We conducted a short-term laboratory soil warming incubation experiment, sampling both warmed and un-warmed soils from a subtropical plantation in southeastern China, incubating them at 20 °C, 30 °C, and 40 °C. Our aim was to study the SOC mineralization response to increasing temperatures. Our findings revealed that the temperature sensitivity (Q₁₀) of SOC mineralization to short-term experimental warming varied between the warmed soil and the un-warmed soil. The Q₁₀ of the un-warmed soil escalated with the temperature treatment (20–30 °C: 1.31, 30–40 °C: 1.63). Conversely, the Q₁₀ of the warmed soil decreased (20–30 °C: 1.57, 30–40 °C: 1.41). Increasing temperature treatments decreased soil substrate availability (dissolved organic C) in both un-warmed and warmed soil. The C-degrading enzyme in un-warmed soil and warmed soil had different trends at different temperatures. In addition, warming decreased soil microbial biomass, resulting in a decrease in the total amount of phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) and a decrease in the abundance of fungi and Gram-negative bacteria (GN) in both un-warmed and warmed soil. The ratio of fungal to bacterial biomass (F:B) in un-warming soil was significantly higher than that in warmed soil. A drop in the microbial quotient (qMBC) coupled with a rise in the metabolic quotient (qCO₂) indicated that warming amplified microbial respiration over microbial growth. The differential Q₁₀ of SOC mineralization in un-warmed and warmed soil, in response to temperature across varying soil, can primarily be attributed to shifts in soil dissolved organic C (DOC), alterations in C-degrading enzyme activities, and modifications in microbial communities (F:B).

The subtropical forest soil plays a pivotal role in terrestrial carbon (C) cycling. Although global warming is expected to influence subtropical soil C cycling, a consensus on its impact on soil C dynamics remains elusive. Given the significant response of soil microbial respiration to temperature in subtropical soils, understanding its behavior under varying temperature regimes is critical for predicting soil organic C (SOC) responses to climate warming. We conducted a short-term laboratory soil warming incubation experiment, sampling both warmed and un-warmed soils from a subtropical plantation in southeastern China, incubating them at 20 °C, 30 °C, and 40 °C. Our aim was to study the SOC mineralization response to increasing temperatures. Our findings revealed that the temperature sensitivity (Q10) of SOC mineralization to short-term experimental warming varied between the warmed soil and the un-warmed soil. The Q10 of the un-warmed soil escalated with the temperature treatment (20-30 ℃: 1.31, 30-40℃: 1.63). Conversely, the Q10 of the warmed soil decreased (20-30 ℃:1.57, 30-40 ℃:1.41). Increasing temperature treatments enhanced hydrolytic enzyme activity but decreased soil substrate availability in both un-warmed and warmed soil. The Q10 of un-warmed soil was positively correlated with the response ratio of DOC. Additionally, soil microbial biomass exhibited a significant decline, leading to a reduced total amount of PLFAs and a decreased abundance of bacteria, fungi, and Gram-negative bacteria (GN). The changes in temperature also considerably altered the composition of the warmed soil microbial community. A drop in the microbial quotient coupled with a rise in the metabolic quotient indicated that warming amplified microbial respiration over microbial growth. The differential Q10 of SOC mineralization, in response to temperature across varying soil, can largely be attributed to shifts in soil nutrients, C-degrading enzyme activities, and microbial communities (the ratio of fungal to bacterial PLFAs).