Soil microorganisms are the unseen majority in soil, that drive critical ecosystem processes, such as biogeochemical cycling of nutrients. For growth and metabolism, microbes require nutrients, which are either readily available as simple compounds or locked within complex macromolecules. To access these nutrients, microbes secrete extracellular enzymes into the soil matrix. This study focuses on three widely studied enzymes: β-glucosidase (BG, carbon-acquiring), N-acetyl-β-Glucosaminidase (NAG, nitrogen-acquiring), and phosphatase (AP, phosphorus-acquiring). Soil enzyme activity exhibits substantial spatial heterogeneity. To investigate the abiotic factors regulating enzyme activity at larger spatial scales, I compiled data from 54 published studies reporting enzyme activity in natural soils. I examined the effects of biome, edaphic factors (pH, organic carbon [SOC], total nitrogen [TN], total phosphorus [TP]), climatic factors (mean annual temperature [MAT], mean annual precipitation [MAP]), and geographic factors (elevation). Our results revealed that N-acquiring enzymes showed no significant differences across biomes, suggesting widespread nitrogen limitation. Conversely, C- and P-acquiring enzymes exhibited the lowest activity in desert soils, likely due to moisture limitations.

C acquiring enzyme activity was negatively affected by MAP, suggesting reduced carbon acquisition in wetter conditions, while SOC had a positive influence. NAG activity also decreased with increasing MAP but was positively influenced by elevation and TN, indicating enhanced nitrogen acquisition at higher elevations and with greater nitrogen concentrations in soil. For P acquiring enzyme, elevation and soil pH had negative effects, with reduced phosphorus acquisition at higher elevations and in more alkaline soils, whereas SOC positively influenced P acquiring enzyme activity. This study highlights the complex interplay of biotic and abiotic factors regulating soil enzyme activity across spatial gradients. Further research could explore additional factors or interactions to refine our understanding of microbial contributions to nutrient cycling.