The effect of elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide levels on soil bacterial communities |
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Authors: | K. D. Bruce,T. H. Jones&dagger ,T. M. Bezemer&dagger ,L. J. Thompson&dagger , D. A. Ritchie |
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Affiliation: | School of Biological Sciences, Donnan Laboratories, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZD, UK,;NERC Centre for Population Biology, Imperial College at Silwood Park, Ascot, Berkshire SL5 7PY, UK |
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Abstract: | The effect of elevated carbon dioxide levels on total bacterial communities was studied in a series of controlled and replicated model terrestrial ecosystems over a period of 38 weeks. The bacterial community was profiled using Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis of bacterial 16S rRNA gene fragments amplified by the Polymerase Chain Reaction from DNA extracted directly from soil. Bacterial community DGGE profiles provided three major findings: (i) there was a high degree of profile similarity after ≈ 12 weeks (one plant generation); (ii) whilst overall DGGE profile was maintained over the 38 weeks (three plant generations), the banding patterns became more diverse with time; (iii) DGGE data provided no evidence for a shift in bacterial community structure resulting from exposure of the ecosystem to an increased atmospheric CO2 level. |
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Keywords: | DGGE profiling diversity ecosystems elevated carbon dioxide soil bacterial communities |
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