Open AccessEffects of season and experimental warming on the bacterial community in a temperate mountain forest soil assessed by 16 S r RNA gene pyrosequencing
Author(s) -
Kuffner Melanie,
Hai Brigitte,
Rattei Thomas,
Melodelima Christelle,
Schloter Michael,
ZechmeisterBoltenstern Sophie,
Jandl Robert,
Schindlbacher Andreas,
Sessitsch Angela
Publication year - 2012
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.1574-6941.2012.01420.x
Subject(s) - biology , pyrosequencing , actinobacteria , ecology , community structure , temperate climate , context (archaeology) , soil water , microbial population biology , 16s ribosomal rna , paleontology , biochemistry , genetics , gene , bacteria
Climate warming may induce shifts in soil microbial communities possibly altering the long‐term carbon mineralization potential of soils. We assessed the response of the bacterial community in a forest soil to experimental soil warming (+4 °C) in the context of seasonal fluctuations. Three experimental plots were sampled in the fourth year of warming in summer and winter and compared to control plots by 16 S r RNA gene pyrosequencing. We sequenced 17 308 amplicons per sample and analysed operational taxonomic units at genetic distances of 0.03, 0.10 and 0.25, with respective G ood's coverages of 0.900, 0.977 and 0.998. Diversity indices did not differ between summer, winter, control or warmed samples. Summer and winter samples differed in community structure at a genetic distance of 0.25, corresponding approximately to phylum level. This was mainly because of an increase of A ctinobacteria in winter. Abundance patterns of dominant taxa (> 0.06% of all reads) were analysed individually and revealed, that seasonal shifts were coherent among related phylogenetic groups. Seasonal community dynamics were subtle compared to the dynamics of soil respiration. Despite a pronounced respiration response to soil warming, we did not detect warming effects on community structure or composition. Fine‐scale shifts may have been concealed by the considerable spatial variation.