with PLFA analysis can indicate the response of microbial populations to environmental change and has been widely used to trace C flux in soil-plant systems. Scope: Based on studies applying 13C PLFA analysis, the current technological status, current applications and future opportunities are discussed and evaluated. First we describe some aspects of the labelling and analytical methodology. The approaches to study the incorporation of 13C substrate and rhizodeposition C into soil microbial communities are compared. We continue with the application of 13C-labelling to study soil microbial communities, including the utilization of soil mineralisation products, the C flux from plants into the soil microbial pool, the biodegradation of pollutants and on the application to a specific microbial group, i.e. methanotrophs. Additionally, some perspectives on the limitations of the 13C PLFA method and future research avenues are noted. Conclusions: Although including some limitations and complications, the 13C PLFA method provides an excellent tool for understanding the relationship between microbial populations and soil biogeochemical cycling, thus providing a key to open the soil microbial black box. Springer International Publishing Switzerland, 2014 C flux nationallicence Isotope labelling nationallicence Methanotrophy nationallicence PLFA nationallicence Soil-plant system nationallicence Yao Huaiying Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 361021, Xiamen, China aut Chapman Stephen The James Hutton Institute, AB15 8QH, Aberdeen, UK aut Thornton Barry The James Hutton Institute, AB15 8QH, Aberdeen, UK aut Paterson Eric The James Hutton Institute, AB15 8QH, Aberdeen, UK aut Plant and Soil Springer International Publishing 392/1-2(2015-07-01), 3-15 0032-079X 392:1-2<3 2015 392 11104 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-014-2300-9 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 Metadata rights reserved Springer special CC-BY-NC licence nationallicence 1 review-article jats NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-springer NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-014-2300-9 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Yao Huaiying Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 361021, Xiamen, China aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Chapman Stephen The James Hutton Institute, AB15 8QH, Aberdeen, UK aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Thornton Barry The James Hutton Institute, AB15 8QH, Aberdeen, UK aut NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Paterson Eric The James Hutton Institute, AB15 8QH, Aberdeen, UK aut NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- Plant and Soil Springer International Publishing 392/1-2(2015-07-01), 3-15 0032-079X 392:1-2<3 2015 392 11104