Linkage between microbial shift and ecosystem functionality

Exploring the linkage between microbial shifts and ecological processes or ecosystem functionality is a central focus in microbial ecology, but faces considerable obstacles, including the gap between DNA‐based information and biochemical processes, as well as the asynchronization in microbial taxonomic shifts and their functionality change. Despite these issues, the well‐established linkage between functional genes (reflecting genetic potential) and carbon release via laboratory incubation (reflecting field potential) is a good preliminary step that provides clues about the magnitude of in situ permafrost carbon release under permafrost thaw on the basis of microbial functional gene changes. [Image: see text]