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Microbial communities in carbonate rocks—from soil via groundwater to rocks
Author(s) -
Meier Aileen,
Singh Manu K.,
Kastner Anne,
Merten Dirk,
Büchel Georg,
Kothe Erika
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of basic microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.58
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1521-4028
pISSN - 0233-111X
DOI - 10.1002/jobm.201600643
Subject(s) - groundwater , microbial population biology , carbonate , archaea , geology , ecology , carbonate rock , soil water , habitat , geochemistry , environmental science , environmental chemistry , soil science , biology , bacteria , chemistry , paleontology , sedimentary rock , geotechnical engineering , organic chemistry
Microbial communities in soil, groundwater, and rock of two sites in limestone were investigated to determine community parameters differentiating habitats in two lithostratigraphic untis. Lower Muschelkalk and Middle Muschelkalk associated soils, groundwater, and rock samples showed different, but overlapping microbial communities linked to carbon fluxes. The microbial diversities in soil were highest, groundwater revealed overlapping taxa but lower diversity, and rock samples were predominantly characterized by endospore forming bacteria and few archaea. Physiological profiles could establish a differentiation between habitats (soil, groundwater, rock). From community analyses and physiological profiles, different element cycles in limestone could be identified for the three habitats. While in soil, nitrogen cycling was identified as specific determinant, in rock methanogenesis linked carbonate rock to atmospheric methane cycles. These patterns specifically allowed for delineation of lithostratigraphic connections to physiological parameters.