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Archaeal diversity along a soil salinity gradient prone to disturbance
Author(s) -
Walsh David A.,
Papke R. Thane,
Doolittle W. Ford
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
environmental microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.954
H-Index - 188
eISSN - 1462-2920
pISSN - 1462-2912
DOI - 10.1111/j.1462-2920.2005.00864.x
Subject(s) - haloarchaea , biology , crenarchaeota , halophile , archaea , salinity , euryarchaeota , ecology , phylogenetic diversity , intermediate disturbance hypothesis , species richness , temperature gradient gel electrophoresis , community structure , soil salinity , phylogenetic tree , 16s ribosomal rna , paleontology , biochemistry , bacteria , gene
Summary We employed a cultivation‐independent approach to examine archaeal diversity along a transient soil salinity gradient at Salt Spring in British Columbia, Canada that is routinely eroded due to heavy, recurrent rainfall. Archaeal 16S rRNA gene libraries were created using DNA extracted from three soil samples collected along this gradient. Statistical comparisons indicated similar archaeal richness across sites but, a significant shift in archaeal community composition along the salinity gradient. Seven distinct phylogenetic groups were represented in soil libraries. Haloarchaea were the most commonly sampled group. Other 16S rRNA sequences were related to uncultured Euryarchaeota and Crenarchaeota or halophilic methanogens. Haloarchaeal diversity was remarkably high in soil of elevated salinity compared with previously characterized haloarchaeal communities. Salt Spring haloarchaea were not closely related to known low‐salt adapted/tolerant species, suggesting they may be frequently faced with local mortality as a result of frequent declines in soil salinity. We speculate that ecosystem disturbance – in the form of salinity fluctuations – is one mechanism for maintaining a diverse community of haloarchaea at Salt Spring.