Shifts in microbial community composition and metabolism correspond with rapid soil carbon accumulation in response to 20 years of simulated nitrogen deposition.

Anthropogenic nitrogen (N) deposition and fertilization in boreal forests frequently reduces decomposition and soil respiration and enhances C storage in the topsoil. This enhancement of the C sink can be as strong as the aboveground biomass response to N additions and has implications for the global C cycle, but the mechanisms remain elusive. We hypothesized that this effect would be associated with a shift in the microbial community and its activity, and particularly by fungal taxa reported to be capable of lignin degradation and organic N acquisition. We sampled the organic layer below the intact litter of a Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst) forest in northern Sweden after 20 years of annual N additions at low (12.5 kg N ha-1 yr-1) and high (50 kg N ha-1 yr-1) rates. We measured microbial biomass using phospholipid fatty-acid analysis (PLFA) and ergosterol measurements and used ITS metagenomics to profile the fungal community of soil and fine-roots. We probed the metabolic activity of the soil community by measuring the activity of extracellular enzymes and evaluated its relationships with the most N responsive soil fungal species. Nitrogen addition decreased the abundance of fungal PLFA markers and changed the fungal community in humus and fine-roots. Specifically, the humus community changed in part due to a shift from Oidiodendron pilicola, Cenococcum geophilum, and Cortinarius caperatus to Tylospora fibrillosa and Russula griseascens. These microbial community changes were associated with decreased activity of Mn-peroxidase and peptidase, and an increase in the activity of C acquiring enzymes. Our results show that the rapid accumulation of C in the humus layer frequently observed in areas with high N deposition is consistent with a shift in microbial metabolism, where decomposition associated with organic N acquisition is downregulated when inorganic N forms are readily available.

Measurement and outcomes of co-production in health and social care: a systematic review of empirical studies.

BACKGROUND: Co-production is promoted as an effective way of improving the quality of health and social care but the diversity of measures used in individual studies makes their outcomes difficult to interpret. OBJECTIVE: The objective is to explore how empirical studies in health and social care have described the outcomes of co-production projects and how those outcomes were measured. DESIGN AND METHODS: A scoping review forms the basis for this systematic review. Search terms for the concepts (co-produc* OR coproduc* OR co-design* OR codesign*) and contexts (health OR 'public service* OR "public sector") were used in: CINAHL with Full Text (EBSCOHost), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled trials (Wiley), MEDLINE (EBSCOHost), PsycINFO (ProQuest), PubMed (legacy) and Scopus (Elsevier). There was no date limit. Papers describing the process, original data and outcomes of co-production were included. Protocols, reviews and theoretical, conceptual and psychometric papers were excluded. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guideline was followed. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool underpinned the quality of included papers. RESULTS: 43 empirical studies were included. They were conducted in 12 countries, with the UK representing >50% of all papers. No paper was excluded due to the Mixed Methods Quality Appraisal screening and 60% of included papers were mixed methods studies. The extensive use of self-developed study-specific measures hampered comparisons and cumulative knowledge-building. Overall, the studies reported positive outcomes. Co-production was reported to be positively experienced and provided important learning. CONCLUSIONS: The lack of common approaches to measuring co-production is more problematic than the plurality of measurements itself. Co-production should be measured from three perspectives: outputs of co-production processes, the experiences of participating in co-production processes and outcomes of co-production. Both self-developed study-specific measures and established measures should be used. The maturity of this research field would benefit from the development and use of reporting guidelines.

Presence and activity of nitrogen-fixing bacteria in Scots pine needles in a boreal forest: a nitrogen-addition experiment.

Endophytic nitrogen-fixing bacteria have been detected and isolated from the needles of conifer trees growing in North American boreal forests. Because boreal forests are nutrient-limited, these bacteria could provide an important source of nitrogen for tree species. This study aimed to determine their presence and activity in a Scandinavian boreal forest, using immunodetection of nitrogenase enzyme subunits and acetylene-reduction assays of native Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) needles. The presence and rate of nitrogen fixation by endophytic bacteria were compared between control plots and fertilized plots in a nitrogen-addition experiment. In contrast to the expectation that nitrogen-fixation rates would decline in fertilized plots, as seen, for instance, with nitrogen-fixing bacteria associated with bryophytes, there was no difference in the presence or activity of nitrogen-fixing bacteria between the two treatments. The extrapolated calculated rate of nitrogen fixation relevant for the forest stand was 20 g N ha-1 year-1, which is rather low compared with Scots pine annual nitrogen use but could be important for the nitrogen-poor forest in the long term. In addition, of 13 colonies of potential nitrogen-fixing bacteria isolated from the needles on nitrogen-free media, 10 showed in vitro nitrogen fixation. In summary, 16S rRNA sequencing identified the species as belonging to the genera Bacillus, Variovorax, Novosphingobium, Sphingomonas, Microbacterium and Priestia, which was confirmed by Illumina whole-genome sequencing. Our results confirm the presence of endophytic nitrogen-fixing bacteria in Scots pine needles and suggest that they could be important for the long-term nitrogen budget of the Scandinavian boreal forest.

Improving heart failure care with an Experience-Based Co-Design approach: what matters to persons with heart failure and their family members?

BACKGROUND: Heart failure is a chronic heart condition. Persons with heart failure often have limited physical capability, cognitive impairments, and low health literacy. These challenges can be barriers to healthcare service co-design with family members and professionals. Experience-Based Co-Design is a participatory healthcare quality improvement approach drawing on patients', family members' and professionals' experiences to improve healthcare. The overall aim of this study was to use Experience-Based Co-Design to identify experiences of heart failure and its care in a Swedish cardiac care setting, and to understand how these experiences can translate into heart failure care improvements for persons with heart failure and their families. METHODS: A convenience sample of 17 persons with heart failure and four family members participated in this single case study as a part of an improvement initiative within cardiac care. In line with Experienced-Based Co-Design methodology, field notes from observations of healthcare consultations, individual interviews and meeting minutes from stakeholders' feedback events, were used to gather participants' experiences of heart failure and its care. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to develop themes from data. RESULTS: Twelve service touchpoints, organized within five overarching themes emerged. The themes told a story about persons with heart failure and family members struggling in everyday life due to a poor quality of life, lack of support networks, and difficulties understanding and applying information about heart failure and its care. To be recognized by professionals was reported to be a key to good quality care. Opportunities to be involved in healthcare varied, Further, participants' experiences translated into proposed changes to heart failure care such as improved information about heart failure, continuity of care, improved relations, and communication, and being invited to be involved in healthcare. CONCLUSIONS: Our study findings offer knowledge about experiences of life with heart failure and its care, translated into heart failure service touchpoints. Further research is warranted to explore how these touchpoints can be addressed to improve life and care for persons with heart failure and other chronic conditions.

The carbon sequestration response of aboveground biomass and soils to nutrient enrichment in boreal forests depends on baseline site productivity.

Nutrient enrichment can alleviate productivity limitations and thus substantially increase carbon (C) uptake in northern coniferous forests. Yet, factors controlling stand-to-stand variation of forest ecosystem responses to nutrient enrichment remain unclear. We used five long-term (13 years) nutrient-enrichment experiments across Sweden, where nitrogen (N), phosphorus, and potassium were applied annually to young Norway spruce forests that varied in their baseline ecosystem properties. We measured tree biomass and soil C and N stocks, litterfall C inputs, soil CO2 efflux, and shifts in composition and biomass of soil microbial communities to understand the links between above and belowground responses to nutrient enrichment. We found that the strongest responses in tree biomass occurred when baseline site productivity was lowest. High increases in tree biomass C stocks were generally balanced by weaker responses in organic soil C stocks. The average ecosystem C-N response rate was 35 kg C kg-1 N added, with a nearly five-fold greater response rate in tree biomass than in soil. The positive nutrient enrichment effects on ecosystem C sinks were driven by a 95% increase in tree biomass C stocks, 150% increase in litter production, 67% increase in organic layer C stocks, and a 46% reduction in soil CO2 efflux accompanied by compositional changes in soil microbial communities. Our results show that ecosystem C uptake in spruce forests in northern Europe can be substantially enhanced by nutrient enrichment; however, the strength of the responses and whether the enhancement occurs mainly in tree biomass or soils are dependent on baseline forest productivity.

Using stakeholders' experiences to redesign health services for persons living with heart failure: a case study protocol in a Swedish cardiac care setting.

INTRODUCTION: Clinical guidelines promote recognising persons with heart failure (referred to as PWHF) as coproducers of their own care. Coproduction of healthcare-involving PWHF, families and professionals in care processes-aims to promote the best possible health. Still, it is unclear how to coproduce heart failure (HF) care. This study explores whether and how Experience-Based Co-Design (EBCD) involving PWHF, family members and professionals can be undertaken online, in a Swedish cardiac care setting, to codesign improved experiences of HF care. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: In EBCD, stakeholders' experiences are solicited to redesign healthcare services. First, we will undertake a thematic analysis of field notes from consultations and filmed/audio-recorded interviews with PWHF (n=10-12). This analysis will identify 'touchpoints' (emotionally positive/negative events that shape overall service experiences), edited into a 'trigger film'. Next, a thematic analysis of family members' (n=10-12) and professionals' (n=10-12) interviews will identify key themes mirroring their experiences. Separate feedback events with each stakeholder group will confirm identified touchpoints and key themes and identify areas for HF care improvement. At a joint event, prompted by the 'trigger film', stakeholders will agree on one area for HF care improvement. A team including PWHF, family members and professionals, led by an improvement adviser, will then plan, design, implement and evaluate an improvement activity addressing the identified problem area. A deductive thematic analysis of field notes, project documentation and stakeholder focus group interviews, underpinned by MUSIQ, will identify how organisational conditions influence the process. Quantitative measurements, describing the results of the improvement activity, will be integrated with qualitative data to strengthen the case. To reduce resource intensity, we will use online tools during the process. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The Swedish Ethical Review Authority approved the study in May 2021. The results will be disseminated through seminars, conference presentations and publications.

Improving Health for People Living With Heart Failure: Focus Group Study of Preconditions for Co-Production of Health and Care.

BACKGROUND: Co-production of health and care involving patients, families of patients, and professionals in care processes can create joint learning about how to meet patients' needs. Although barriers and facilitators to co-production have been examined previously in various health care contexts, the preconditions in Swedish chronic cardiac care contexts are yet to be explored. This study is set in the health system of the Swedish region of Jönköping County and is part of system-wide efforts to promote better health for persons with heart failure (HF). OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to test the usefulness of the Capability, Opportunity, and Motivation Behavior (COM-B) model when assessing the barriers to and facilitators of co-production of health and care perceived by patients with HF, family members of patients with HF, and professionals in a Swedish chronic cardiac care context as a guide for subsequent initiatives. METHODS: Data collection involved 1 focus group interview (FGI) with patients with HF (n=5), 1 FGI with family members of patients with HF (n=5), 1 FGI with professionals in primary care (n=7), and 1 FGI with professionals in cardiac care (n=4). In addition, patients with HF kept diaries of their thoughts regarding co-production. Using a deductive approach to content analysis, underpinned by the COM-B model, barriers and facilitators were categorized into capabilities, opportunities, and motivations to co-produce health and care. RESULTS: The participants showed limited understanding of co-production as a practice. They appeared to view it as a privilege to be offered to patients on top of traditional care and rarely as an approach for improving health care processes. The interviews revealed the limited health literacy among patients and the struggle of professionals to convey health information to these patients. Co-production was considered to be more resource-intensive than traditional care. Different expectations of stakeholders' roles were revealed: professionals expected older patients not to want to co-produce health and care, and all participants expected professionals to be in charge of health care services. The family members' position involved trying to balance their desire to support their relatives with understanding when, how, and with whom to co-produce. Presumed benefits motivated stakeholders: co-production was recognized to motivate patients to improve self-care. However, the participants recognized that motivation to get involved in health and care decisions varies over time among stakeholders. CONCLUSIONS: Co-production can be facilitated by the stakeholders' motivation. However, varying levels of understanding of co-production, patients' limited health literacy, unease with power sharing between patients and professionals, and resource constraints are barriers that need to be managed to promote co-produced care and better health for persons living with HF. Further research is warranted to explore how to co-produce health care services with patients with HF and how leaders can facilitate the inevitable cultural change it requires and represents.

Carbon benefits from Forest Transitions promoting biomass expansions and thickening.

The growth of the global terrestrial sink of carbon dioxide has puzzled scientists for decades. We propose that the role of land management practices-from intensive forestry to allowing passive afforestation of abandoned lands-have played a major role in the growth of the terrestrial carbon sink in the decades since the mid twentieth century. The Forest Transition, a historic transition from shrinking to expanding forests, and from sparser to denser forests, has seen an increase of biomass and carbon across large regions of the globe. We propose that the contribution of Forest Transitions to the terrestrial carbon sink has been underestimated. Because forest growth is slow and incremental, changes in the carbon density in forest biomass and soils often elude detection. Measurement technologies that rely on changes in two-dimensional ground cover can miss changes in forest density. In contrast, changes from abrupt and total losses of biomass in land clearing, forest fires and clear cuts are easy to measure. Land management improves over time providing important present contributions and future potential to climate change mitigation. Appreciating the contributions of Forest Transitions to the sequestering of atmospheric carbon will enable its potential to aid in climate change mitigation.

Fate of Ascaris at various pH, temperature and moisture levels.

Soil-transmitted helminths (STH) are intestinal worms that infect 24% of the world's population. Stopping the spread of STH is difficult, as the eggs are resilient (can withstand high pH) and persistent (can remain viable in soils for several years). To ensure that new sanitation systems can inactivate STH, a better understanding of their resilience is required. This study assessed the inactivation of Ascaris eggs under various conditions, in terms of moisture content (MC) (<20 to >90%), temperature (20-50 °C) and pH (7-12.5). The results highlight that the exposure of Ascaris eggs to elevated pH (10.5-12.5) at temperatures ≤27.5 °C for >70 days had no effect on egg viability. Compounding effects of alkaline pH (≥10.5) or decreasing MC (<20%) was observed at 35 °C, with pH having more of an effect than decreasing MC. To accelerate the inactivation of STH, an increase in the treatment temperature is more effective than pH increase. Alkaline pH alone did not inactivate the eggs but can enhance the effect of ammonia, which is likely to be present in organic wastes.

Alkaline dehydration of source-separated fresh human urine: Preliminary insights into using different dehydration temperature and media.

For sanitation systems aiming at recycling nutrients, separately collecting urine at source is desirable as urine contains most of the nutrients in wastewater. However, reducing the volume of the collected urine and recovering majority of its nutrients is necessary, as this improves the transportability and the end-application of urine-based fertilisers. In this study, we present an innovative method, alkaline dehydration, for treating fresh human urine into a nutrient-rich dry solid. Our aim was to investigate whether fresh urine (pH < 7) added to five different alkaline media (pH > 11) could be dehydrated at elevated temperatures (50 and 60 °C) with minimal loss of urea, urine's principal nitrogen compound. We found that it was possible to concentrate urine 48 times, yielding dry end-products with high fertiliser value: approximately, 10% N, 1% P, and 4% K. We monitored the physicochemical properties and the composition of various dehydration media to provide useful insights into their suitability for dehydrating urine. We demonstrated that it is possible to recover >90% nitrogen when treating fresh urine by alkaline dehydration by inhibiting the enzymatic hydrolysis of urea at elevated pH and minimising the chemical hydrolysis of urea with high urine dehydration rates.

The role of professional logics in quality register use: a realist evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Clinical practice improvements based on quality-register data are influenced by multiple factors. Although there is agreement that information from quality registers is valuable for quality improvement, practical ways of organising register use have been notoriously difficult to realise. The present study sought to investigate the mechanisms that lead various clinicians to use quality registers for improvement. METHODS: This research involves studying individuals' decisions in response to a Swedish programme focusing on increasing the use of quality registers. Through a case study, we focused on heart failure care and its corresponding register: the Swedish Heart Failure Register. The empirical data consisted of a purposive sample collected longitudinally by qualitative methods between 2013 and 2015. In total, 18 semi-structured interviews were carried out. We used realist evaluation to identify contexts, mechanisms, and outcomes. RESULTS: We identified four contexts - registration, use of output data, governance, and improvement projects - that provide conditions for the initiation of specific mechanisms. Given a professional theoretical perspective, we further showed that mechanisms are based on the logics of either organisational improvement or clinical practice. The two logics offer insights into the ways in which clinicians choose to embrace or reject certain registers' initiatives. CONCLUSIONS: We identified a strong path dependence, as registers have historically been tightly linked to the medical profession's competence. Few new initiatives in the studied programme reach the clinical context. We explain this through the lack of an organisational improvement logic and its corresponding mechanisms in the context of the medical profession. Implementation programmes must understand the logic of clinical practice; that is, be integrated with the ways in which work is carried out in everyday practice. Programmes need to be better at helping core health professionals to reach the highest standards of patient care.

Multidrug-resistant Campylobacter jejuni, Campylobacter coli and Campylobacter lari isolated from asymptomatic school-going children in Kibera slum, Kenya.

Background: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of thermophilic Campylobacter spp. in asymptomatic school-going children and establish the antibiotic resistance patterns of the isolates towards the drugs used to treat campylobacteriosis, including macrolides, quinolones and tetracycline. Campylobacter spp. are a leading cause of enteric illness and have only recently shown resistance to antibiotics. Methods: This study isolated Campylobacter spp., including Campylobacter coli, Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter lari, in stool samples from asymptomatic school-going children in one of the biggest urban slums in Kenya. The disc diffusion method using EUCAST breakpoints was used to identify antibiotic-resistant isolates, which were further tested for genes encoding for tetracycline resistance using primer-specific polymerase chain reaction. Results: In total, 580 stool samples were collected from 11 primary schools considering both gender and age. Subjecting 294 biochemically characterized Campylobacter spp. isolates to genus-specific PCR, 106 (18.27% of stool samples) isolates were confirmed Campylobacter spp. Out of the 106 isolates, 28 (4.83%) were Campylobacter coli, 44 (7.58%) were Campylobacter jejuni while 11 (1.89%) were Campylobacter lari. Campylobacter jejuni had the highest number of isolates that were multi-drug resistant, with 26 out of the 28 tested isolates being resistant to ciprofloxacin (5 mg), nalidixic acid (30 mg), tetracycline (30 mg) and erythromycin (15 mg). Conclusions: In conclusion, asymptomatic school going children in the study area were found to be carriers of multidrug resistant Campylobacter coli, Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter lari at 84%. A one-health approach, which considers overlaps in environment, animals and human ecosystems, is recommended in addressing multidrug resistane in Campylobacter, since animals are the main reservoirs and environmental contamination is evident.

GWAS for systemic sclerosis identifies multiple risk loci and highlights fibrotic and vasculopathy pathways.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune disease that shows one of the highest mortality rates among rheumatic diseases. We perform a large genome-wide association study (GWAS), and meta-analysis with previous GWASs, in 26,679 individuals and identify 27 independent genome-wide associated signals, including 13 new risk loci. The novel associations nearly double the number of genome-wide hits reported for SSc thus far. We define 95% credible sets of less than 5 likely causal variants in 12 loci. Additionally, we identify specific SSc subtype-associated signals. Functional analysis of high-priority variants shows the potential function of SSc signals, with the identification of 43 robust target genes through HiChIP. Our results point towards molecular pathways potentially involved in vasculopathy and fibrosis, two main hallmarks in SSc, and highlight the spectrum of critical cell types for the disease. This work supports a better understanding of the genetic basis of SSc and provides directions for future functional experiments.

Behavioural and operational outcomes of a Master's programme on improvement knowledge and leadership.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this paper is to evaluate behavioural changes and operational outcomes resulting from a Master's programme on improvement knowledge and leadership in the Swedish welfare sector. The welfare sector is the collective term for tax-funded services the state, county councils and municipalities are responsible to provide. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: A survey combined open-ended and closed questions using a five-point Likert scale. The questions were based on the learning objectives of the Master's programme. The survey was sent to 139 graduates and achieved a response rate of 41 per cent (57 respondents). Responses were entered into a survey programme to enable the descriptive presentation of data; open-ended responses were analysed using conventional content analysis. FINDINGS: Respondents reported their increased knowledge and changed behaviours had impacted operational outcomes, e.g. processes efficiency, compliance with guidelines and quality. They said the programme was of value to themselves and society but requested more leadership knowledge. All respondents recommended the programme to others. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: By operationalizing the Kirkpatrick framework, the paper describes outcomes on levels three and four, and the use of numerous best practice techniques for adult learning. This is valuable knowledge for organisers of improvement knowledge educations.

Promoting a sense of security in everyday life-A case study of patients and professionals moving towards co-production in an atrial fibrillation "learning café".

BACKGROUND: An improvement initiative sought to improve care for atrial fibrillation (AF) patients; many felt insecure about how to cope with AF. OBJECTIVE: To reveal AF patients' and professionals' experiences of pilot-testing a Learning Café group education programme, aimed at increasing the patients' sense of security in everyday life. DESIGN: Using an organizational case study design, we combined quantitative data (patients' sense of security) and qualitative data (project documentation; focus group interviews with five patients and five professionals) analysed using inductive qualitative content analysis. SETTING: AF patients and a multiprofessional team at a cardiac care unit in a Swedish district hospital. IMPROVEMENT ACTIVITIES: Two registered nurses invited AF patients and partners to four 2.5-hour Learning Café sessions. In the first session, they solicited participants' questions about life with AF. A physician, a registered nurse and a physiotherapist were invited to address these questions in the remaining sessions. RESULTS: AF patients reported gaining a greater sense of security in everyday life and anticipating a future shift from emergency care to planned care. Professionals reported enhanced professional development, learning more about person-centredness and gaining greater control of their own work situation. The organization gained knowledge about patient and family involvement. CONCLUSIONS: The Learning Café pilot test-exemplifying movement towards co-production through patient-professional collaboration-generated positive outcomes for patients (sense of security), professionals (work satisfaction; learning) and the organization (better care) in line with contemporary models for quality improvement and with Self-Determination Theory. This approach merits further testing and evaluation in other contexts.

In-depth comparison of two quality improvement collaboratives from different healthcare areas based on registry data-possible factors contributing to sustained improvement in outcomes beyond the project time.

BACKGROUND: Quality improvement collaboratives (QICs) are widely used to improve healthcare, but there are few studies of long-term sustained improved outcomes, and inconsistent evidence about what factors contribute to success. The aim of the study was to open the black box of QICs and compare characteristics and activities in detail of two differing QICs in relation to their changed outcomes from baseline and the following 3 years. METHODS: Final reports of two QICs-one on heart failure care with five teams, and one on osteoarthritis care with seven teams, including detailed descriptions of improvement projects from each QIC's team, were analysed and coded by 18 QIC characteristics and four team characteristics. Goal variables from each team routinely collected within the Swedish Heart Failure Registry (SwedeHF) and the Better Management of Patients with OsteoArthritis Registry (BOA) at year 2013 (baseline), 2014, 2015 and 2016 were analysed with univariate statistics. RESULTS: The two QICs differed greatly in design. The SwedeHF-QIC involved eight experts and ran for 12 months, whereas the BOA-QIC engaged three experts and ran for 6 months. There were about twice as many activities in the SwedeHF-QIC as in the BOA-QIC and they ranged from standardisation of team coordination to better information and structured follow-ups. The outcome results were heterogeneous within teams and across teams and QICs. Both QICs were highly appreciated by the participants and contributed to their learning, e.g. of improvement methods; however, several teams had already reached goal values when the QICs were launched in 2013. CONCLUSIONS: Even though many QI activities were carried out, it was difficult to see sustained improvements on outcomes. Outcomes as specific measurable aspects of care in need of improvement should be chosen carefully. Activities focusing on adherence to standard care programmes and on increased follow-up of patients seemed to lead to more long-lasting improvements. Although earlier studies showed that data follow-up and measurement skills as well as well-functioning data warehouses contribute to sustained improvements, the present registries' functionality and QICs at this time did not support those aspects sufficiently. Further studies on QICs and their impact on improvement beyond the project time should investigate the effect of those elements in particular.

Anthropogenic nitrogen enrichment enhances soil carbon accumulation by impacting saprotrophs rather than ectomycorrhizal fungal activity.

There is evidence that anthropogenic nitrogen (N) deposition enhances carbon (C) sequestration in boreal forest soils. However, it is unclear how free-living saprotrophs (bacteria and fungi, SAP) and ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungi responses to N addition impact soil C dynamics. Our aim was to investigate how SAP and EM communities are impacted by N enrichment and to estimate whether these changes influence decay of litter and humus. We conducted a long-term experiment in northern Sweden, maintained since 2004, consisting of ambient, low N additions (0, 3, 6, and 12 kg N ha-1  year-1 ) simulating current N deposition rates in the boreal region, as well as a high N addition (50 kg N ha-1  year-1 ). Our data showed that long-term N enrichment impeded mass loss of litter, but not of humus, and only in response to the highest N addition treatment. Furthermore, our data showed that EM fungi reduced the mass of N and P in both substrates during the incubation period compared to when only SAP organisms were present. Low N additions had no effect on microbial community structure, while the high N addition decreased fungal and bacterial biomasses and altered EM fungi and SAP community composition. Actinomycetes were the only bacterial SAP to show increased biomass in response to the highest N addition. These results provide a mechanistic understanding of how anthropogenic N enrichment can influence soil C accumulation rates and suggest that current N deposition rates in the boreal region (≤12 kg N ha-1  year-1 ) are likely to have a minor impact on the soil microbial community and the decomposition of humus and litter.