Epilithic Cyanobacterial Communities of a Marine Tropical Beach Rock (Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef): Diversity and Diazotrophy

The diversity and nitrogenase activity of epilithic marine microbes in a Holocene beach rock (Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia) with a proposed biological calcification “microbialite” origin were examined. Partial 16S rRNA gene sequences from the dominant mat (a coherent and layered pink-pigmented community spread over the beach rock) and biofilms (nonstratified, differently pigmented microbial communities of small shallow depressions) were retrieved using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), and a clone library was retrieved from the dominant mat. The 16S rRNA gene sequences and morphological analyses revealed heterogeneity in the cyanobacterial distribution patterns. The nonheterocystous filamentous genus Blennothrix sp., phylogenetically related to Lyngbya, dominated the mat together with unidentified nonheterocystous filaments of members of the Pseudanabaenaceae and the unicellular genus Chroococcidiopsis. The dominance and three-dimensional intertwined distribution of these organisms were confirmed by nonintrusive scanning microscopy. In contrast, the less pronounced biofilms were dominated by the heterocystous cyanobacterial genus Calothrix, two unicellular Entophysalis morphotypes, Lyngbya spp., and members of the Pseudanabaenaceae family. Cytophaga-Flavobacterium-Bacteroides and Alphaproteobacteria phylotypes were also retrieved from the beach rock. The microbial diversity of the dominant mat was accompanied by high nocturnal nitrogenase activities (as determined by in situ acetylene reduction assays). A new DGGE nifH gene optimization approach for cyanobacterial nitrogen fixers showed that the sequences retrieved from the dominant mat were related to nonheterocystous uncultured cyanobacterial phylotypes, only distantly related to sequences of nitrogen-fixing cultured cyanobacteria. These data stress the occurrence and importance of nonheterocystous epilithic cyanobacteria, and it is hypothesized that such epilithic cyanobacteria are the principal nitrogen fixers of the Heron Island beach rock.     

不同油葵品种对盐碱地根际土壤酶活性及微生物群落功能多样性的影响

通过盆栽试验,研究了新葵4号、新葵6号、新葵10号和美国矮大头4个油葵品种对盐碱地土壤理化、酶活性和微生物群落功能多样性的影响,以期筛选出更适宜改善盐碱地土壤质量的油葵品种。结果表明,种植新葵6号对降低盐碱地根际土壤pH值、提高土壤全氮含量和蔗糖酶活性的效果最为显著,新葵4号对提高根际土壤碱解氮、速效磷、速效钾含量以及脲酶和磷酸酶活性的效果最为显著;种植这4个品种的油葵均能显著(72 h,P0.05)提高盐碱地根际土壤微生物对31种碳源的平均利用率(Average well color development,AWCD),并呈现如下规律:新葵4号新葵6号美国矮大头新葵10号CK。种植这4个油葵品种均不同程度地提高了盐碱地根际土壤微生物群落的Shannon多样性指数(H)、Shannon优势度指数(D)和碳源利用丰富度指数(S),并呈现出相似的规律:新葵4号根际土的微生物多样性指数最大,而CK的最小,且显著高于CK。主成分分析表明,种植油葵改善了盐碱地根际土壤微生物的群落组成;碳水化合物、氨基酸、羧酸类化合物和聚合物是盐碱地土壤微生物利用的主要碳源。因此,在盐碱地中种植油葵可提高相关土壤理化性质和酶的活性,改善微生物功能多样性,优化盐碱地微生物的群落结构,尤其是种植新葵4号对盐碱地的改良效果最为显著。     

Bacterial Diversity in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Solenopsis invicta</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Solenopsis geminata</Emphasis> Ant Colonies Characterized by 16S amplicon 454 Pyrosequencing

Social insects harbor diverse assemblages of bacterial microbes, which may play a crucial role in the success or failure of biological invasions. The invasive fire ant Solenopsis invicta (Formicidae, Hymenoptera) is a model system for understanding the dynamics of invasive social insects and their biological control. However, little is known about microbes as biotic factors influencing the success or failure of ant invasions. This pilot study is the first attempt to characterize and compare microbial communities associated with the introduced S. invicta and the native Solenopsis geminata in the USA. Using 16S amplicon 454 pyrosequencing, bacterial communities of workers, brood, and soil from nest walls were compared between neighboring S. invicta and S. geminata colonies at Brackenridge Field Laboratory, Austin, Texas, with the aim of identifying potential pathogenic, commensal, or mutualistic microbial associates. Two samples of S. geminata workers showed high counts of Spiroplasma bacteria, a known pathogen or mutualist of other insects. A subsequent analysis using PCR and sequencing confirmed the presence of Spiroplasma in additional colonies of both Solenopsis species. Wolbachia was found in one alate sample of S. geminata, while one brood sample of S. invicta had a high count of Lactococcus. As expected, ant samples from both species showed much lower microbial diversity than the surrounding soil. Both ant species had similar overall bacterial diversities, although little overlap in specific microbes. To properly characterize a single bacterial community associated with a Solenopsis ant sample, rarefaction analyses indicate that it is necessary to obtain 5,000–10,000 sequences. Overall, 16S amplicon 454 pyrosequencing appears to be a cost-effective approach to screen whole microbial diversity associated with invasive ant species.     

Cellular interactions: lessons from the nitrogen‐fixing cyanobacteria

Marine nitrogen‐fixing cyanobacteria play a central role in the open‐ocean microbial community by providing fixed nitrogen (N) to the ocean from atmospheric dinitrogen (N₂) gas. Once thought to be dominated by one genus of cyanobacteria, Trichodesmium, it is now clear that marine N₂‐fixing cyanobacteria in the open ocean are more diverse, include several previously unknown symbionts, and are geographically more widespread than expected. The next challenge is to understand the ecological implications of this genetic and phenotypic diversity for global oceanic N cycling. One intriguing aspect of the cyanobacterial N₂ fixers ecology is the range of cellular interactions they engage in, either with cells of their own species or with photosynthetic protists. From organelle‐like integration with the host cell to a free‐living existence, N₂‐fixing cyanobacteria represent the range of types of interactions that occur among microbes in the open ocean. Here, we review what is known about the cellular interactions carried out by marine N₂‐fixing cyanobacteria and where future work can help. Discoveries related to the functional roles of these specialized cells in food webs and the microbial community will improve how we interpret their distribution and abundance patterns and contributions to global N and carbon (C) cycles.     

GeoChip-based analysis of the functional gene diversity and metabolic potential of soil microbial communities of mangroves

Mangroves are unique and highly productive ecosystems and harbor very special microbial communities. Although the phylogenetic diversity of sediment microbial communities of mangrove habitats has been examined extensively, little is known regarding their functional gene diversity and metabolic potential. In this study, a high-throughput functional gene array (GeoChip 4.0) was used to analyze the functional diversity, composition, structure, and metabolic potential of microbial communities in mangrove habitats from mangrove national nature reserves in China. GeoChip data indicated that these microbial communities were functionally diverse as measured by the number of genes detected, unique genes, and various diversity indices. Almost all key functional gene categories targeted by GeoChip 4.0 were detected in the mangrove microbial communities, including carbon (C) fixation, C degradation, methane generation, nitrogen (N) fixation, nitrification, denitrification, ammonification, N reduction, sulfur (S) metabolism, metal resistance, antibiotic resistance, and organic contaminant degradation. Detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) of all detected genes showed that Spartina alterniflora (HH), an invasive species, did not harbor significantly different microbial communities from Aegiceras corniculatum (THY), a native species, but did differ from other species, Kenaelia candel (QQ), Aricennia marina (BGR), and mangrove-free mud flat (GT). Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) results indicated the microbial community structure was largely shaped by surrounding environmental variables, such as total nitrogen (TN), total carbon (TC), pH, C/N ratio, and especially salinity. This study presents a comprehensive survey of functional gene diversity of soil microbial communities from different mangrove habitats/species and provides new insights into our understanding of the functional potential of microbial communities in mangrove ecosystems.     

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon-Induced Structural Shift of Bacterial Communities in Mangrove Sediment

Mangrove sediment is well known for its susceptibility to anthropogenic pollution, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), but knowledge of the sediment microbial community structure with regards to exposure to PAHs is limited. The study aims to assess the effects of PAHs on the bacterial community of mangrove sediment using both 16s rDNA polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) and traditional enrichment methods. Both the exposure time and the PAH concentration reduced the microbial diversity, as determined by the DGGE bands. Although PAHs could act as carbon sources for microorganisms, PAHs, at a concentration as low as 20 mg l⁻¹, posed a toxic effect to the microbial community. Sequencing of DGGE bands showed that marine bacteria from the genera of Vibrio, Roseobacter, and Ferrimonas were most abundant after PAH exposure, which suggests that both marine and terrestrial bacteria coexisted in the mangrove sediment, but that the marine microbes were more difficult to isolate using the traditional culture method. DGGE determination further demonstrated that the consistency among triplicates of the enriched consortia was significantly less than that of the sediment slurries. The present study reveals that the mangrove sediment microbial structure is susceptible to PAH contamination, and complex microbial community interactions occur in mangrove sediment.     

Plant diversity effects on soil heterotrophic activity in experimental grassland ecosystems

The loss of plant species from terrestrial ecosystems may cause changes in soil decomposer communities and in decomposition of organic material with potential further consequences for other ecosystem processes. This was tested in experimental communities of 1, 2, 4, 8, 32 plant species and of 1, 2 or 3 functional groups (grasses, legumes and non-leguminous forbs). As plant species richness was reduced from the highest species richness to monocultures, mean aboveground plant biomass decreased by 150%, but microbial biomass (measured by substrate induced respiration) decreased by only 15% (P = 0.05). Irrespective of plant species richness, the absence of legumes (across diversity levels) caused microbial biomass to decrease by 15% (P = 0.02). No effect of plant species richness or composition was detected on the microbial metabolic quotient (qCO₂) and no plant species richness effect was found on feeding activity of the mesofauna (assessed with a bait-lamina-test). Decomposition of cellulose and birchwood sticks was also not affected by plant species richness, but when legumes were absent, cellulose samples were decomposed more slowly (16% in 1996, 27% in 1997, P = 0.006). A significant decrease in earthworm population density of 63% and in total earthworm biomass by 84% was the single most prominent response to the reduction of plant species richness, largely due to a 50% reduction in biomass of the dominant `anecic' earthworms. Voles (Arvicola terrestris L.) also had a clear preference for high-diversity plots. Soil moisture during the growing season was unaffected by plant species richness or the number of functional groups present. In contrast, soil temperature was 2 K higher in monocultures compared with the most diverse mixtures on a bright day at peak season. We conclude that the lower abundance and activity of decomposers with reduced plant species richness was related to altered substrate quantity, a signal which is not reflected in rates of decomposition of standard test material. The presence of nitrogen fixers seemed to be the most important component of the plant diversity manipulation for soil heterotrophs. The reduction in plant biomass due to the simulated loss of plant species had more pronounced effects on voles and earthworms than on microbes, suggesting that higher trophic levels are more strongly affected than lower trophic levels.     

Differentiation strategies of soil rare and abundant microbial taxa in response to changing climatic regimes

Despite the important roles of soil microbes, especially the most diverse rare taxa in maintaining community diversity and multifunctionality, how different climate regimes alter the stability and functions of the rare microbial biosphere remains unknown. We reciprocally transplanted field soils across a latitudinal gradient to simulate climate change and sampled the soils annually after harvesting the maize over the following 6 years (from 2005 to 2011). By sequencing microbial 16S ribosomal RNA gene amplicons, we found that changing climate regimes significantly altered the composition and dynamics of soil microbial communities. A continuous succession of the rare and abundant communities was observed. Rare microbial communities were more stable under changing climatic regimes, with lower variations in temporal dynamics, and higher stability and constancy of diversity. More nitrogen cycling genes were detected in the rare members than in the abundant members, including amoA, napA, nifH, nirK, nirS, norB and nrfA. Random forest analysis and receiver operating characteristics analysis showed that rare taxa may act as potential contributors to maize yield under changing climatics. The study indicates that the taxonomically and functionally diverse rare biosphere has the potential to increase functional redundancy and enhance the ability of soil communities to counteract environmental disturbances. With ongoing global climate change, exploring the succession process and functional changes of rare taxa may be important in elucidating the ecosystem stability and multifunctionality that are mediated by microbial communities.     

Legacy effects overwhelm the short-term effects of exotic plant invasion and restoration on soil microbial community structure,enzyme activities,and nitrogen cycling

Plant invasions can have substantial consequences for the soil ecosystem, altering microbial community structure and nutrient cycling. However, relatively little is known about what drives these changes, making it difficult to predict the effects of future invasions. In addition, because most studies compare soils from uninvaded areas to long-established dense invasions, little is known about the temporal dependence of invasion impacts. We experimentally manipulated forest understory vegetation in replicated sites dominated either by exotic Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii), native Viburnums, or native Vacciniums, so that each vegetation type was present in each site-type. We compared the short-term effect of vegetation changes to the lingering legacy effects of the previous vegetation type by measuring soil microbial community structure (phospholipid fatty acids) and function (extracellular enzymes and nitrogen mineralization). We also replaced the aboveground litter in half of each plot with an inert substitute to determine if changes in the soil microbial community were driven by aboveground or belowground plant inputs. We found that after 2 years, the microbial community structure and function was largely determined by the legacy effect of the previous vegetation type, and was not affected by the current vegetation. Aboveground litter removal had only weak effects, suggesting that changes in the soil microbial community and nutrient cycling were driven largely by belowground processes. These results suggest that changes in the soil following either invasion or restoration do not occur quickly, but rather exhibit long-lasting legacy effects from previous belowground plant inputs.     

氮磷添加对亚热带常绿阔叶林土壤微生物群落特征的影响

为了探讨氮磷添加对土壤微生物特点的影响,选择安徽省池州仙寓山常绿阔叶老龄林,设定了4个水平的氮磷添加试验,即对照(CK,0 kg N/hm~2)、低氮(LN,50 kg N/hm~2)、高氮(HN,100 kg N/hm~2)、高氮+磷(HN+P,100 kg N/hm~2+50 kg P/hm~2)。利用氯仿熏蒸法和Biolog微平板技术,分析不同水平氮磷添加对不同土层(0-10 cm、10-20 cm和20-30 cm)土壤微生物生物量C(MBC)、N(MBN)和微生物群落功能多样性的影响。结果表明:MBC、MBN随土层加深而降低,且差异性极显著,MBC与MBC/MBN比在氮磷添加后均表现出显著性差异;土壤微生物群落的代谢活性随土层加深而降低,HN与LN处理的土壤微生物活性最高;Mc Intosh、Shannon和Simpson多样性指数在不同土层和不同N、P添加水平上都存在差异,表层土壤微生物多样性指数差异性较为显著。土壤微生物对羧酸类、氨基酸类和碳水类碳源利用率最高;主成分分析显示不同土层的土壤微生物碳源利用上有明显的变化,表层土壤微生物碳源利用在不同N、P添加水平上有明显的空间变异性,其他土层分布较为集中,空间差异性主要表现在对碳水类与羧酸类碳源的利用上。土层与氮、磷添加剂量对土壤微生物生物量C、N及功能多样性都有显著影响,其中高氮处理对表层土壤微生物影响最大。     

独山子区优势草本植物根际与非根际土壤微生物功能多样性

以独山子区3种优势草本植物的根际与非根际土壤为研究对象,采用Biolog-ECO微平板法对土壤微生物功能多样性进行了研究。结果表明:3种不同植物根际与非根际土壤微生物代谢活性(AWCD)、丰富度指数Shannon(H)和均匀度指数Mc Intosh(U)均存在不同差异,且博乐蒿根际土壤微生物功能多样性均优于非根际土壤及其他两种植物;根际土壤微生物对糖类、脂类、酸类和胺类碳源物质比较敏感,非根际土壤微生物敏感于酸类、氨基酸类以及糖类碳源,根际土壤微生物对碳源的利用能力更强,且不同植物根际环境微生物碳源利用特征不同;微生物活性、丰富度指数和微生物均匀度指数与土壤pH值、SOM、AP和NO-3-N存在显著正相关(P0.05);博乐蒿根际土壤养分含量与微生物活性均较高,对环境的适应性更强,在独山子区生态环境管理与建设中可对其进行关注。     

准噶尔盆地南缘两种典型禾本科植物根鞘土壤微生物群落功能多样性

以准噶尔盆地南缘两种禾本科植物的根鞘与其外围土壤为研究对象,采用Biolog-ECO微平板检测法对土壤微生物群落功能多样性进行了研究。结果表明:两种植物根鞘土壤的有机质、全氮、速效氮和速效钾均高于根鞘外围土壤;两种禾本科植物根鞘土壤的微生物平均颜色变化率(AWCD)、香农多样性指数、均匀度指数、优势度指数和丰富度指数均高于根鞘外围土壤;两种植物根鞘土壤微生物主要利用的碳源类型为羧酸、糖类和聚合物,其中芨芨草根鞘微生物是以利用羧酸、糖类、聚合物和氨基酸类物质为主,羽毛针禾根鞘土壤微生物是以利用糖类、氨基酸和聚合物为主;微生物平均颜色变化率与Shannon多样性指数、均匀度指数、速效钾和全氮呈显著相关性,除了全钾以外,与其余的土壤理化指标均存在正相关性。总而言之,根鞘结构改善了微生物的生存环境,提高了土壤微生物群落功能多样性,从而增强了缓冲外界不利影响的能力。     

干旱区典型盐生植物群落下土壤微生物群落特征

运用Biolog技术,对干旱区玛纳斯河流域扇缘带的6种典型盐生植物群落下土壤微生物群落特征差异性进行了研究,探讨不同植物群落对土壤微生物群落的影响。结果表明:不同盐生植物群落土壤平均颜色变化率(AWCD)随培养时间的延长而逐渐增加,大小顺序依次为:梭梭花花柴白刺绢蒿柽柳雾冰藜,且差异显著。不同植物群落土壤微生物对6类碳源利用差异显著(P0.05),其中梭梭群落利用率最高,雾冰藜群落利用率最低。碳水化合物类和氨基酸类是主要碳源,胺类的利用率最低。主成分分析(PCA)表明,在31种因子中提取的2个主成分因子,分别可以解释所有变量方差的41.51%和25.35%,对PC1和PC2起分异作用的主要碳源分别为碳水化合物类和氨基酸类。土壤微生物群落Shannon指数、Simpson指数上,除雾冰藜群落较低,其他群落之间均差异不显著(P0.05)。植物群落Margalef指数,Shannon指数和Simpson指数上,均为绢蒿,梭梭和柽柳群落较为优势。相关性分析表明,植物群落多样性指数与土壤微生物多样性指数呈显著正相关关系(P0.05),说明了植物多样性越丰富,土壤微生物越丰富。总体来说,干旱区不同盐生植物群落对土壤微生物群落多样性具有重要影响。其中,梭梭群落的土壤微生物群落具有较强的微生物总体活性和功能多样性。     

Evolutionary Processes Associated with Biological Invasions in the Brassicaceae

This review highlights evolutionary processes in the Brassicaceae which cause, accompany or are a consequence of biological invasions. Case studies in Capsella and Diplotaxis address the genetics of colonising species. The greatest colonising ability in Capsella bursa-pastoris is associated with polyploidy, predominant selfing, and high genetic diversity. Success of colonial populations seems to be due to the introduction of preadapted genotypes. Colonising species in Diplotaxis reveal contrasting evolutionary patterns. Genetic attributes in D. muralis include annuality, polyploidy, and predominant selfing. Very different from Capsella, D. muralis is nearly devoid of genetic diversity as revealed by molecular markers. In contrast to D. muralis, the colonising D. tenuifolia is perennial, diploid, self-incompatible, and displays high genetic diversity. Hybrid speciation, establishment of the hybrids in man-made habitats, stabilisation of their reproductive system, and reproductive isolation from the parent populations were analysed in Cardamine. The Nasturtium example highlights the importance of hybridisation for the evolution of invasiveness. The last case study concentrates on the evolutionary consequences of hybridisation between native and invading Rorippa species. Introgressive hybridisation between the invasive Rorippa austriaca and native Rorippa species is common and widespread in central Europe, and interspecific gene transfer has led to the formation of a new invasive genotype. Each successful invasion presents new aspects and sound case studies are needed in order to understand the ecology and evolution of the colonisation process and to enable us to assess the evolutionary consequences of biological invasions. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

黄土丘陵沟壑区地形变化对土壤微生物群落功能多样性的影响

研究黄土高原丘陵沟壑区破碎地形对土壤微生物功能多样性的影响,对于理解复杂地形区生态过程与系统功能的空间变化具有重要意义。选择陕西省安塞县陈家洼为研究区,依据坡面地形变化选择不同坡位土壤,采用Biolog微平板培养法探究地形变化对土壤微生物群落功能多样性的影响。实验发现,土壤微生物群落培养的平均颜色变化率(AWCD)增长曲线总的呈现出坡下部坡中部坡上部的规律,且坡下部AWCD值与坡中部、坡上部间差异显著(P0.05);坡下部土壤微生物群落功能多样性显著高于坡中部和坡上部,但不同土层深度(0—10 cm、10—20 cm)间无显著性差异(P0.05);对土壤微生物群落功能多样性差异贡献较大的碳源是糖类、羧酸类和多酚化合物类碳源;土壤含水率高低是不同坡位土壤微生物群落功能多样性差异显著的主要原因;微生物群落丰富度(H)和均一度(D)与土壤全氮含量正相关,优势度(U)反之,土壤全碳、全磷和p H对土壤微生物群落结构和功能多样性差异作用不显著。     

外来物种刺槐对土壤微生物功能多样性的影响

以延河流域不同植被区内人工刺槐(Robinia pseudoacacia)群落和乡土植物群落的土壤微生物为研究对象,利用Biolog微平板技术对土壤微生物功能多样性进行测定,分析人工引种刺槐在不同环境梯度(3个植被区)下对土壤微生物功能多样性的影响。结果表明:刺槐对不同环境梯度下的土壤微生物的影响明显不同。从草原区到森林区,刺槐林之间土壤微生物群落的平均颜色变化率(AWCD)和土壤微生物功能多样性指数均没有显著变化;但与乡土植物群落比较,草原区、森林草原区和森林区土壤AWCD分别表现为刺槐乡土植物、刺槐乡土植物、刺槐乡土植物;在草原区和森林草原区刺槐林土壤微生物群落的群落丰富度指数(S)、Shannon-Wiener指数(H)、Simpson指数(D)、Mc Intosh指数(U)均大于乡土植物,森林区刺槐林群落丰富度指数(S)、Shannon指数(H)、Simpson指数(D)均小于乡土植物;刺槐林和乡土植物群落下土壤微生物碳源利用存在差异,主要体现在对糖类、氨基酸类的利用上。PCA分析显示主成分1贡献较大的碳源有24种,在主成分分离中起主要贡献作用的是糖类、氨基酸类和羧酸类。土壤碳氮含量能影响土壤微生物功能多样性指数,土壤含水量和温湿度能够影响碳源的利用类型。刺槐对土壤微生物功能多样性的影响存在区域差异,在评价刺槐对土壤生态过程与功能的影响时必须要考虑这种空间差异性。     

深松对乌拉尔甘草根际土壤养分以及微生物群落功能多样性的影响

通过大田试验和室内分析相结合,研究了深松对乌拉尔甘草根际土壤养分和微生物群落功能多样性的影响,以期为乌拉尔甘草人工种植地土壤耕作措施优化和土壤环境改良提供依据。结果表明,与未深松(常规耕作)处理相比,深松处理对乌拉尔甘草根际土壤0—20 cm耕层土壤养分含量无显著性影响,可显著提高乌拉尔甘草根际土壤20—40 cm耕层有机质、全氮、全磷和全钾的含量,分别提高了60.8%、65.3%、48.9%和86.8%;明显增加了0—20 cm和20—40 cm耕层细菌、真菌和放线菌的数量(P0.05),3种类型的微生物数量均呈现出上层大于下层,深松大于未深松的变化趋势。在156 h的微生物温育期内,深松处理下不同土层的平均颜色变化率(AWCD)均显著高于未深松处理,并显著提高了AWCD的利用率(72 h,P0.05),较未深松分别提高了35.5%和130.8%。与未深松处理相比,深松处理显著提高了土壤微生物的多样性指数(H、S、D)。主成分分析(PCA)表明,深松优化了乌拉尔甘草根际土壤微生物的群落组成;聚合物、羧酸类化合物、氨基酸和碳水化合物是深松处理下根际土壤微生物利用的主要碳源。总而言之,深松处理显著提高乌拉尔甘草根际土壤养分含量、微生物数量和微生物多样性指数,改变了微生物群落功能多样性,造成这种差异的主要原因可能是深松改变了土壤耕层结构,改善了微生物的生存环境。因此,深松对乌拉尔甘草人工种植地土壤质量的改良有积极作用。     

Epilithic cyanobacterial communities of a marine tropical beach rock (Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef): diversity and diazotrophy

The diversity and nitrogenase activity of epilithic marine microbes in a Holocene beach rock (Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia) with a proposed biological calcification "microbialite" origin were examined. Partial 16S rRNA gene sequences from the dominant mat (a coherent and layered pink-pigmented community spread over the beach rock) and biofilms (nonstratified, differently pigmented microbial communities of small shallow depressions) were retrieved using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), and a clone library was retrieved from the dominant mat. The 16S rRNA gene sequences and morphological analyses revealed heterogeneity in the cyanobacterial distribution patterns. The nonheterocystous filamentous genus Blennothrix sp., phylogenetically related to Lyngbya, dominated the mat together with unidentified nonheterocystous filaments of members of the Pseudanabaenaceae and the unicellular genus Chroococcidiopsis. The dominance and three-dimensional intertwined distribution of these organisms were confirmed by nonintrusive scanning microscopy. In contrast, the less pronounced biofilms were dominated by the heterocystous cyanobacterial genus Calothrix, two unicellular Entophysalis morphotypes, Lyngbya spp., and members of the Pseudanabaenaceae family. Cytophaga-Flavobacterium-Bacteroides and Alphaproteobacteria phylotypes were also retrieved from the beach rock. The microbial diversity of the dominant mat was accompanied by high nocturnal nitrogenase activities (as determined by in situ acetylene reduction assays). A new DGGE nifH gene optimization approach for cyanobacterial nitrogen fixers showed that the sequences retrieved from the dominant mat were related to nonheterocystous uncultured cyanobacterial phylotypes, only distantly related to sequences of nitrogen-fixing cultured cyanobacteria. These data stress the occurrence and importance of nonheterocystous epilithic cyanobacteria, and it is hypothesized that such epilithic cyanobacteria are the principal nitrogen fixers of the Heron Island beach rock.