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Soil bacterial community composition altered by increased nutrient availability in Arctic tundra soils
Akihiro Koyama1, Matthew D Wallenstein2, Rodney T Simpson3
1Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory, Colorado State University Fort Collins, CO, USA ; Department of Biology, Colorado State University Fort Collins, CO, USA.
Frontiers in Microbiology
|October 18, 2014
Summary
Arctic soil organic carbon (SOC) decomposition is limited by nutrients. Fertilization alters bacterial communities, but fungal responses are inconsistent, limiting its use for simulating warming effects on Arctic fungi.
Area of Science:
- Arctic ecology
- Soil science
- Microbial ecology
Background:
- Arctic soils store a disproportionately large amount of soil organic carbon (SOC).
- Slow decomposition rates, due to low temperatures and nutrient limitations, contribute to SOC accumulation.
- Nutrient availability is a key factor controlling soil microbial activity in tundra ecosystems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how nutrient availability influences bacterial and fungal biomass and community composition in Arctic tundra.
- To assess the impact of long-term and short-term fertilization on soil microbial communities.
- To evaluate the utility of fertilization as a proxy for warming in studying fungal dynamics.
Main Methods:
- Experimental fertilization of moist acidic tussock tundra plots over different time scales (since 1989 and 2006).
- Sampling of organic and mineral soil horizons.
- Analysis of bacterial and fungal community composition and biomass.
Main Results:
- Fertilization significantly altered bacterial community composition and reduced evenness, particularly in organic soils and at the long-term fertilization site.
- Copiotrophic bacteria (α- and β-Proteobacteria) increased, while oligotrophic bacteria (Acidobacteria) decreased with fertilization.
- Fungal community composition showed less sensitivity to fertilization, with inconsistent responses across soil horizons and sites. Ectomycorrhizal fungi associated with shrubs were unaffected.
Conclusions:
- Nutrient addition impacts bacterial communities more strongly than fungal communities in Arctic tundra.
- Fertilization is not a suitable analog for studying fungal responses to warming in this ecosystem.
- Understanding nutrient limitations is crucial for predicting Arctic soil carbon dynamics under environmental change.
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