Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
- Functional Shifts in Unvegetated, Perhumid, Recently-Deglaciated Soils Do Not Correlate with Shifts in Soil Bacterial Community Composition
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Sarah R. Sattin , Cory C. Cleveland , Eran Hood , Sasha C. Reed , Andrew J. King , Steven K. Schmidt , Michael S. Robeson , Nataly Ascarrunz , Diana R. Nemergut
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J. Microbiol. 2009;47(6):673-681. Published online February 4, 2010
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12275-009-0194-7
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Abstract
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Past work in recently deglaciated soils demonstrates that microbial communities undergo shifts prior to plant colonization. To date, most studies have focused on relatively ‘long’ chronosequences with the ability to sample plant-free sites over at least 50 years of development. However, some recently deglaciated soils feature rapid plant colonization and questions remain about the relative rate of change in the microbial community in the unvegetated soils of these chronosequences. Thus, we investigated the forelands of the Mendenhall Glacier near Juneau, AK, USA, where plants rapidly establish. We collected unvegetated samples representing soils that had been ice-free for 0, 1, 4, and 8 years. Total nitrogen (N) ranged from 0.00~0.14 mg/g soil, soil organic carbon pools ranged from 0.6~2.3 mg/g soil, and both decreased in concentration between the 0 and 4 yr soils. Biologically available phosphorus (P) and pH underwent similar dynamics. However, both pH and available P increased in the 8 yr soils. Nitrogen fixation was nearly undetectable in the most recently exposed soils, and increased in the 8 yr soils to ~5 ng N fixed/cm2/h, a trend that was matched by the activity of the soil N-cycling enzymes urease and β-1,4-N-acetyl-glucosaminidase. 16S rRNA gene clone libraries revealed no significant differences between the 0 and 8 yr soils; however, 8 yr soils featured the presence of cyanobacteria, a division wholly absent from the 0 yr soils. Taken together, our results suggest that microbes are consuming allochtonous organic matter sources in the most recently exposed soils. Once this carbon source is depleted, a competitive advantage may be ceded to microbes not reliant on in situ nutrient sources.
Review
- Effects of Elevated Atmospheric CO_2 Concentrations on Soil Microorganisms
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Chris Freeman , Seon-Young Kim , Seung-Hoon Lee , Hojeong Kang
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J. Microbiol. 2004;42(4):267-277.
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DOI: https://doi.org/2111 [pii]
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Abstract
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Effects of elevated CO_2 on soil microorganisms are known to be mediated by various interactions with plants, for which such effects are relatively poorly documented. In this review, we summarize and synthesize results from studies assessing impacts of elevated CO_2 on soil ecosystems, focusing primarily on plants and a variety the of microbial processes. The processes considered include changes in microbial biomass of C and N, microbial number, respiration rates, organic matter decomposition, soil enzyme activities, microbial community composition, and functional groups of bacteria mediating trace gas emission such as methane and nitrous oxide. Elevated CO_2 in atmosphere may enhance certain microbial processes such as CH_4 emission from wetlands due to enhanced carbon supply from plants. However, responses of extracellular enzyme activities and microbial community structure are still controversy, because interferences with other factors such as the types of plants, nutrient availabilitial in soil, soil types, analysis methods, and types of CO_2 fumigation systems are not fully understood.