Vertical Distribution of the Free-Living Amoeba Population in Soil under Desert Shrubs in the Negev Desert, Israel

A field study was designed to examine the effect of desert shrubs on the dynamics of free-living amoebae in arid soil. Soil samples from 0- to 50-cm depths were collected at 10-cm intervals in each of the four seasons. The vertical distributions of the four main morphological types of amoebae, grouped according to their mobility, and of small flagellate populations were measured under the canopies of Hammada scoparia and Atriplex halimus, shrubs belonging to the chloride-absorbing xerohalophytes. The result obtained from the field study demonstrated that the total number of protozoa was significantly higher during the wet seasons (winter and spring) than during the dry seasons. The protozoan population was more diverse under the canopy of H. scoparia during the wet seasons, reaching 8,000 individuals per 1 g of dry soil, whereas during the dry seasons, the populations were higher under the canopy of A. halimus, with a mean of 250 individuals. The protozoan population in the deeper layers (40 to 50 cm) was found to be as active as that in the upper layers, demonstrating that, in the desert, soil columns below 20 cm are fertile and worth studying. The type 1 amoebae (e.g., Acanthamoeba and Filamoeba spp.) were the most abundant throughout the study period, and their numbers were significantly higher than those of the other amoeba types.     

Microbial Diversity in Soil,Sand Dune and Rock Substrates of the Thar Monsoon Desert,India

A culture-independent diversity assessment of archaea, bacteria and fungi in the Thar Desert in India was made. Six locations in Ajmer, Jaisalmer, Jaipur and Jodhupur included semi-arid soils, arid soils, arid sand dunes, plus arid cryptoendolithic substrates. A real-time quantitative PCR approach revealed that bacteria dominated soils and cryptoendoliths, whilst fungi dominated sand dunes. The archaea formed a minor component of all communities. Comparison of rRNA-defined community structure revealed that substrate and climate rather than location were the most parsimonious predictors. Sequence-based identification of 1240 phylotypes revealed that most taxa were common desert microorganisms. Semi-arid soils were dominated by actinobacteria and alpha proteobacteria, arid soils by chloroflexi and alpha proteobacteria, sand dunes by ascomycete fungi and cryptoendoliths by cyanobacteria. Climatic variables that best explained this distribution were mean annual rainfall and maximum annual temperature. Substrate variables that contributed most to observed diversity patterns were conductivity, soluble salts, Ca²⁺ and pH. This represents an important addition to the inventory of desert microbiota, novel insight into the abiotic drivers of community assembly, and the first report of biodiversity in a monsoon desert system.     

Xerophytic Structures in the Roots of Desert Shrubs

The primary body of the root of 30 perennial dicotyledonousspecies growing in various habitats in the Israeli Negev wasexamined. Significant quantitative differences which were foundbetween them could be related to their natural environmentalconditions. Extreme hydro- and xerohalophytes develop wide casparianstrips in their endodermis. A gradient in the ratio width of casparian strips/width of the radial wall of the endodermis was established. The ratio is high in halophytes, and low inless extreme habitats such as river beds, sandy dunes, and loesssteppes. Plants populating the extremely dry hammadas, and alsohydrohalophytes, have a small number of cell layers in the cortexof their roots. In less extreme habitats the cortex is moredeveloped. The area of the primary tracheae in transverse section of theroot was found not to be correlated to the habitat. However,it shows a good correlation with the depth of the root system,being larger in deep-rooting plants. The percentage of species having ring porous arrangement ofthe tracheae in the secondary xylem of the root is relativelyhigh. The periderm is highly developed in perennial roots.     

Microbial Diversity of Some Sabkha and Desert Sites in Saudi Arabia

Several studies isolated fungal and bacterial species from extreme environments, such as Sabkha and hot deserts, as their natural habitat, some of which are of medicinal importance. Current research aimed investigating the microbial (fungi and bacteria) diversity and abundance in Sabkha and desert areas in Saudi Arabia. Soil samples from nine different geographical areas (Al-Aushazia lake, AlQasab, AlKasar, Tabuk, Al-Kharj, Al-Madina, Jubail, Taif and Abqaiq) were collected and cultured for microbial isolation. Isolated fungi and bacteria were identified by molecular techniques (PCR and sequencing). Based on 18S rDNA sequencing, 203 fungal species belonging to 33 genera were identified. The most common fungal genera were Fusarium, Alternaria, Chaetomium, Aspergillus Cochliobolus and Pencillium, while the most common species were Chaetomium globosum and Fusarium oxysporum. By 16S rDNA sequencing 22 bacterial species belonging to only two genera, Bacillus and Lactobacillus, were identified. The most commonly isolated bacterial species were Bacillus subtilis and Lactobacillus murinus. Some fungal species were confined to specific locations, such as Actinomyces elegans, Fusarium proliferatum, Gymnoascus reesii and Myzostoma spp. that were only isolated from Al-Aushazia soil. AlQasab soil had the highest microbial diversity among other areas with abundances of 23.5% and 4.4% of total fungi, and bacteria, respectively. Findings of this study show a higher degree of fungal diversity than that of bacteria in all studied areas. Further studies needed to investigate the connection between some isolated species and their habitat ecology, as well as to identify those of medicinal importance.     

Profile Changes in the Soil Microbial Community When Desert Becomes Oasis

The conversion of virgin desert into oasis farmland creates two contrasting types of land-cover. During oasis formation with irrigation and fertilizer application, however, the changes in the soil microbial population, which play critical roles in the ecosystem, remain poorly understood. We applied high-throughput pyrosequencing to investigate bacterial and archaeal communities throughout the profile (0–3 m) in an experimental field, where irrigation and fertilization began in 1990 and cropped with winter wheat since then. To assess the effects of cultivation, the following treatments were compared with the virgin desert: CK (no fertilizer), PK, NK, NP, NPK, NPKR, and NPKM (R: straw residue; M: manure fertilizer). Irrigation had a greater impact on the overall microbial community than fertilizer application. The greatest impact occurred in topsoil (0–0.2 m), e.g., Cyanobacteria (25% total abundance) were most abundant in desert soil, while Actinobacteria (26%) were most abundant in oasis soil. The proportions of extremophilic and photosynthetic groups (e.g., Deinococcus-Thermus and Cyanobacteria) decreased, while the proportions of R-strategy (e.g., Gammaproteobacteria including Xanthomonadales), nitrifying (e.g., Nitrospirae), and anaerobic bacteria (e.g., Anaerolineae) increased throughout the oasis profile. Archaea occurred only in oasis soil. The impact of fertilizer application was mainly reflected in the non-dominant communities or finer taxonomic divisions. Oasis formation led to a dramatic shift in microbial community and enhanced soil enzyme activities. The rapidly increased soil moisture and decreased salt caused by irrigation were responsible for this shift. Furthermore, difference in fertilization and crop growth altered the organic carbon contents in the soil, which resulted in differences of microbial communities within oasis.     

Soil Stoichiometry Mediates Links Between Tree Functional Diversity and Soil Microbial Diversity in a Temperate Forest

Ecosystems - Interactions between plants and soil microbial communities underpin soil processes and forest ecosystem function, but the links between tree diversity and soil microbial diversity are...     

Soil Microbial Community Response to Drought and Precipitation Variability in the Chihuahuan Desert

Increases in the magnitude and variability of precipitation events have been predicted for the Chihuahuan Desert region of West Texas. As patterns of moisture inputs and amounts change, soil microbial communities will respond to these alterations in soil moisture windows. In this study, we examined the soil microbial community structure within three vegetation zones along the Pine Canyon Watershed, an elevation and vegetation gradient in Big Bend National Park, Chihuahuan Desert. Soil samples at each site were obtained in mid-winter (January) and in mid-summer (August) for 2 years to capture a component of the variability in soil temperature and moisture that can occur seasonally and between years along this watershed. Precipitation patterns and amounts differed substantially between years with a drought characterizing most of the second year. Soils were collected during the drought period and following a large rainfall event and compared to soil samples collected during a relatively average season. Structural changes within microbial community in response to site, season, and precipitation patterns were evaluated using fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) and polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) analyses. Fungal FAME amounts differed significantly across seasons and sites and greatly outweighed the quantity of bacterial and actinomycete FAME levels for all sites and seasons. The highest fungal FAME levels were obtained in the low desert scrub site and not from the high elevation oak–pine forests. Total bacterial and actinomycete FAME levels did not differ significantly across season and year within any of the three locations along the watershed. Total bacterial and actinomycete FAME levels in the low elevation desert-shrub and grassland sites were slightly higher in the winter than in the summer. Microbial community structure at the high elevation oak–pine forest site was strongly correlated with levels of NH₄ ⁺–N, % soil moisture, and amounts of soil organic matter irrespective of season. Microbial community structure at the low elevation desert scrub and sotol grasslands sites was most strongly related to soil pH with bacterial and actinobacterial FAME levels accounting for site differences along the gradient. DGGE band counts of amplified soil bacterial DNA were found to differ significantly across sites and season with the highest band counts found in the mid-elevation grassland site. The least number of bands was observed in the high elevation oak–pine forest following the large summer-rain event that occurred after a prolonged drought. Microbial responses to changes in precipitation frequency and amount due to climate change will differ among vegetation zones along this Chihuahuan Desert watershed gradient. Soil bacterial communities at the mid-elevation grasslands site are the most vulnerable to changes in precipitation frequency and timing, while fungal community structure is most vulnerable in the low desert scrub site. The differential susceptibility of the microbial communities to changes in precipitation amounts along the elevation gradient reflects the interactive effects of the soil moisture window duration following a precipitation event and differences in soil heat loads. Amounts and types of carbon inputs may not be as important in regulating microbial structure among vegetation zones within in an arid environment as is the seasonal pattern of soil moisture and the soil heat load profile that characterizes the location.     

Factors Controlling Soil Microbial Biomass and Bacterial Diversity and Community Composition in a Cold Desert Ecosystem: Role of Geographic Scale

Understanding controls over the distribution of soil bacteria is a fundamental step toward describing soil ecosystems, understanding their functional capabilities, and predicting their responses to environmental change. This study investigated the controls on the biomass, species richness, and community structure and composition of soil bacterial communities in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica, at local and regional scales. The goals of the study were to describe the relationships between abiotic characteristics and soil bacteria in this unique, microbially dominated environment, and to test the scale dependence of these relationships in a low complexity ecosystem. Samples were collected from dry mineral soils associated with snow patches, which are a significant source of water in this desert environment, at six sites located in the major basins of the Taylor and Wright Valleys. Samples were analyzed for a suite of characteristics including soil moisture, pH, electrical conductivity, soil organic matter, major nutrients and ions, microbial biomass, 16 S rRNA gene richness, and bacterial community structure and composition. Snow patches created local biogeochemical gradients while inter-basin comparisons encompassed landscape scale gradients enabling comparisons of microbial controls at two distinct spatial scales. At the organic carbon rich, mesic, low elevation sites Acidobacteria and Actinobacteria were prevalent, while Firmicutes and Proteobacteria were dominant at the high elevation, low moisture and biomass sites. Microbial parameters were significantly related with soil water content and edaphic characteristics including soil pH, organic matter, and sulfate. However, the magnitude and even the direction of these relationships varied across basins and the application of mixed effects models revealed evidence of significant contextual effects at local and regional scales. The results highlight the importance of the geographic scale of sampling when determining the controls on soil microbial community characteristics.     

Spatial and Resource Factors Influencing High Microbial Diversity in Soil

To begin defining the key determinants that drive microbial community structure in soil, we examined 29 soil samples from four geographically distinct locations taken from the surface, vadose zone, and saturated subsurface using a small-subunit rRNA-based cloning approach. While microbial communities in low-carbon, saturated, subsurface soils showed dominance, microbial communities in low-carbon surface soils showed remarkably uniform distributions, and all species were equally abundant. Two diversity indices, the reciprocal of Simpson’s index (1/D) and the log series index, effectively distinguished between the dominant and uniform diversity patterns. For example, the uniform profiles characteristic of the surface communities had diversity index values that were 2 to 3 orders of magnitude greater than those for the high-dominance, saturated, subsurface communities. In a site richer in organic carbon, microbial communities consistently exhibited the uniform distribution pattern regardless of soil water content and depth. The uniform distribution implies that competition does not shape the structure of these microbial communities. Theoretical studies based on mathematical modeling suggested that spatial isolation could limit competition in surface soils, thereby supporting the high diversity and a uniform community structure. Carbon resource heterogeneity may explain the uniform diversity patterns observed in the high-carbon samples even in the saturated zone. Very high levels of chromium contamination (e.g., >20%) in the high-organic-matter soils did not greatly reduce the diversity. Understanding mechanisms that may control community structure, such as spatial isolation, has important implications for preservation of biodiversity, management of microbial communities for bioremediation, biocontrol of root diseases, and improved soil fertility.     

新疆吐鲁番荒漠土壤绿藻的多样性分析

应用RAPD技术对吐鲁番地区火焰山及艾丁湖区域分离的15株土壤绿藻(chlorophyta)品系的遗传多样性及其亲缘关系进行探讨。结果表明:从20个随机引物中,筛选出多态性和重复性较好且谱带清晰的引物8个,这8个引物扩增出的DNA片段大多在300～2 000 bp之间,所形成的多态性位点数差距较大,显示该区域土壤绿藻具有较丰富的遗传多样性;15株土壤绿藻扩增共得到74条谱带,71条多态性带,其多态性比率为95.95%;聚类分析显示15株土壤绿藻明显地聚为2大类,与其来源相对应,即隶属于同一亚组或相近亚组的不同种基本归为一类,其种间关系与传统的形态学分类结果相吻合。     

Association of Host and Microbial Species Diversity across Spatial Scales in Desert Rodent Communities

Relationships between host and microbial diversity have important ecological and applied implications. Theory predicts that these relationships will depend on the spatio-temporal scale of the analysis and the niche breadth of the organisms in question, but representative data on host-microbial community assemblage in nature is lacking. We employed a natural gradient of rodent species richness and quantified bacterial communities in rodent blood at several hierarchical spatial scales to test the hypothesis that associations between host and microbial species diversity will be positive in communities dominated by organisms with broad niches sampled at large scales. Following pyrosequencing of rodent blood samples, bacterial communities were found to be comprised primarily of broad niche lineages. These communities exhibited positive correlations between host diversity, microbial diversity and the likelihood for rare pathogens at the regional scale but not at finer scales. These findings demonstrate how microbial diversity is affected by host diversity at different spatial scales and suggest that the relationships between host diversity and overall disease risk are not always negative, as the dilution hypothesis predicts.     

番茄根际微生物种群动态变化及多样性

采用盆栽试验的方法对番茄根际主要微生物种群在不同生育期的动态变化进行了跟踪研究.结果表明,在番茄整个生育期内,可培养细菌数量在初花期和初果期时最多;放线菌数量从苗期到末期逐渐减少;真菌数量逐渐增多.番茄对细菌根际效应明显.DGGE图谱显示不同生育期番茄根际均具有较高的细菌多样性.根际细菌种类和数量在初花期发生较为显著的变化,初果期根际群落多样性指数(H)和物种丰度(S)值都达到最高,微生物最丰富,是筛选拮抗菌的较好时期.     

Vertical Distribution and Activity of Soil Microbial Population in a Sandy Desert Ecosystem

The vertical distribution of a microbial community on a temporal and spatial (vertical) scale under the Tamarix aphylla salt-resistant plant was studied. The uniqueness of this plant is in the creation of “islands of salinity” beneath the plant, due to salt excretion and leaf shedding at the plant base. Our working hypothesis was that the activity and biomass of the soil microbial population and the ratio between bacterial biomass and fungal biomass will decrease toward the driest season. Soil samples were collected beneath and between plants under the T. aphylla canopy down to the 0- to 50-cm depth at 10-cm intervals. The substrate-induced respiration method was used to estimate the total soil microbial biomass (MB), CO₂ evolution, metabolic quotient (qCO₂) index, and MB of both the fungal and bacterial communities. A significant difference was observed (p < 0.05) in MB and qCO₂ index between the different soil layers in the control samples, whereas there was no significant difference in the soil samples in the vicinity of the plant (p > 0.05) between the depths, due to the plant rhizosphere effect.     

荒漠草原3种典型群落类型的土壤微生物量碳氮研究

采用氯仿熏蒸-浸提法,以宁夏盐池荒漠草原3种典型群落(柠条、沙蒿、短花针茅)类型为研究对象,分析了不同生境(冠下、丛间)和不同土层间(0~5、5~10、10~15cm)土壤理化性质及微生物量——微生物量碳(MBC)和微生物量氮(MBN)的变化特征。结果表明:(1)3种群落土壤微生物量变化差异较大,柠条、沙蒿和短花针茅群落土壤MBC含量分别为77.00~393.18、17.27~221.71和81.05~173.37mg/kg,MBN含量分别为7.59~64.81、1.43~13.95和4.25~22.13mg/kg,MBC和MBN含量均表现为:冠下丛间,且随土层深度的增加而降低,有明显的"沃岛效应"。(2)群落类型对土壤微生物量碳氮含量的变化有显著影响,3种典型群落类型下土壤微生物量熵(qMB)、碳氮比(C/N)、微生物量碳氮比(MBC/MBN)分别在0.76~4.10、15.02~52.50、5.34~23.07范围内变化,其比值在不同生境和不同土层深度的分布特征有明显差异。(3)3种典型群落类型的土壤MBC与SOC、MBN、qMB具有显著相关关系,土壤C/N与MBC/MBN呈显著正相关关系,表明土壤MBC、MBN具有一定的生物学指示特性,可以作为评价土壤质量的生物学指标。