Sequential bioavailability of sedimentary organic matter to heterotrophic bacteria

Aquatic sediments harbour diverse microbial communities that mediate organic matter degradation and influence biogeochemical cycles. The pool of bioavailable carbon continuously changes as a result of abiotic processes and microbial activity. It remains unclear how microbial communities respond to heterogeneous organic matrices and how this ultimately affects heterotrophic respiration. To explore the relationships between the degradation of mixed carbon substrates and microbial activity, we incubated batches of organic‐rich sediments in a novel bioreactor (IsoCaRB) that permitted continuous observations of CO₂ production rates, as well as sequential sampling of isotopic signatures (δ¹³C, Δ¹⁴C), microbial community structure and diversity, and extracellular enzyme activity. Our results indicated that lower molecular weight (MW), labile, phytoplankton‐derived compounds were degraded first, followed by petroleum‐derived exogenous pollutants, and finally by higher MW polymeric plant material. This shift in utilization coincided with a community succession and increased extracellular enzyme activities. Thus, sequential utilization of different carbon pools induced changes at both the community and cellular level, shifting community composition, enzyme activity, respiration rates, and residual organic matter reactivity. Our results provide novel insight into the accessibility of sedimentary organic matter and demonstrate how bioavailability of natural organic substrates may affect the function and composition of heterotrophic bacterial populations.     

The earliest stages of ecosystem succession in high-elevation (5000 metres above sea level), recently deglaciated soils

Global climate change has accelerated the pace of glacial retreat in high-latitude and high-elevation environments, exposing lands that remain devoid of vegetation for many years. The exposure of 'new' soil is particularly apparent at high elevations (5000 metres above sea level) in the Peruvian Andes, where extreme environmental conditions hinder plant colonization. Nonetheless, these seemingly barren soils contain a diverse microbial community; yet the biogeochemical role of micro-organisms at these extreme elevations remains unknown. Using biogeochemical and molecular techniques, we investigated the biological community structure and ecosystem functioning of the pre-plant stages of primary succession in soils along a high-Andean chronosequence. We found that recently glaciated soils were colonized by a diverse community of cyanobacteria during the first 4-5 years following glacial retreat. This significant increase in cyanobacterial diversity corresponded with equally dramatic increases in soil stability, heterotrophic microbial biomass, soil enzyme activity and the presence and abundance of photosynthetic and photoprotective pigments. Furthermore, we found that soil nitrogen-fixation rates increased almost two orders of magnitude during the first 4-5 years of succession, many years before the establishment of mosses, lichens or vascular plants. Carbon analyses (pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy) of soil organic matter suggested that soil carbon along the chronosequence was of microbial origin. This indicates that inputs of nutrients and organic matter during early ecosystem development at these sites are dominated by microbial carbon and nitrogen fixation. Overall, our results indicate that photosynthetic and nitrogen-fixing bacteria play important roles in acquiring nutrients and facilitating ecological succession in soils near some of the highest elevation receding glaciers on the Earth.     

石灰土演替过程中颗粒态有机质和矿物结合态有机质的微生物群落特征

碳酸盐岩经风化作用并在地形、植被、气候、时间及生物等因素的影响下逐渐演替出黑色石灰土、棕色石灰土、黄色石灰土和红色石灰土。【目的】研究不同演替阶段石灰土颗粒态有机质(particulate organic matter, POM)和矿物结合态有机质(mineral-associated organic matter, MAOM)的微生物群落特征,为岩溶土壤有机质稳定机制研究提供理论依据。【方法】以广西弄岗国家级自然保护区的黑色石灰土、棕色石灰土、黄色石灰土和红色石灰土为研究对象,运用湿筛法将土壤有机质(soil organic matter, SOM)分为POM和MAOM,分析其理化性质以及微生物群落特征。【结果】石灰土演替过程中POM和MAOM的有机碳、总氮、交换性钙含量均呈下降趋势,且MAOM的C/N均大于POM,POM的C/P均大于MAOM。细菌α多样性在黑色石灰土POM和MAOM中最高,且四类石灰土MAOM的真菌多样性比POM要高。Acidobacteria、Proteobacteria、Ascomycota均为石灰土演替过程中POM和MAOM的优势菌门。总磷是影响石灰土演替过...     

A stressed stream ecosystem: macroinvertebrate community integrity and microbial trophic response

A year-long study of a second-order stream in Southwestern Virginia was carried out from 1979–80. One of the objectives of the study was to evaluate the effects of sewage and electroplating plant effluent stress on the trophic response of aquatic invertebrate assemblages and microbial communities in the stream. Quantitative benthic samples were collected periodically at three reference stations and four stressed stations below the outfalls. Invertebrates were counted, identified taxonomically, and classified into functional groups based on their feeding strategies. Ash-free dry weights were obtained for each functional group by date and station, and the number and density of different taxa were calculated as well. Reference stations had diverse invertebrate assemblages; scrapers were well represented and all functional groups were present in reasonably equivalent proportions. Stressed stations were dominated by collector gatherers and filterers to the virtual exclusion of scrapers. The trophic status of the microbial community was determined by suspending artificial substrates in the stream for 1-week periods. The community that colonized the substrates was assayed for ATP and chlorophyll a, and an autotrophy index (AI) was calculated using these values. The autotrophic component of the microbial community was greatest at the reference stations, and the community became primarily heterotrophic below the outfalls. The AI correlated well with the proportion of scrapers. Aquatic invertebrate assemblages and microbial communities responded to stress by changing their trophic structure to fit best the available energy sources. Where heterotrophic microbes dominated, gathering and filtering invertebrates utilized the abundant organic matter. In areas where a mainly autotrophic microbial community existed, scrapers, gatherers, and filterers were all present in balanced proportions.     

How light and nutrients affect the relationship between autotrophic and heterotrophic biomass in a tropical black water periphyton community

This study examines how nutrients and light affect the relationship between autotrophic biomass and non-autotrophic periphyton organic matter in a tropical black water lake biofilm community. We hypothesized that there is no positive correlation between autotrophic and non-autotrophic organic matter in the periphytic community of a black water humic lake, where non-algal components of periphyton can rely on carbon sources external to the periphyton matrix and where nutrient availability is low. Second, we sought to test our hypothesis that non-autotrophic periphyton organic matter will benefit from nutrient enhancement in a lake where the availability of DOC is high. We performed a field experiment using in situ lake mesocosms to manipulate nutrient concentrations and light availability in a 2 × 2 factorial design. Control treatments (no nutrient added) and nutrient treatments (N + P) were compared in different light conditions: high light (near surface water) and low light (near bottom). No positive correlation was found between autotrophic biomass and non-autotrophic periphyton organic matter, but a negative correlation was observed in high nutrient and light conditions. The low C:P and N:P ratios revealed that the non-autotrophic organic matter mostly comprised a heterotrophic microbial biofilm. High levels of light and nutrients together caused significant changes in periphyton community properties. The non-autotrophic periphyton organic matter was negatively affected by nutrient addition, whereas autotrophic biomass was positively affected, especially in high light conditions. Our results strongly suggest that non-autotrophic periphyton organic matter in a humic lake is primarily comprised of a bacterial biofilm that directly competes for nutrients with autotrophs in the periphytic community. We also observed no effect of nutrient addition on periphyton growing in light-limited conditions. These results suggest that heterotrophic periphytic organisms might experience carbon limitation despite the high availability, but usually low quality, of dissolved carbon in the water column of humic lakes.     

Metagenomic and stable isotopic analyses of modern freshwater microbialites in Cuatro Ciénegas, Mexico

Ancient biologically mediated sedimentary carbonate deposits, including stromatolites and other microbialites, provide insight into environmental conditions on early Earth. The primary limitation to interpreting these records is our lack of understanding regarding microbial processes and the preservation of geochemical signatures in contemporary microbialite systems. Using a combination of metagenomic sequencing and isotopic analyses, this study describes the identity, metabolic potential and chemical processes of microbial communities from living microbialites from Cuatro Ciénegas, Mexico. Metagenomic sequencing revealed a diverse, redox-dependent microbial community associated with the microbialites. The microbialite community is distinct from other marine and freshwater microbial communities, and demonstrates extensive environmental adaptation. The microbialite metagenomes contain a large number of genes involved in the production of exopolymeric substances and the formation of biofilms, creating a complex, spatially structured environment. In addition to the spatial complexity of the biofilm, microbial activity is tightly controlled by sensory and regulatory systems, which allow for coordination of autotrophic and heterotrophic processes. Isotopic measurements of the intracrystalline organic matter demonstrate the importance of heterotrophic respiration of photoautotrophic biomass in the precipitation of calcium carbonate. The genomic and stable isotopic data presented here significantly enhance our evolving knowledge of contemporary biomineralization processes, and are directly applicable to studies of ancient microbialites.     

The Effects of Soil Bacterial Community Structure on Decomposition in a Tropical Rain Forest

Soil microorganisms are key drivers of terrestrial biogeochemical cycles, yet it is still unclear how variations in soil microbial community composition influence many ecosystem processes. We investigated how shifts in bacterial community composition and diversity resulting from differences in carbon (C) availability affect organic matter decomposition by conducting an in situ litter manipulation experiment in a tropical rain forest in Costa Rica. We used bar-coded pyrosequencing to characterize soil bacterial community composition in litter manipulation plots and performed a series of laboratory incubations to test the potential functional significance of community shifts on organic matter decomposition. Despite clear effects of the litter manipulation on soil bacterial community composition, the treatments had mixed effects on microbial community function. Distinct communities varied in their ability to decompose a wide range of C compounds, and functional differences were related to both the relative abundance of the two most abundant bacterial sub-phyla (Acidobacteria and Alphaproteobacteria) and to variations in bacterial alpha-diversity. However, distinct communities did not differ in their ability to decompose native dissolved organic matter (DOM) substrates that varied in quality and quantity. Our results show that although resource-driven shifts in soil bacterial community composition have the potential to influence decomposition of specific C substrates, those differences may not translate to differences in DOM decomposition rates in situ. Taken together, our results suggest that soil bacterial communities may be either functionally dissimilar or equivalent during decomposition depending on the nature of the organic matter being decomposed.     

Soil microbial carbon and nitrogen transformations at a glacial foreland on Anvers Island, Antarctic Peninsula

Microbial communities can play a critical role in soil development and succession at glacial forelands through their contribution to soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling. Using a combination of molecular fingerprinting techniques and metabolic rate measurements, we examined the soil microbial community composition and key transformations in the C and N cycles at a glacial foreland on Anvers Island along the Antarctic Peninsula. Soils were sampled along transects representing a chronosequence of <1 to approximately 10?years since deglaciation. The soil microbial community was active adjacent to the receding edge of the glacier, where soil had been ice-free for <1?year. A survey of the microbial community composition identified typical soil bacterial species such as Arthrobacter and Sphingomonas, as well as known Antarctic heterotrophs, cyanobacteria and fungi. The soil C cycle over this zone was dominated by phototrophic microbial activity, while the N cycle was dominated by heterotrophic N₂-fixation and not cyanobacterial N₂-fixation as found at other recently deglaciated forelands. Other N transformations such as ammonia oxidation and denitrification appeared to be of limited relevance.     

Dissolved Organic Matter Concentration and Quality Influences upon Structure and Function of Freshwater Microbial Communities

Past studies have suggested that the concentration and quality of dissolved organic matter (DOM) may influence microbial community structure. In this study, we cross-inoculated the bacterial communities from two streams and a dystrophic lake that varied in DOM concentration and chemistry, to yield nine fully crossed treatments. We measured dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration and heterotrophic microbial community productivity throughout a 72-h incubation period, characterized DOM quality by molecular weight, and determined microbial community structure at the initial and final time points. Our results indicate that all bacterial inoculate sources had similar effects upon DOC concentration and DOM quality, regardless of the DOM source. These effects included an overall decrease in DOM M _W and an initial period of DOC concentration variability between 0-24h. In contrast, microbial communities and their metabolic rates converged to profiles that reflected the DOM source upon which they were growing, regardless of the initial bacterial inoculation. The one exception was that the bacterial community from the low-concentration and low-molecular-weight DOM source exhibited a greater denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) band richness when grown in its own DOM source than when grown in the highest concentration and molecular weight DOM source. This treatment also exhibited a higher rate of productivity. In general, our data suggest that microbial communities are selected by the DOM sources to which they are exposed. A microbial community will utilize the low-molecular-weight (or labile) DOM sources as well as parts of the high-molecular-weight (refractory) DOM, until a community develops that can efficiently metabolize the more abundant high-molecular-weight source. This experiment examines some of the complex interactions between microbial community selection and the combined factors of DOM quality and concentration. Our data suggest that the roles of aerobic aquatic heterotrophic bacteria in carbon cycling, as well as the importance of high-molecular-weight DOM as a carbon source, may be more complex than is conventionally recognized.     

Community structural differences shape microbial responses to high molecular weight organic matter

The extent to which differences in microbial community structure result in variations in organic matter (OM) degradation is not well understood. Here, we tested the hypothesis that distinct marine microbial communities from North Atlantic surface and bottom waters would exhibit varying compositional succession and functional shifts in response to the same pool of complex high molecular weight (HMW-OM). We also hypothesized that microbial communities would produce a broader spectrum of enzymes upon exposure to HMW-OM, indicating a greater potential to degrade these compounds than reflected by initial enzymatic activities. Our results show that community succession in amended mesocosms was congruent with cell growth, increased bacterial production and most notably, with substantial shifts in enzymatic activities. In all amended mesocosms, closely related taxa that were initially rare became dominant at time frames during which a broader spectrum of active enzymes were detected compared to initial timepoints, indicating a similar response among different communities. However, succession on the whole-community level, and the rates, spectra and progression of enzymatic activities, reveal robust differences among distinct communities from discrete water masses. These results underscore the crucial role of rare bacterial taxa in ocean carbon cycling and the importance of bacterial community structure for HMW-OM degradation.     

Links between plant community composition,soil organic matter quality and microbial communities in contrasting tundra habitats

Plant communities, soil organic matter and microbial communities are predicted to be interlinked and to exhibit concordant patterns along major environmental gradients. We investigated the relationships between plant functional type composition, soil organic matter quality and decomposer community composition, and how these are related to major environmental variation in non-acid and acid soils derived from calcareous versus siliceous bedrocks, respectively. We analysed vegetation, organic matter and microbial community compositions from five non-acidic and five acidic heath sites in alpine tundra in northern Europe. Sequential organic matter fractionation was used to characterize organic matter quality and phospholipid fatty acid analysis to detect major variation in decomposer communities. Non-acidic and acidic heaths differed substantially in vegetation composition, and these disparities were associated with congruent shifts in soil organic matter and microbial communities. A high proportion of forbs in the vegetation was positively associated with low C:N and high soluble N:phenolics ratios in soil organic matter, and a high proportion of bacteria in the microbial community. On the contrary, dwarf shrub-rich vegetation was associated with high C:N and low soluble N:phenolics ratios, and a high proportion of fungi in the microbial community. Our study demonstrates a strong link between the plant community composition, soil organic matter quality, and microbial community composition, and that differences in one compartment are paralleled by changes in others. Variation in the forb-shrub gradient of vegetation may largely dictate variations in the chemical quality of organic matter and decomposer communities in tundra ecosystems. Soil pH, through its direct and indirect effects on plant and microbial communities, seems to function as an ultimate environmental driver that gives rise to and amplifies the interactions between above- and belowground systems. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Latitudinal gradients in degradation of marine dissolved organic carbon

Heterotrophic microbial communities cycle nearly half of net primary productivity in the ocean, and play a particularly important role in transformations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC). The specific means by which these communities mediate the transformations of organic carbon are largely unknown, since the vast majority of marine bacteria have not been isolated in culture, and most measurements of DOC degradation rates have focused on uptake and metabolism of either bulk DOC or of simple model compounds (e.g. specific amino acids or sugars). Genomic investigations provide information about the potential capabilities of organisms and communities but not the extent to which such potential is expressed. We tested directly the capabilities of heterotrophic microbial communities in surface ocean waters at 32 stations spanning latitudes from 76°S to 79°N to hydrolyze a range of high molecular weight organic substrates and thereby initiate organic matter degradation. These data demonstrate the existence of a latitudinal gradient in the range of complex substrates available to heterotrophic microbial communities, paralleling the global gradient in bacterial species richness. As changing climate increasingly affects the marine environment, changes in the spectrum of substrates accessible by microbial communities may lead to shifts in the location and rate at which marine DOC is respired. Since the inventory of DOC in the ocean is comparable in magnitude to the atmospheric CO(2) reservoir, such a change could profoundly affect the global carbon cycle.     

Microbial community utilization of recalcitrant and simple carbon compounds: impact of oak-woodland plant communities

Little is known about how the structure of microbial communities impacts carbon cycling or how soil microbial community composition mediates plant effects on C-decomposition processes. We examined the degradation of four ¹³C-labeled compounds (starch, xylose, vanillin, and pine litter), quantified rates of associated enzyme activities, and identified microbial groups utilizing the ¹³C-labeled substrates in soils under oaks and in adjacent open grasslands. By quantifying increases in non-¹³C-labeled carbon in microbial biomarkers, we were also able to identify functional groups responsible for the metabolism of indigenous soil organic matter. Although microbial community composition differed between oak and grassland soils, the microbial groups responsible for starch, xylose, and vanillin degradation, as defined by ¹³C-PLFA, did not differ significantly between oak and grassland soils. Microbial groups responsible for pine litter and SOM-C degradation did differ between the two soils. Enhanced degradation of SOM resulting from substrate addition (priming) was greater in grassland soils, particularly in response to pine litter addition; under these conditions, fungal and Gram + biomarkers showed more incorporation of SOM-C than did Gram – biomarkers. In contrast, the oak soil microbial community primarily incorporated C from the added substrates. More ¹³C (from both simple and recalcitrant sources) was incorporated into the Gram – biomarkers than Gram + biomarkers despite the fact that the Gram + group generally comprised a greater portion of the bacterial biomass than did markers for the Gram – group. These experiments begin to identify components of the soil microbial community responsible for decomposition of different types of C-substrates. The results demonstrate that the presence of distinctly different plant communities did not alter the microbial community profile responsible for decomposition of relatively labile C-substrates but did alter the profiles of microbial communities responsible for decomposition of the more recalcitrant substrates, pine litter and indigenous soil organic matter.     

Phylogenetic organization in the assimilation of chemically distinct substrates by soil bacteria

Soils are among the most biodiverse habitats on earth and while the species composition of microbial communities can influence decomposition rates and pathways, the functional significance of many microbial species and phylogenetic groups remains unknown. If bacteria exhibit phylogenetic organization in their function, this could enable ecologically meaningful classification of bacterial clades. Here, we show non-random phylogenetic organization in the rates of relative carbon assimilation for both rapidly mineralized substrates (amino acids and glucose) assimilated by many microbial taxa and slowly mineralized substrates (lipids and cellulose) assimilated by relatively few microbial taxa. When mapped onto bacterial phylogeny using ancestral character estimation this phylogenetic organization enabled the identification of clades involved in the decomposition of specific soil organic matter substrates. Phylogenetic organization in substrate assimilation could provide a basis for predicting the functional attributes of uncharacterized microbial taxa and understanding the significance of microbial community composition for soil organic matter decomposition.     

Differential utilization of carbon substrates by aggregate-associated and water-associated heterotrophic bacterial communities

The capacity to utilize carbon substrates is fundamental to the functioning of heterotrophic microbial communities in aquatic environments. Carbon-source utilization within the water column, however, is not a bulk property because microbial communities are patchily distributed on suspended organic aggregates (i.e., marine snow, marine aggregates, river aggregates, organic detritus, and bioflocs). In this study, Biolog Ecoplates were used to evaluate the metabolic capacity of heterotrophic bacterial communities associated with aggregates compared to communities in the surrounding water. Overall, aggregate-associated microbial communities demonstrated higher levels of metabolism, metabolic versatility, and functional redundancy, and a more consistent pattern of carbon-source utilization compared with water-associated communities. In addition, aggregate-associated communities more effectively exploited available resources, including representatives from several biochemical guilds and nitrogen-containing carbon sources. Within the aggregate-associated microbial community, metabolic activity was significantly higher in the presence of polymers, amino acids, and carbohydrates relative to amines and carboxylic acids. In comparison, metabolic activity of water-associated communities exceeded a threshold value for only two of the five guilds (polymers and carbohydrates) evaluated. These results suggest that compared with their free-living counterparts, aggregate-associated communities have a greater capacity to respond to a wider array of carbon inputs. Results also underscore the importance of targeting organic aggregates to better understand the role of microbial processes in ecosystem functioning.     

Successional and seasonal variations in soil and litter microbial community structure and function during tropical postagricultural forest regeneration: a multiyear study

Soil microorganisms regulate fundamental biochemical processes in plant litter decomposition and soil organic matter (SOM) transformations. Understanding how microbial communities respond to changes in vegetation is critical for improving predictions of how land‐cover change affects belowground carbon storage and nutrient availability. We measured intra‐ and interannual variability in soil and forest litter microbial community composition and activity via phospholipid fatty acid analysis (PLFA) and extracellular enzyme activity across a well‐replicated, long‐term chronosequence of secondary forests growing on abandoned pastures in the wet subtropical forest life zone of Puerto Rico. Microbial community PLFA structure differed between young secondary forests and older secondary and primary forests, following successional shifts in tree species composition. These successional patterns held across seasons, but the microbial groups driving these patterns differed over time. Microbial community composition from the forest litter differed greatly from those in the soil, but did not show the same successional trends. Extracellular enzyme activity did not differ with forest succession, but varied by season with greater rates of potential activity in the dry seasons. We found few robust significant relationships among microbial community parameters and soil pH, moisture, carbon, and nitrogen concentrations. Observed inter‐ and intrannual variability in microbial community structure and activity reveal the importance of a multiple, temporal sampling strategy when investigating microbial community dynamics with land‐use change. Successional control over microbial composition with forest recovery suggests strong links between above and belowground communities.     

人工油松林（Pinus tabulaeformis）恢复过程中土壤微生物生物量C、N的变化特征

采用时空替代法,选取15a（PF15）、25a（PF25）、30a（PF30）的人工油松林作为样地,并选取灌丛作为参考植被,研究了植被恢复过程中土壤微生物生物量C、N以及土壤养分的变化特征,同时探讨了它们之间的相互关系。研究结果表明随着恢复的进行,土壤质量得到了改善,主要表现为有机碳、全氮、粘粒含量、土壤含水量的上升和pH值、容重的下降。土壤微生物生物量C、N分别在155.00~885.64mg/kg和33.73~237.40mg/kg的范围内变化。土壤微生物生物量C、N在植被恢复的初期显著低于灌丛,而后随着恢复的进行逐步增长。土壤微生物生物量C、N与植被恢复时间的相关性没有达到统计学上的显著水平,但是土壤微生物生物量C与土壤有机碳、全氮、全磷呈显著正相关,这表明植被恢复过程中土壤微生物生物量与土壤养分状况关系密切,植被恢复通过改善土壤养分状况间接地影响土壤微生物生物量的变化。Cmic/TOC在1.38%~4.75%的范围内变化。Cmic/TOC随着植被恢复不断下降,Cmic/TOC与植被恢复时间和土壤有机碳呈显著负相关,这表明植被恢复过程中,惰性有机质积累导致供应土壤微生物的活性有机质减少,Cmic/TOC同时受土壤有机质的数量和质量影响。     

Organic Layer Serves as a Hotspot of Microbial Activity and Abundance in Arctic Tundra Soils

Tundra ecosystem is of importance for its high accumulation of organic carbon and vulnerability to future climate change. Microorganisms play a key role in carbon dynamics of the tundra ecosystem by mineralizing organic carbon. We assessed both ecosystem process rates and community structure of Bacteria, Archaea, and Fungi in different soil layers (surface organic layer and subsurface mineral soil) in an Arctic soil ecosystem located at Spitsbergen, Svalbard during the summer of 2008 by using biochemical and molecular analyses, such as enzymatic assay, terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP), quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and pyrosequencing. Activity of hydrolytic enzymes showed difference according to soil type. For all three microbial communities, the average gene copy number did not significantly differ between soil types. However, archaeal diversities appeared to differ according to soil type, whereas bacterial and fungal diversity indices did not show any variation. Correlation analysis between biogeochemical and microbial parameters exhibited a discriminating pattern according to microbial or soil types. Analysis of the microbial community structure showed that bacterial and archaeal communities have different profiles with unique phylotypes in terms of soil types. Water content and hydrolytic enzymes were found to be related with the structure of bacterial and archaeal communities, whereas soil organic matter (SOM) and total organic carbon (TOC) were related with bacterial communities. The overall results of this study indicate that microbial enzyme activity were generally higher in the organic layer than in mineral soils and that bacterial and archaeal communities differed between the organic layer and mineral soils in the Arctic region. Compared to mineral soil, peat-covered organic layer may represent a hotspot for secondary productivity and nutrient cycling in this ecosystem.     

Differences in the substrate spectrum of extracellular enzymes in shallow lakes of differing trophic status

Organic matter fluxes and food web interactions in lakes depend on the abilities of heterotrophic microbial communities to access and degrade organic matter, a process that begins with extracellular hydrolysis of high molecular weight substrates. In order to determine whether patterns of enzymatic hydrolysis vary among shallow lakes of different trophic status, we investigated the hydrolysis of six specific organic macromolecules (polysaccharides) in the spring and late summer in four adjacent shallow lakes of eutrophic, oligotrophic, and dystrophic status in coastal North Carolina, USA. The spectrum of enzyme activities detected differed strongly between lakes, with all six polysaccharides hydrolyzed in West Mattamuskeet in May, while only two substrates were hydrolyzed in Lake Phelps in August/September. Differences in the spectrum of enzyme activities, and therefore the capabilities of heterotrophic microbial communities, were likely driven by variations among lakes in primary productivity patterns, sediment–water interactions, and/or water chemistry. Our data represent a first step towards a better understanding of carbon substrate availability and differences in carbon cycling pathways in shallow lakes of different trophic status.     

Vertical distribution of bacterial community is associated with the degree of soil organic matter decomposition in the active layer of moist acidic tundra

The increasing temperature in Arctic tundra deepens the active layer, which is the upper layer of permafrost soil that experiences repeated thawing and freezing. The increasing of soil temperature and the deepening of active layer seem to affect soil microbial communities. Therefore, information on soil microbial communities at various soil depths is essential to understand their potential responses to climate change in the active layer soil. We investigated the community structure of soil bacteria in the active layer from moist acidic tundra in Council, Alaska. We also interpreted their relationship with some relevant soil physicochemical characteristics along soil depth with a fine scale (5 cm depth interval). The bacterial community structure was found to change along soil depth. The relative abundances of Acidobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, Planctomycetes, and candidate phylum WPS-2 rapidly decreased with soil depth, while those of Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi, Gemmatimonadetes, and candidate AD3 rapidly increased. A structural shift was also found in the soil bacterial communities around 20 cm depth, where two organic (upper Oi and lower Oa) horizons are subdivided. The quality and the decomposition degree of organic matter might have influenced the bacterial community structure. Besides the organic matter quality, the vertical distribution of bacterial communities was also found to be related to soil pH and total phosphorus content. This study showed the vertical change of bacterial community in the active layer with a fine scale resolution and the possible influence of the quality of soil organic matter on shaping bacterial community structure.