Open AccessTaxonomic and functional profiles of soil samples from Atlantic forest and Caatinga biomes in northeastern Brazil
Author(s) -
Pacchioni Ralfo G.,
Carvalho Fabíola M.,
Thompson Claudia E.,
Faustino André L. F.,
Nicolini Fernanda,
Pereira Tatiana S.,
Silva Rita C. B.,
Cantão Mauricio E.,
Gerber Alexandra,
Vasconcelos Ana T. R.,
AgnezLima Lucymara F.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
microbiologyopen
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.881
H-Index - 36
ISSN - 2045-8827
DOI - 10.1002/mbo3.169
Subject(s) - metagenomics , rhizosphere , actinobacteria , biology , biome , ecosystem , ecology , soil organic matter , organic matter , proteobacteria , soil water , environmental science , bacteria , biochemistry , genetics , 16s ribosomal rna , gene
Although microorganisms play crucial roles in ecosystems, metagenomic analyses of soil samples are quite scarce, especially in the Southern Hemisphere. In this work, the microbial diversity of soil samples from an Atlantic Forest and Caatinga was analyzed using a metagenomic approach. Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria were the dominant phyla in both samples. Among which, a significant proportion of stress‐resistant bacteria associated to organic matter degradation was found. Sequences related to metabolism of amino acids, nitrogen, and DNA and stress resistance were more frequent in Caatinga soil, while the forest sample showed the highest occurrence of hits annotated in phosphorous metabolism, defense mechanisms, and aromatic compound degradation subsystems. The principal component analysis ( PCA ) showed that our samples are close to the desert metagenomes in relation to taxonomy, but are more similar to rhizosphere microbiota in relation to the functional profiles. The data indicate that soil characteristics affect the taxonomic and functional distribution; these characteristics include low nutrient content, high drainage (both are sandy soils), vegetation, and exposure to stress. In both samples, a rapid turnover of organic matter with low greenhouse gas emission was suggested by the functional profiles obtained, reinforcing the importance of preserving natural areas.