Season effect on the genetic diversity and abundance of bacterial populations in soils of a natural beech forest in Lower Austria

Wien

2007

Artikel aus einer ZeitschriftUnselbständiges Werk

200138927

It was hypothesized that season is a major determinant of the genetic diversity and abundance of the microbial population in soils of a natural beech forest located in Klausenleopoldsdorf (Lower Austria), approximately 40 km west of Vienna. In order to gain insight the dynamics of this soil microbial community affected by the course of the season, soil samples were obtained monthly from the upper soil layer with start in May 2006. The soil bacterial DNA was isolated and the bacterial 16S rRNA gene as a phylogenetic marker was assayed by commonly applied molecular fingerprinting tools such as terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis. Preliminary results indicated that seasonal characteristics, in particular the change from summer to autumn, has led to changes in the diversity and abundance of the microbial Community of the investigated soil plots. Consequently, such season-related shifts in the microbial population structure may lead to potential modifications of the soil microbial functioning, e.g. microbial processes responsible for the production of climate relevant greenhouse effect gases such as N2O naturally emitted from soils. It is therefore intended to assay such environmentally relevant microbial processes affected by the course of the season.