Open AccessAfforestation of moorland leads to changes in crenarchaeal community structure
Author(s) -
Nicol Graeme W.,
Campbell Colin D.,
Chapman Stephen J.,
Prosser James I.
Publication year - 2007
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/j.1574-6941.2006.00258.x
Subject(s) - moorland , crenarchaeota , biology , ecology , soil water , temperature gradient gel electrophoresis , community structure , afforestation , archaea , 16s ribosomal rna , biochemistry , genetics , bacteria , gene
Group 1 Crenarchaeota are an abundant component of soil microbial communities. A number of distinct lineages have been discovered, and the Group 1.1b lineage is present in most soil types. Others, such as the Group 1.1c lineage, may be restricted to specific soil types, such as acidic forest soils. To determine the effects of afforestation on the Archaea of moorland soils, archaeal community structure was examined across three parallel 180 m transects, running from open heather moorland into a Scots pine forest. Communities were characterized using a combination of cloning and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis of 16S rRNA reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction products. Although forest soils selected for a reproducibly distinct crenarchaeal community structure from moorland soils, both habitats contained similar populations, indicated by comigrating DGGE bands. Archaeal communities in soils of both ecosystems were dominated by Group 1.1c crenarchaea, and reproducible differences in community structure within this lineage were observed between forest and moorland soils. The findings indicate that the afforestation of moorland soils can lead to changes in crenarchaeal community structure with a potential impact on ecosystem function.