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<p>Ants are key engineers in biogeochemical cycling, yet their effects on soil organic carbon (SOC) turnover and greenhouse gases emissions remain debated. Based on a meta-analysis of 2232 observations from 136 studies worldwide, we show that ant activities increased SOC storage by 22% compared to the adjacent ant-free locations and also raised CO<sub>2</sub> emissions by 84%, with ant respiration as the key contributor. Ant species and nesting strategies are key functional traits mediating these effects on&#xa0;carbon storage and fluxes. Climate indirectly influences organic matter processing by regulating ant functional traits. The relative effects of ants on SOC storage are especially pronounced in mid-latitude ecosystems with low initial SOC content. These findings highlight the pivotal role of ants as ecosystem engineers that regulate organic matter processing and reshape soil carbon pathways across terrestrial ecosystems.</p>

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A meta-analysis of ant-mediated effects on soil carbon cycling and organic matter stability

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月5日

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  • Mingda Wang,
  • Lichao Fan,
  • Kazem Zamanian,
  • Rui Yin,
  • Yakov Kuzyakov,
  • Paul Kardol

摘要

Ants are key engineers in biogeochemical cycling, yet their effects on soil organic carbon (SOC) turnover and greenhouse gases emissions remain debated. Based on a meta-analysis of 2232 observations from 136 studies worldwide, we show that ant activities increased SOC storage by 22% compared to the adjacent ant-free locations and also raised CO2 emissions by 84%, with ant respiration as the key contributor. Ant species and nesting strategies are key functional traits mediating these effects on carbon storage and fluxes. Climate indirectly influences organic matter processing by regulating ant functional traits. The relative effects of ants on SOC storage are especially pronounced in mid-latitude ecosystems with low initial SOC content. These findings highlight the pivotal role of ants as ecosystem engineers that regulate organic matter processing and reshape soil carbon pathways across terrestrial ecosystems.