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Microbial community composition and function across an arctic tundra landscape.

Donald R Zak1, George W Kling

  • 1School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1115, USA. drzak@umich.edu

Ecology
|August 23, 2006
PubMed
Summary

Arctic tundra ecosystems have distinct microbial communities that impact how dissolved organic matter transforms. Wet sedge tundra showed lower respiration but higher enzyme activity, influencing landscape-level organic matter composition.

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Area of Science:

  • Environmental Microbiology
  • Biogeochemistry
  • Arctic Ecology

Background:

  • Arctic landscapes exhibit diverse ecosystems with varying plant composition, litter biochemistry, and biogeochemical cycling rates.
  • Distinct plant communities in tundra ecosystems are expected to harbor unique microbial communities influencing dissolved organic matter (DOM) transformation.
  • Topographic position, plant composition, and soil drainage are key factors differentiating tundra ecosystems.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the composition and function of soil microbial communities across different Arctic tundra ecosystems.
  • To determine how microbial communities differentially transform dissolved organic matter along a moisture gradient.
  • To link microbial metabolic capabilities to the chemical composition of DOM in the Arctic tundra.

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Main Methods:

  • Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analyses were used to assess microbial community composition.
  • Compound-specific 13C isotope tracing quantified microbial community function and substrate transformation.
  • Extracellular enzyme activity assays (cellulose, chitin, lignin degradation) were performed.
  • 13C-labeled substrates (cellobiose, N-acetylglucosamine, vanillin) were used to trace carbon flow in situ.

Main Results:

  • Microbial community composition and function were distinct across tussock, birch-willow, and wet sedge tundra ecosystems.
  • Tussock tundra showed a significantly higher abundance and activity of soil fungi.
  • While most 13C rapidly entered soil organic matter (50-90%), microbial respiration of labeled substrates was lower in wet sedge tundra (8-5%) compared to other types (26-38%).
  • Wet sedge tundra exhibited the highest extracellular enzyme activity despite lower respiration rates.

Conclusions:

  • Topographic variations in plant litter and soil drainage significantly shape soil microbial community metabolism in the Arctic.
  • These microbial metabolic capabilities, in turn, influence the chemical composition of dissolved organic matter across the tundra landscape.
  • Understanding these microbial dynamics is crucial for predicting carbon cycling and ecosystem responses to environmental change in the Arctic.