Open AccessMetal oxides, clay minerals and charcoal determine the composition of microbial communities in matured artificial soils and their response to phenanthrene
Author(s) -
Babin Doreen,
Ding GuoChun,
Pronk Geertje Johanna,
Heister Katja,
KögelKnabner Ingrid,
Smalla Kornelia
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
fems microbiology ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.377
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1574-6941
pISSN - 0168-6496
DOI - 10.1111/1574-6941.12058
Subject(s) - phenanthrene , microbial population biology , charcoal , soil water , cambisol , temperature gradient gel electrophoresis , microorganism , environmental chemistry , biology , composition (language) , soil microbiology , actinobacteria , ecology , chemistry , bacteria , 16s ribosomal rna , organic chemistry , linguistics , philosophy , genetics
Microbial communities in soil reside in a highly heterogeneous habitat where diverse mineral surfaces, complex organic matter and microorganisms interact with each other. This study aimed to elucidate the long‐term effect of the soil mineral composition and charcoal on the microbial community composition established in matured artificial soils and their response to phenanthrene. One year after adding sterile manure to different artificial soils and inoculating microorganisms from a C ambisol, the matured soils were spiked with phenanthrene or not and incubated for another 70 days. 16 S r RNA gene and internal transcribed spacer fragments amplified from total community DNA were analyzed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. Metal oxides and clay minerals and to a lesser extent charcoal influenced the microbial community composition. Changes in the bacterial community composition in response to phenanthrene differed depending on the mineral composition and presence of charcoal, while no shifts in the fungal community composition were observed. The abundance of ring‐hydroxylating dioxygenase genes was increased in phenanthrene‐spiked soils except for charcoal‐containing soils. Here we show that the formation of biogeochemical interfaces in soil is an ongoing process and that different properties present in artificial soils influenced the bacterial response to the phenanthrene spike.