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Mugnai G, Pinchuk I, Borruso L, Tiziani R, Sannino C, Canini F, Turchetti B, Mimmo T, Zucconi L, Buzzini P. The hidden network of biocrust successional stages in the High Arctic: Revealing abiotic and biotic factors shaping microbial and metazoan communities. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 926:171786. [PMID: 38508248 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Despite the important role that biocrust communities play in maintaining ecosystem structure and functioning in deglaciated barren soil, few studies have been conducted on the dynamics of biotic communities and the impact of physicochemical characteristics in shaping the different successional stages. In this study an integrated approach encompassing physicochemical parameters and molecular taxonomy was used for identifying the indicator taxa and the presence of intra- and inter-kingdom interactions in five different crust/biocrust successional stages: i) physical crust, ii) cyanobacteria-dominated biocrust, iii) cyanobacteria/moss-dominated biocrust, iv) moss-dominated biocrust and v) bryophyte carpet. The phylum Gemmatimonadota was the bacterial indicator taxon in the early stage, promoting both inter- and intra-kingdom interactions, while Cyanobacteria and Nematoda phyla played a pivotal role in formation and dynamics of cyanobacteria-dominated biocrusts. A multitrophic community, characterized by a shift from oligotrophic to copiotrophic bacteria and the presence of saproxylic arthropod and herbivore insects was found in the cyanobacteria/moss-dominated biocrust, while a more complex biota, characterized by an increased fungal abundance (classes Sordariomycetes, Leotiomycetes, and Dothideomycetes, phylum Ascomycota), associated with highly trophic consumer invertebrates (phyla Arthropoda, Rotifera, Tardigrada), was observed in moss-dominated biocrusts. The class Bdelloidea and the family Hypsibiidae (phyla Rotifera and Tardigrada, respectively) were metazoan indicator taxon in bryophyte carpet, suggesting their potential role in shaping structure and function of this late successional stage. Nitrogen and phosphorus were the main physicochemical limiting factors driving the shift among different crust/biocrust successional stages. Identification and characterization of indicator taxa, biological intra- and inter-kingdom interactions and abiotic factors driving the shift among different crust/biocrust successional stages provide a detailed picture on crust/biocrust dynamics, revealing a strong interconnection among micro- and macrobiota systems. These findings enhance our understanding of biocrust ecosystems in High Arctic, providing valuable insights for their conservation and management in response to environmental shifts due to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianmarco Mugnai
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno, 74, Perugia 06121, Italy.
| | - Irina Pinchuk
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno, 74, Perugia 06121, Italy
| | - Luigimaria Borruso
- Faculty of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Science, Free University of Bolzano-Bozen, Bozen-Bolzano, 39100, Italy
| | - Raphael Tiziani
- Faculty of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Science, Free University of Bolzano-Bozen, Bozen-Bolzano, 39100, Italy
| | - Ciro Sannino
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno, 74, Perugia 06121, Italy
| | - Fabiana Canini
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Viterbo 01100, Italy
| | - Benedetta Turchetti
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno, 74, Perugia 06121, Italy
| | - Tanja Mimmo
- Faculty of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Science, Free University of Bolzano-Bozen, Bozen-Bolzano, 39100, Italy
| | - Laura Zucconi
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Viterbo 01100, Italy
| | - Pietro Buzzini
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno, 74, Perugia 06121, Italy
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Elliott DR, Thomas AD, Hoon SR, Sen R. Spatial organisation of fungi in soil biocrusts of the Kalahari is related to bacterial community structure and may indicate ecological functions of fungi in drylands. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1173637. [PMID: 38741739 PMCID: PMC11090246 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1173637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Biological soil crusts, or biocrusts, are microbial communities found in soil surfaces in drylands and in other locations where vascular plant cover is incomplete. They are functionally significant for numerous ecosystem services, most notably in the C fixation and storage due to the ubiquity of photosynthetic microbes. Whereas carbon fixation and storage have been well studied in biocrusts, the composition, function and characteristics of other organisms in the biocrust such as heterotrophic bacteria and especially fungi are considerably less studied and this limits our ability to gain a holistic understanding of biocrust ecology and function. In this research we characterised the fungal community in biocrusts developed on Kalahari Sand soils from a site in southwest Botswana, and combined these data with previously published bacterial community data from the same site. By identifying organisational patterns in the community structure of fungi and bacteria, we found fungi that were either significantly associated with biocrust or the soil beneath biocrusts, leading to the conclusion that they likely perform functions related to the spatial organisation observed. Furthermore, we showed that within biocrusts bacterial and fungal community structures are correlated with each other i.e., a change in the bacterial community is reflected by a corresponding change in the fungal community. Importantly, this correlation but that this correlation does not occur in nearby soils. We propose that different fungi engage in short-range and long-range interactions with dryland soil surface bacteria. We have identified fungi which are candidates for further studies into their potential roles in biocrust ecology at short ranges (e.g., processing of complex compounds for waste management and resource provisioning) and longer ranges (e.g., translocation of resources such as water and the fungal loop model). This research shows that fungi are likely to have a greater contribution to biocrust function and dryland ecology than has generally been recognised.
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Affiliation(s)
- David R. Elliott
- Environmental Sustainability Research Centre, University of Derby, Derby, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew D. Thomas
- Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen R. Hoon
- Department of Natural Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Robin Sen
- Department of Natural Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom
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Duan Y, Li Y, Zhao J, Zhang J, Luo C, Jia R, Liu X. Changes in Microbial Composition During the Succession of Biological Soil Crusts in Alpine Hulun Buir Sandy Land, China. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2024; 87:43. [PMID: 38363394 PMCID: PMC10873229 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-024-02359-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are considered "desert ecosystem engineers" because they play a vital role in the restoration and stability maintenance of deserts, including those cold sandy land ecosystems at high latitudes, which are especially understudied. Microorganisms participate in the formation and succession of biocrusts, contributing to soil properties' improvement and the stability of soil aggregates, and thus vegetation development. Accordingly, understanding the composition and successional characteristics of microorganisms is a prerequisite for analyzing the ecological functions of biocrusts and related applications. Here, the Hulun Buir Sandy Land region in northeastern China-lying at the highest latitude of any sandy land in the country-was selected for study. Through a field investigation and next-generation sequencing (Illumina MiSeq PE300 Platform), our goal was to assess the shifts in diversity and community composition of soil bacteria and fungi across different stages during the succession of biocrusts in this region, and to uncover the main factors involved in shaping their soil microbial community. The results revealed that the nutrient enrichment capacity of biocrusts for available nitrogen, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, total content of water-soluble salt, available potassium, soil organic matter, and available phosphorus was progressively enhanced by the succession of cyanobacterial crusts to lichen crusts and then to moss crusts. In tandem, soil bacterial diversity increased as biocrust succession proceeded but fungal diversity decreased. A total of 32 bacterial phyla and 11 fungal phyla were identified, these also known to occur in other desert ecosystems. Among those taxa, the relative abundance of Proteobacteria and Cyanobacteria significantly increased and decreased, respectively, along the cyanobacterial crust-lichen-moss crust successional gradient. However, for Actinobacteria, Chloroflexi, and Acidobacteria their changed relative abundance was significantly hump-shaped, increasing in the shift from cyanobacterial crust to lichen crust, and then decreasing as lichen crust shifted to moss crust. In this process, the improved soil properties effectively enhanced soil bacterial and fungal community composition. Altogether, these findings broaden our understanding about how soil microbial properties can change during the succession of biocrusts in high-latitude, cold sandy land ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulong Duan
- Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
- Naiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tongliao, 028300, China
- Key Laboratory of Strategic Mineral Resources of the Upper Yellow River, Ministry of Natural Resources, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Yuqiang Li
- Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
- Naiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tongliao, 028300, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- Key Laboratory of Strategic Mineral Resources of the Upper Yellow River, Ministry of Natural Resources, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Jianhua Zhao
- Shanghai Majorbio Bio-Pharm Technology Co., Ltd, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Junbiao Zhang
- Shanghai Majorbio Bio-Pharm Technology Co., Ltd, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Chun Luo
- Shanghai Majorbio Bio-Pharm Technology Co., Ltd, Shanghai, 200120, China
| | - Rongliang Jia
- Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
- Shapotou Desert Research and Experiment Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongwei, 755007, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Xinping Liu
- Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China.
- Naiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tongliao, 028300, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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Coleine C, Delgado-Baquerizo M, DiRuggiero J, Guirado E, Harfouche AL, Perez-Fernandez C, Singh BK, Selbmann L, Egidi E. Dryland microbiomes reveal community adaptations to desertification and climate change. THE ISME JOURNAL 2024; 18:wrae056. [PMID: 38552152 PMCID: PMC11031246 DOI: 10.1093/ismejo/wrae056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2024] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
Drylands account for 45% of the Earth's land area, supporting ~40% of the global population. These regions support some of the most extreme environments on Earth, characterized by extreme temperatures, low and variable rainfall, and low soil fertility. In these biomes, microorganisms provide vital ecosystem services and have evolved distinctive adaptation strategies to endure and flourish in the extreme. However, dryland microbiomes and the ecosystem services they provide are under threat due to intensifying desertification and climate change. In this review, we provide a synthesis of our current understanding of microbial life in drylands, emphasizing the remarkable diversity and adaptations of these communities. We then discuss anthropogenic threats, including the influence of climate change on dryland microbiomes and outline current knowledge gaps. Finally, we propose research priorities to address those gaps and safeguard the sustainability of these fragile biomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Coleine
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Viterbo, 01100, Italy
| | - Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo
- Laboratorio de Biodiversidad y Funcionamiento Ecosistémico, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS), CSIC, Sevilla, E-41012, Spain
| | - Jocelyne DiRuggiero
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, United States
| | - Emilio Guirado
- Multidisciplinary Institute for Environment Studies “Ramón Margalef”, Universidad de Alicante, Alicante E-03071, Spain
| | - Antoine L Harfouche
- Department for Innovation in Biological, Agro-Food and Forest systems, University of Tuscia, Viterbo 01100, Italy
| | | | - Brajesh K Singh
- Global Centre for Land-Based Innovation, Western Sydney University, Penrith 2750, Australia
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith 2750, Australia
| | - Laura Selbmann
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Viterbo, 01100, Italy
- Mycological Section, Italian Antarctic National Museum (MNA), Genoa 16128, Italy
| | - Eleonora Egidi
- Global Centre for Land-Based Innovation, Western Sydney University, Penrith 2750, Australia
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith 2750, Australia
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Khan AL. The phytomicrobiome: solving plant stress tolerance under climate change. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1219366. [PMID: 37746004 PMCID: PMC10513501 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1219366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
With extraordinary global climate changes, increased episodes of extreme conditions result in continuous but complex interaction of environmental variables with plant life. Exploring natural phytomicrobiome species can provide a crucial resource of beneficial microbes that can improve plant growth and productivity through nutrient uptake, secondary metabolite production, and resistance against pathogenicity and abiotic stresses. The phytomicrobiome composition, diversity, and function strongly depend on the plant's genotype and climatic conditions. Currently, most studies have focused on elucidating microbial community abundance and diversity in the phytomicrobiome, covering bacterial communities. However, least is known about understanding the holistic phytomicrobiome composition and how they interact and function in stress conditions. This review identifies several gaps and essential questions that could enhance understanding of the complex interaction of microbiome, plant, and climate change. Utilizing eco-friendly approaches of naturally occurring synthetic microbial communities that enhance plant stress tolerance and leave fewer carbon-foot prints has been emphasized. However, understanding the mechanisms involved in stress signaling and responses by phytomicrobiome species under spatial and temporal climate changes is extremely important. Furthermore, the bacterial and fungal biome have been studied extensively, but the holistic interactome with archaea, viruses, oomycetes, protozoa, algae, and nematodes has seldom been studied. The inter-kingdom diversity, function, and potential role in improving environmental stress responses of plants are considerably important. In addition, much remains to be understood across organismal and ecosystem-level responses under dynamic and complex climate change conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdul Latif Khan
- Department of Engineering Technology, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
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Kurth JK, Albrecht M, Glaser K, Karsten U, Vestergaard G, Armbruster M, Kublik S, Schmid CAO, Schloter M, Schulz S. Biological soil crusts on agricultural soils of mesic regions promote microbial cross-kingdom co-occurrences and nutrient retention. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1169958. [PMID: 37520365 PMCID: PMC10382179 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1169958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are known as biological hotspots on undisturbed, nutrient-poor bare soil surfaces and until now, are mostly observed in (semi-) arid regions but are currently poorly understood in agricultural systems. This is a crucial knowledge gap because managed sites of mesic regions can quickly cover large areas. Thus, we addressed the questions (i) if biocrusts from agricultural sites of mesic regions also increase nutrients and microbial biomass as their (semi-) arid counterparts, and (ii) how microbial community assemblage in those biocrusts is influenced by disturbances like different fertilization and tillage regimes. Methods We compared phototrophic biomass, nutrient concentrations as well as the abundance, diversity and co-occurrence of Archaea, Bacteria, and Fungi in biocrusts and bare soils at a site with low agricultural soil quality. Results and Discussion Biocrusts built up significant quantities of phototrophic and microbial biomass and stored more nutrients compared to bare soils independent of the fertilizer applied and the tillage management. Surprisingly, particularly low abundant Actinobacteria were highly connected in the networks of biocrusts. In contrast, Cyanobacteria were rarely connected, which indicates reduced importance within the microbial community of the biocrusts. However, in bare soil networks, Cyanobacteria were the most connected bacterial group and, hence, might play a role in early biocrust formation due to their ability to, e.g., fix nitrogen and thus induce hotspot-like properties. The microbial community composition differed and network complexity was reduced by conventional tillage. Mineral and organic fertilizers led to networks that are more complex with a higher percentage of positive correlations favoring microbe-microbe interactions. Our study demonstrates that biocrusts represent a microbial hotspot on soil surfaces under agricultural use, which may have important implications for sustainable management of such soils in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Katharina Kurth
- Chair for Environmental Microbiology, TUM School of Life Science, Technical University Munich, Freising, Germany
- Environmental Health Centre, Research Unit for Comparative Microbiome Analysis, Helmholtz Zentrum München - Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Martin Albrecht
- Department of Applied Ecology and Phycology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Karin Glaser
- Department of Applied Ecology and Phycology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Ulf Karsten
- Department of Applied Ecology and Phycology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Gisle Vestergaard
- Section of Microbiology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Martin Armbruster
- Agricultural Analytical and Research Institute Speyer (LUFA Speyer), Speyer, Germany
| | - Susanne Kublik
- Environmental Health Centre, Research Unit for Comparative Microbiome Analysis, Helmholtz Zentrum München - Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Christoph A. O. Schmid
- Environmental Health Centre, Research Unit for Comparative Microbiome Analysis, Helmholtz Zentrum München - Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Michael Schloter
- Chair for Environmental Microbiology, TUM School of Life Science, Technical University Munich, Freising, Germany
- Environmental Health Centre, Research Unit for Comparative Microbiome Analysis, Helmholtz Zentrum München - Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Stefanie Schulz
- Environmental Health Centre, Research Unit for Comparative Microbiome Analysis, Helmholtz Zentrum München - Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt, Neuherberg, Germany
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Trexler RV, Van Goethem MW, Goudeau D, Nath N, Malmstrom RR, Northen TR, Couradeau E. BONCAT-FACS-Seq reveals the active fraction of a biocrust community undergoing a wet-up event. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1176751. [PMID: 37434715 PMCID: PMC10330726 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1176751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Determining which microorganisms are active within soil communities remains a major technical endeavor in microbial ecology research. One promising method to accomplish this is coupling bioorthogonal non-canonical amino acid tagging (BONCAT) with fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) which sorts cells based on whether or not they are producing new proteins. Combined with shotgun metagenomic sequencing (Seq), we apply this method to profile the diversity and potential functional capabilities of both active and inactive microorganisms in a biocrust community after being resuscitated by a simulated rain event. We find that BONCAT-FACS-Seq is capable of discerning the pools of active and inactive microorganisms, especially within hours of applying the BONCAT probe. The active and inactive components of the biocrust community differed in species richness and composition at both 4 and 21 h after the wetting event. The active fraction of the biocrust community is marked by taxa commonly observed in other biocrust communities, many of which play important roles in species interactions and nutrient transformations. Among these, 11 families within the Firmicutes are enriched in the active fraction, supporting previous reports indicating that the Firmicutes are key early responders to biocrust wetting. We highlight the apparent inactivity of many Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria through 21 h after wetting, and note that members of the Chitinophagaceae, enriched in the active fraction, may play important ecological roles following wetting. Based on the enrichment of COGs in the active fraction, predation by phage and other bacterial members, as well as scavenging and recycling of labile nutrients, appear to be important ecological processes soon after wetting. To our knowledge, this is the first time BONCAT-FACS-Seq has been applied to biocrust samples, and therefore we discuss the potential advantages and shortcomings of coupling metagenomics to BONCAT to intact soil communities such as biocrust. In all, by pairing BONCAT-FACS and metagenomics, we are capable of highlighting the taxa and potential functions that typifies the microbes actively responding to a rain event.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan V. Trexler
- Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Marc W. Van Goethem
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States
- Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Danielle Goudeau
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, DOE Joint Genome Institute, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Nandita Nath
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, DOE Joint Genome Institute, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Rex R. Malmstrom
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, DOE Joint Genome Institute, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Trent R. Northen
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, DOE Joint Genome Institute, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Estelle Couradeau
- Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
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Hansen FA, James DK, Anderson JP, Meredith CS, Dominguez AJ, Pombubpa N, Stajich JE, Romero-Olivares AL, Salley SW, Pietrasiak N. Landscape characteristics shape surface soil microbiomes in the Chihuahuan Desert. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1135800. [PMID: 37350785 PMCID: PMC10282155 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1135800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Soil microbial communities, including biological soil crust microbiomes, play key roles in water, carbon and nitrogen cycling, biological weathering, and other nutrient releasing processes of desert ecosystems. However, our knowledge of microbial distribution patterns and ecological drivers is still poor, especially so for the Chihuahuan Desert. Methods This project investigated the effects of trampling disturbance on surface soil microbiomes, explored community composition and structure, and related patterns to abiotic and biotic landscape characteristics within the Chihuahuan Desert biome. Composite soil samples were collected in disturbed and undisturbed areas of 15 long-term ecological research plots in the Jornada Basin, New Mexico. Microbial diversity of cross-domain microbial groups (total Bacteria, Cyanobacteria, Archaea, and Fungi) was obtained via DNA amplicon metabarcode sequencing. Sequence data were related to landscape characteristics including vegetation type, landforms, ecological site and state as well as soil properties including gravel content, soil texture, pH, and electrical conductivity. Results Filamentous Cyanobacteria dominated the photoautotrophic community while Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria dominated among the heterotrophic bacteria. Thaumarchaeota were the most abundant Archaea and drought adapted taxa in Dothideomycetes and Agaricomycetes were most abundant fungi in the soil surface microbiomes. Apart from richness within Archaea (p = 0.0124), disturbed samples did not differ from undisturbed samples with respect to alpha diversity and community composition (p ≥ 0.05), possibly due to a lack of frequent or impactful disturbance. Vegetation type and landform showed differences in richness of Bacteria, Archaea, and Cyanobacteria but not in Fungi. Richness lacked strong relationships with soil variables. Landscape features including parent material, vegetation type, landform type, and ecological sites and states, exhibited stronger influence on relative abundances and microbial community composition than on alpha diversity, especially for Cyanobacteria and Fungi. Soil texture, moisture, pH, electrical conductivity, lichen cover, and perennial plant biomass correlated strongly with microbial community gradients detected in NMDS ordinations. Discussion Our study provides first comprehensive insights into the relationships between landscape characteristics, associated soil properties, and cross-domain soil microbiomes in the Chihuahuan Desert. Our findings will inform land management and restoration efforts and aid in the understanding of processes such as desertification and state transitioning, which represent urgent ecological and economical challenges in drylands around the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederick A. Hansen
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United States
| | - Darren K. James
- Jornada Experimental Range Department, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United States
| | - John P. Anderson
- Jornada Experimental Range Department, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United States
| | | | - Andrew J. Dominguez
- Plant and Environmental Sciences Department, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United States
| | - Nuttapon Pombubpa
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Jason E. Stajich
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | | | - Shawn W. Salley
- U.S. Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Jornada Experimental Range, Las Cruces, NM, United States
| | - Nicole Pietrasiak
- Plant and Environmental Sciences Department, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United States
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, United States
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Wang J, Xiao J, Zhang Z, Yang L, Liu Z, Cheng Y, Wu L. Changes of bacterial community structure,monosaccharide composition and CO 2 exchange along the successional stages of biological soil crusts. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2023:10.1007/s10653-023-01572-1. [PMID: 37147551 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-023-01572-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Biological soil crusts (BSCs) are a dominant ecological landscape of drylands, which have a significant impact on global biogeochemical flux. However, it is unclear how bacterial community and physiological characteristics vary along the BSCs successional stages. In this study, bacterial community composition, physiological characteristics, and monosaccharide composition of extracellular polysaccharides (EPSs) were compared among different successional stages. Our findings demonstrated that besides the dominant bacterial species, the bacterial communities also showed considerable differences between these two stages. Cyanobacteria were keystone taxa in the early stage, while heterotrophic bacteria (Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Acidobacteria) were keystone taxa in the later stages. According to the results of CO2 exchange, cyanobacterial crusts accumulated net carbon faster than moss crusts, while moss crusts had a significantly higher respiration rate. The monosaccharide analysis indicated that the EPSs components also varied depending on BSCs' successional stages. Specifically, the contents of rhamnose and arabinose were higher in the cyanobacterial crusts than other types of crusts, while the contents of fucose, xylose, mannose and glucose were the highest in cyanobacterial-lichen crusts, and galactose content was highest in the moss crusts. Altogether, our results stress the heterogeneous variation of BSCs along with succession, and this work offered a fresh viewpoint for a deeper comprehension of the interactions between the monosaccharide components of EPS and the networks of bacterial communities in BSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiping Wang
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, 430072, Wuhan, China
| | - Jingshang Xiao
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, 430072, Wuhan, China
| | - Zulin Zhang
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, 430072, Wuhan, China
- The James Hutton Institute, Craigie Buckler, Aberdeen, ABI5 8QH, UK
| | - Lie Yang
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, 430072, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhe Liu
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, 430072, Wuhan, China
| | - Yongtao Cheng
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, 430072, Wuhan, China
| | - Li Wu
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, 430072, Wuhan, China.
- State Environmental Protection, Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Northeast Normal University, 130117, Changchun, China.
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10
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Barrón-Sandoval A, Martiny JBH, Pérez-Carbajal T, Bullock SH, Leija A, Hernández G, Escalante AE. Functional significance of microbial diversity in arid soils: biological soil crusts and nitrogen fixation as a model system. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2023; 99:6998555. [PMID: 36690342 PMCID: PMC9923382 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiad009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbial communities respond to changes in environmental conditions; however, how compositional shifts affect ecosystem processes is still not well-understood and it is often assumed that different microbial communities will function equally under similar environmental conditions. We evaluated this assumption of functional redundancy using biological soil crusts (BSCs) from two arid ecosystems in Mexico with contrasting climate conditions (hot and cold deserts) following an experimental approach both in the field (reciprocal transplants) and in laboratory conditions (common garden), focusing on the community's composition and potential for nitrogen fixation. Potential of nitrogen fixation was assessed through the acetylene reduction assay. Community composition and diversity was determined with T-RFLPs of nifH gene, high throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons and metagenomic libraries. BSCs tended to show higher potential nitrogen fixation rates when experiencing temperatures more similar to their native environment. Moreover, changes in potential nitrogen fixation, taxonomic and functional community composition, and diversity often depended on an interactive effect of origin of the communities and the environment they experienced. We interpret our results as legacy effects that result from ecological specialization of the BSC communities to their native environment. Overall, we present evidence of nonfunctional redundancy of BSCs in terms of nitrogen fixation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Barrón-Sandoval
- Laboratorio Nacional de Ciencias de la Sostenibilidad (LANCIS), Instituto de Ecología, UNAM. Circuito Exterior s/n, junto al Jardín Botánico, Coyacán, Mexico City, 014510, Mexico,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, 321 Steinhaus Hall, Irvine, CA 92627, United States
| | - Jennifer B H Martiny
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, 321 Steinhaus Hall, Irvine, CA 92627, United States
| | - Teresa Pérez-Carbajal
- Laboratorio Nacional de Ciencias de la Sostenibilidad (LANCIS), Instituto de Ecología, UNAM. Circuito Exterior s/n, junto al Jardín Botánico, Coyacán, Mexico City, 014510, Mexico
| | - Stephen H Bullock
- Department of Conservation Biology, Center for Scientific Research and Higher Education of Ensenada (CICESE), Ctra. Ensenada-Tijuana No. 3918, Ensenada, 22860 Baja CA, Mexico
| | - Alfonso Leija
- Centro de Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av, Universidad 1001, 62210 Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
| | - Georgina Hernández
- Centro de Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av, Universidad 1001, 62210 Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
| | - Ana E Escalante
- Corresponding author: Laboratorio Nacional de Ciencias de la Sostenibilidad (LANCIS), Instituto de Ecología, UNAM. Circuito Exterior s/n, junto al Jardín Botánico, Coyacán, Mexico City, 04510. Mexico. Tel: +52(55)5623-7714; E-mail:
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11
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Nelson C, Giraldo-Silva A, Warsop Thomas F, Garcia-Pichel F. Spatial self-segregation of pioneer cyanobacterial species drives microbiome organization in biocrusts. ISME COMMUNICATIONS 2022; 2:114. [PMID: 37938289 PMCID: PMC9723579 DOI: 10.1038/s43705-022-00199-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
Microbial communities are typically characterized by some degree of self-organization. In biological soil crust (biocrust) communities, vertical organization of resident populations at the mm scale is driven by organismal adaptations to physicochemical microniches. However, the extent of horizontal organization and its driving processes are unknown. Using a combination of observational and genetic mapping, we provide evidence for a highly defined, horizontal self-organization (patchiness) at the mm to cm scale in a successionally early biocrust community dominated by the pioneer cyanobacteria, Microcoleus vaginatus (Microcoleaceae) and Parifilum sp. (Coleofasciculaceae). Experiments with representative isolates of each species demonstrate that the phenomenon is driven by active spatial segregation based on cross-species sensing through the exometabolome acted upon with motility responses. Further, we show that both species share the ability to enrich for specialized cyanospheres of heterotrophic bacteria at smaller scales, and that these cyanospheres are characterized by compositional host-specificity, thus expanding the reach of spatial patchiness beyond primary producers. Our results highlight the importance of specific microbial interactions in the emergence of microbiome compositional architecture and the enhancement of microbial diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corey Nelson
- Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
| | - Ana Giraldo-Silva
- Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
| | - Finlay Warsop Thomas
- Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
| | - Ferran Garcia-Pichel
- Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA.
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA.
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12
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Adaptation to Environmental Extremes Structures Functional Traits in Biological Soil Crust and Hypolithic Microbial Communities. mSystems 2022; 7:e0141921. [PMID: 35852333 PMCID: PMC9426607 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.01419-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are widespread in drylands and deserts. At the microhabitat scale, they also host hypolithic communities that live under semitranslucent stones. Both environmental niches experience exposure to extreme conditions such as high UV radiation, desiccation, temperature fluctuations, and resource limitation. However, hypolithic communities are somewhat protected from extremes relative to biocrust communities. Conditions are otherwise similar, so comparing them can answer outstanding questions regarding adaptations to environmental extremes. Using metagenomic sequencing, we assessed the functional potential of dryland soil communities and identified the functional underpinnings of ecological niche differentiation in biocrusts versus hypoliths. We also determined the effect of the anchoring photoautotroph (moss or cyanobacteria). Genes and pathways differing in abundance between biocrusts and hypoliths indicate that biocrust communities adapt to the higher levels of UV radiation, desiccation, and temperature extremes through an increased ability to repair damaged DNA, sense and respond to environmental stimuli, and interact with other community members and the environment. Intracellular competition appears to be crucial to both communities, with biocrust communities using the Type VI Secretion System (T6SS) and hypoliths favoring a diversity of antibiotics. The dominant primary producer had a reduced effect on community functional potential compared with niche, but an abundance of genes related to monosaccharide, amino acid, and osmoprotectant uptake in moss-dominated communities indicates reliance on resources provided to heterotrophs by mosses. Our findings indicate that functional traits in dryland communities are driven by adaptations to extremes and we identify strategies that likely enable survival in dryland ecosystems. IMPORTANCE Biocrusts serve as a keystone element of desert and dryland ecosystems, stabilizing soils, retaining moisture, and serving as a carbon and nitrogen source in oligotrophic environments. Biocrusts cover approximately 12% of the Earth's terrestrial surface but are threatened by climate change and anthropogenic disturbance. Given their keystone role in ecosystem functioning, loss will have wide-spread consequences. Biocrust microbial constituents must withstand polyextreme environmental conditions including high UV exposure, desiccation, oligotrophic conditions, and temperature fluctuations over short time scales. By comparing biocrust communities with co-occurring hypolithic communities (which inhabit the ventral sides of semitranslucent stones and are buffered from environmental extremes), we identified traits that are likely key adaptations to extreme conditions. These include DNA damage repair, environmental sensing and response, and intracellular competition. Comparison of the two niches, which differ primarily in exposure levels to extreme conditions, makes this system ideal for understanding how functional traits are structured by the environment.
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13
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A Standardized Morpho-Functional Classification of the Planet’s Humipedons. SOIL SYSTEMS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/soilsystems6030059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
It was time to take stock. We modified the humipedon classification key published in 2018 to make it easier and more practical. This morpho-functional taxonomy of the topsoil (humipedon) was only available in English; we also translated it into French and Italian. A standardized morpho-functional classification of humipedons (roughly the top 30–40 cm of soil: organic and organomineral surface horizons) would allow for a better understanding of the functioning of the soil ecosystem. This paper provides the founding principles of the classification of humipedon into humus systems and forms. With the recognition of a few diagnostic horizons, all humus systems can be determined. The humus forms that make up these humus systems are revealed by measuring the thicknesses of the diagnostic horizons. In the final part of the article, several figures represent the screenshots of a mobile phone or tablet application that allows for a fast recall of the diagnostic elements of the classification in the field. The article attempts to promote a standardized classification of humipedons for a global and shared management of soil at planet level.
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14
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Maltz MR, Carey CJ, Freund HL, Botthoff JK, Hart SC, Stajich JE, Aarons SM, Aciego SM, Blakowski M, Dove NC, Barnes ME, Pombubpa N, Aronson EL. Landscape Topography and Regional Drought Alters Dust Microbiomes in the Sierra Nevada of California. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:856454. [PMID: 35836417 PMCID: PMC9274194 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.856454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Dust provides an ecologically significant input of nutrients, especially in slowly eroding ecosystems where chemical weathering intensity limits nutrient inputs from underlying bedrock. In addition to nutrient inputs, incoming dust is a vector for dispersing dust-associated microorganisms. While little is known about dust-microbial dispersal, dust deposits may have transformative effects on ecosystems far from where the dust was emitted. Using molecular analyses, we examined spatiotemporal variation in incoming dust microbiomes along an elevational gradient within the Sierra Nevada of California. We sampled throughout two dry seasons and found that dust microbiomes differed by elevation across two summer dry seasons (2014 and 2015), which corresponded to competing droughts in dust source areas. Dust microbial taxa richness decreased with elevation and was inversely proportional to dust heterogeneity. Likewise, dust phosphorus content increased with elevation. At lower elevations, early season dust microbiomes were more diverse than those found later in the year. The relative abundances of microbial groups shifted during the summer dry season. Furthermore, mutualistic fungal diversity increased with elevation, which may have corresponded with the biogeography of their plant hosts. Although dust fungal pathogen diversity was equivalent across elevations, elevation and sampling month interactions for the relative abundance, diversity, and richness of fungal pathogens suggest that these pathogens differed temporally across elevations, with potential implications for humans and wildlife. This study shows that landscape topography and droughts in source locations may alter the composition and diversity of ecologically relevant dust-associated microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mia R. Maltz
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
- Center for Conservation Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
- BREATHE Center, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Chelsea J. Carey
- Point Blue Conservation Sciences, Petaluma, CA, United States
- Genetics, Genomics, and Bioinformatics Program, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Hannah L. Freund
- Genetics, Genomics, and Bioinformatics Program, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Jon K. Botthoff
- Center for Conservation Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Stephen C. Hart
- Sierra Nevada Research Institute, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA, United States
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA, United States
| | - Jason E. Stajich
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
- Genetics, Genomics, and Bioinformatics Program, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Sarah M. Aarons
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Sarah M. Aciego
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States
- Noctilucent Aviation, Bridgeport, TX, United States
| | - Molly Blakowski
- Department of Watershed Science, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States
| | - Nicholas C. Dove
- Sierra Nevada Research Institute, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA, United States
- Environmental Systems Graduate Group, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA, United States
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
| | - Morgan E. Barnes
- Sierra Nevada Research Institute, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA, United States
- Environmental Systems Graduate Group, University of California, Merced, Merced, CA, United States
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Biological Sciences, Richland, WA, United States
| | - Nuttapon Pombubpa
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Emma L. Aronson
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
- Center for Conservation Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
- BREATHE Center, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
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15
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Glaser K, Van AT, Pushkareva E, Barrantes I, Karsten U. Microbial Communities in Biocrusts Are Recruited From the Neighboring Sand at Coastal Dunes Along the Baltic Sea. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:859447. [PMID: 35783389 PMCID: PMC9245595 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.859447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological soil crusts occur worldwide as pioneer communities stabilizing the soil surface. In coastal primary sand dunes, vascular plants cannot sustain due to scarce nutrients and the low-water-holding capacity of the sand sediment. Thus, besides planted dune grass, biocrusts are the only vegetation there. Although biocrusts can reach high coverage rates in coastal sand dunes, studies about their biodiversity are rare. Here, we present a comprehensive overview of the biodiversity of microorganisms in such biocrusts and the neighboring sand from sampling sites along the Baltic Sea coast. The biodiversity of Bacteria, Cyanobacteria, Fungi, and other microbial Eukaryota were assessed using high-throughput sequencing (HTS) with a mixture of universal and group-specific primers. The results showed that the biocrusts recruit their microorganisms mainly from the neighboring sand rather than supporting a universal biocrust microbiome. Although in biocrusts the taxa richness was lower than in sand, five times more co-occurrences were identified using network analysis. This study showed that by comparing neighboring bare surface substrates with biocrusts holds the potential to better understand biocrust development. In addition, the target sequencing approach helps outline potential biotic interactions between different microorganisms groups and identify key players during biocrust development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin Glaser
- Department of Applied Ecology and Phycology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
- *Correspondence: Karin Glaser
| | - Ahn Tu Van
- Department of Applied Ecology and Phycology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Ekaterina Pushkareva
- Department of Biology, Botanical Institute, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Israel Barrantes
- Research Group Translational Bioinformatics, Institute for Biostatistics and Informatics in Medicine and Ageing Research, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - Ulf Karsten
- Department of Applied Ecology and Phycology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
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16
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Case NT, Song M, Fulford AH, Graham HV, Orphan VJ, Stajich JE, Casadevall A, Mustard J, Heitman J, Lollar BS, Cowen LE. Exploring Space via Astromycology: A Report on the CIFAR Programs Earth 4D and Fungal Kingdom Inaugural Joint Meeting. ASTROBIOLOGY 2022; 22:637-640. [PMID: 35196462 PMCID: PMC9233531 DOI: 10.1089/ast.2021.0186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
"Fungi on Mars!": a popular news heading that piques public interest and makes scientists' blood boil. While such a statement is laden with misinformation and light on evidence, the search for past and present extraterrestrial life is an ongoing scientific effort. Moreover, it is one that is increasingly gaining momentum with the recent collection of martian rock cores from Jezero Crater by NASA's Perseverance rover. Despite the increasingly sophisticated approaches guiding the search for microbial life on other planets, fungi remain relatively underexplored compared to their bacterial counterparts, highlighting a gap between the astrobiological and fungal research communities. Through a meeting in April 2021, the CIFAR Earth 4D and Fungal Kingdom research programs worked to bridge this divide by uniting experts in each field. CIFAR is a Canadian-based global research organization that convenes researchers across disciplines to address important questions facing science and humanity. The CIFAR Earth 4D: Subsurface Science & Exploration and Fungal Kingdom: Threats & Opportunities research programs were launched by CIFAR in July 2019, each made up of approximately two dozen international researchers who are experts in their fields. The Earth 4D program, led by co-directors John Mustard (Brown University, USA) and Barbara Sherwood Lollar (University of Toronto, Canada), aims to understand the complex chemical, physical, and biological interactions that occur within and between Earth's surface and subsurface to explore questions on the evolution of planets and life. The Fungal Kingdom program, led by co-directors Leah Cowen (University of Toronto, Canada) and Joseph Heitman (Duke University, USA), seeks to tackle the most pressing threats fungi pose to human health, agriculture, and biodiversity and to harness their extraordinary potential. The programs met to explore areas for synergy within four major themes: (1) the origins of life; (2) the evolution and diversification of life; (3) life in diverse and extreme environments; and (4) extinction: lessons learned and threats. This report covers the research discussed during the meeting across these four themes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola T. Case
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Min Song
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | | | - Heather V. Graham
- NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA
- Department of Physics, Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Victoria J. Orphan
- Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Jason E. Stajich
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Arturo Casadevall
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - John Mustard
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Joseph Heitman
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Medicine, and Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | | | - Leah E. Cowen
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
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17
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Weber B, Belnap J, Büdel B, Antoninka AJ, Barger NN, Chaudhary VB, Darrouzet-Nardi A, Eldridge DJ, Faist AM, Ferrenberg S, Havrilla CA, Huber-Sannwald E, Malam Issa O, Maestre FT, Reed SC, Rodriguez-Caballero E, Tucker C, Young KE, Zhang Y, Zhao Y, Zhou X, Bowker MA. What is a biocrust? A refined, contemporary definition for a broadening research community. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 97:1768-1785. [PMID: 35584903 PMCID: PMC9545944 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 04/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Studies of biological soil crusts (biocrusts) have proliferated over the last few decades. The biocrust literature has broadened, with more studies assessing and describing the function of a variety of biocrust communities in a broad range of biomes and habitats and across a large spectrum of disciplines, and also by the incorporation of biocrusts into global perspectives and biogeochemical models. As the number of biocrust researchers increases, along with the scope of soil communities defined as ‘biocrust’, it is worth asking whether we all share a clear, universal, and fully articulated definition of what constitutes a biocrust. In this review, we synthesize the literature with the views of new and experienced biocrust researchers, to provide a refined and fully elaborated definition of biocrusts. In doing so, we illustrate the ecological relevance and ecosystem services provided by them. We demonstrate that biocrusts are defined by four distinct elements: physical structure, functional characteristics, habitat, and taxonomic composition. We describe outgroups, which have some, but not all, of the characteristics necessary to be fully consistent with our definition and thus would not be considered biocrusts. We also summarize the wide variety of different types of communities that fall under our definition of biocrusts, in the process of highlighting their global distribution. Finally, we suggest the universal use of the Belnap, Büdel & Lange definition, with minor modifications: Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) result from an intimate association between soil particles and differing proportions of photoautotrophic (e.g. cyanobacteria, algae, lichens, bryophytes) and heterotrophic (e.g. bacteria, fungi, archaea) organisms, which live within, or immediately on top of, the uppermost millimetres of soil. Soil particles are aggregated through the presence and activity of these often extremotolerant biota that desiccate regularly, and the resultant living crust covers the surface of the ground as a coherent layer. With this detailed definition of biocrusts, illustrating their ecological functions and widespread distribution, we hope to stimulate interest in biocrust research and inform various stakeholders (e.g. land managers, land users) on their overall importance to ecosystem and Earth system functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bettina Weber
- Division of Plant Sciences, Institute for Biology, University of Graz, Holteigasse 6, 8010, Graz, Austria.,Multiphase Chemistry Department, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Hahn-Meitner-Weg 1, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Jayne Belnap
- Southwest Biological Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, 2290 S. Resource Blvd, Moab, UT, 84532, USA
| | - Burkhard Büdel
- Biology Institute, University of Kaiserslautern, PO Box 3049, 67653, Kaiserslautern, Germany
| | - Anita J Antoninka
- School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University, 200 E. Pine Knoll Drive, Box 15018, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
| | - Nichole N Barger
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Campus Box 334, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - V Bala Chaudhary
- Department of Environmental Studies, Dartmouth College, 6182 Steele Hall, 39 College Street, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
| | - Anthony Darrouzet-Nardi
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, 500 W. University Ave, El Paso, TX, 79968, USA
| | - David J Eldridge
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Akasha M Faist
- Department of Animal and Range Sciences, New Mexico State University, PO Box 30003, MSC 3-I, Las Cruces, NM, 88003, USA
| | - Scott Ferrenberg
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, PO Box 30001, MSC 3AF, Las Cruces, NM, 88003, USA
| | - Caroline A Havrilla
- Department of Forest and Rangeland Stewardship, Colorado State University, 1472 Campus Delivery, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80521, USA
| | - Elisabeth Huber-Sannwald
- Division of Environmental Sciences, Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica, Camino a la Presa San José 2055, Col. 4ta Sección, CP 78216, San Luis Potosi, SLP, Mexico
| | - Oumarou Malam Issa
- Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences of Paris (IEES-Paris), SU/IRD/CNRS/INRAE/UPEC, 32, Avenue Henry Varagnat, F-93143, Bondy Cedex, France
| | - Fernando T Maestre
- Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Universidad de Alicante, Carretera de San Vicente del Raspeig s/n, 03690, San Vicente del Raspeig, Spain.,Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante, Carretera de San Vicente del Raspeig s/n, 03690, San Vicente del Raspeig, Spain
| | - Sasha C Reed
- Southwest Biological Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, 2290 S. Resource Blvd, Moab, UT, 84532, USA
| | - Emilio Rodriguez-Caballero
- Multiphase Chemistry Department, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Hahn-Meitner-Weg 1, 55128, Mainz, Germany.,Department of Agronomy and Centro de Investigación de Colecciones Científicas (CECOUAL), Universidad de Almería, carretera Sacramento s/n, 04120, La cañada de San Urbano, Almeria, Spain
| | - Colin Tucker
- USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station, 410 MacInnes Drive, Houghton, MI, 49931-1134, USA
| | - Kristina E Young
- Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources, Utah State University, 1850 S. Aggie Blvd, Moab, UT, 84532, USA
| | - Yuanming Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 818 South Bejing Road, Urumqi City, 830011, Xinjiang, China
| | - Yunge Zhao
- Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A & F University, 26 Xinong Road, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Xiaobing Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 818 South Bejing Road, Urumqi City, 830011, Xinjiang, China
| | - Matthew A Bowker
- School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University, 200 E. Pine Knoll Drive, Box 15018, Flagstaff, AZ, 86011, USA
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18
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Glaser K, Albrecht M, Baumann K, Overmann J, Sikorski J. Biological Soil Crust From Mesic Forests Promote a Specific Bacteria Community. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:769767. [PMID: 35369523 PMCID: PMC8966483 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.769767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) harbor a diverse community of various microorganisms with microalgae as primary producers and bacteria living in close association. In mesic regions, biocrusts emerge rapidly on disturbed surface soil in forest, typically after clear-cut or windfall. It is unclear whether the bacterial community in biocrusts is similar to the community of the surrounding soil or if biocrust formation promotes a specific bacterial community. Also, many of the interactions between bacteria and algae in biocrusts are largely unknown. Through high-throughput-sequencing analysis of the bacterial community composition, correlated drivers, and the interpretation of biological interactions in a biocrust of a forest ecosystem, we show that the bacterial community in the biocrust represents a subset of the community of the neighboring soil. Bacterial families connected with degradation of large carbon molecules, like cellulose and chitin, and the bacterivore Bdellovibrio were more abundant in the biocrust compared to bulk soil. This points to a closer interaction and nutrient recycling in the biocrust compared to bulk soil. Furthermore, the bacterial richness was positively correlated with the content of mucilage producing algae. The bacteria likely profit from the mucilage sheaths of the algae, either as a carbon source or protectant from grazing or desiccation. Comparative sequence analyses revealed pronounced differences between the biocrust bacterial microbiome. It seems that the bacterial community of the biocrust is recruited from the local soil, resulting in specific bacterial communities in different geographic regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin Glaser
- Applied Ecology and Phycology, Institute for Biological Sciences, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Martin Albrecht
- Applied Ecology and Phycology, Institute for Biological Sciences, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Karen Baumann
- Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Science, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Jörg Overmann
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Johannes Sikorski
- Leibniz-Institute DSMZ, German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig, Germany
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Khan AL, Lopes LD, Bilal S, Asaf S, Crawford KM, Balan V, Al-Rawahi A, Al-Harrasi A, Schachtman DP. Microbiome Variation Across Populations of Desert Halophyte Zygophyllum qatarensis. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:841217. [PMID: 35432394 PMCID: PMC9009292 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.841217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Microbial symbionts play a significant role in plant health and stress tolerance. However, few studies exist that address rare species of core-microbiome function during abiotic stress. In the current study, we compared the microbiome composition of succulent dwarf shrub halophyte Zygophyllum qatarensis Hadidi across desert populations. The results showed that rhizospheric and endosphere microbiome greatly varied due to soil texture (sandy and gravel). No specific bacterial amplicon sequence variants were observed in the core-microbiome of bulk soil and rhizosphere, however, bacterial genus Alcaligenes and fungal genus Acidea were abundantly distributed across root and shoot endospheres. We also analyzed major nutrients such as silicon (Si), magnesium, and calcium across different soil textures and Z. qatarensis populations. The results showed that the rhizosphere and root parts had significantly higher Si content than the bulk soil and shoot parts. The microbiome variation can be attributed to markedly higher Si - suggesting that selective microbes are contributing to the translocation of soluble Si to root. In conclusion, low core-microbiome species abundance might be due to the harsh growing conditions in the desert - making Z. qatarensis highly selective to associate with microbial communities. Utilizing rare microbial players from plant microbiomes may be vital for increasing crop stress tolerance and productivity during stresses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdul Latif Khan
- Department of Engineering Technology, College of Technology, University of Houston, Sugar Land, TX, United States
- Natural and Medical Sciences Research Centre, University of Nizwa, Nizwa, Oman
| | - Lucas Dantas Lopes
- Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, Centre for Plant Science Innovation, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, United States
| | - Saqib Bilal
- Natural and Medical Sciences Research Centre, University of Nizwa, Nizwa, Oman
| | - Sajjad Asaf
- Natural and Medical Sciences Research Centre, University of Nizwa, Nizwa, Oman
| | - Kerri M. Crawford
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, College of Natural Science and Mathematics, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Venkatesh Balan
- Department of Engineering Technology, College of Technology, University of Houston, Sugar Land, TX, United States
| | - Ahmed Al-Rawahi
- Natural and Medical Sciences Research Centre, University of Nizwa, Nizwa, Oman
| | - Ahmed Al-Harrasi
- Natural and Medical Sciences Research Centre, University of Nizwa, Nizwa, Oman
| | - Daniel P. Schachtman
- Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, Centre for Plant Science Innovation, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, United States
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20
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Amplicon Sequencing of Rock-Inhabiting Microbial Communities from Joshua Tree National Park, USA. Microbiol Resour Announc 2021; 10:e0049421. [PMID: 34165331 PMCID: PMC8223808 DOI: 10.1128/mra.00494-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Endolithic microorganisms have been reported to date in hot and cold drylands worldwide, where they represent the prevailing life forms ensuring ecosystem functionality, playing a paramount role in global biogeochemical processes. We report here an amplicon sequencing characterization of rocks collected from Joshua Tree National Park (JTNP), USA.
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21
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Pushkareva E, Sommer V, Barrantes I, Karsten U. Diversity of Microorganisms in Biocrusts Surrounding Highly Saline Potash Tailing Piles in Germany. Microorganisms 2021; 9:714. [PMID: 33808463 PMCID: PMC8066527 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9040714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Potash tailing piles located in Germany represent extremely hypersaline locations that negatively affect neighbouring environments and limit the development of higher vegetation. However, biocrusts, as cryptogamic covers, inhabit some of these areas and provide essential ecological functions, but, nevertheless, they remain poorly described. Here, we applied high-throughput sequencing (HTS) and targeted four groups of microorganisms: bacteria, cyanobacteria, fungi and other eukaryotes. The sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene revealed the dominance of Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria and Actinobacteria. Additionally, we applied yanobacteria-specific primers for a detailed assessment of the cyanobacterial community, which was dominated by members of the filamentous orders Synechococcales and Oscillatoriales. Furthermore, the majority of reads in the studied biocrusts obtained by sequencing of the 18S rRNA gene belonged to eukaryotic microalgae. In addition, sequencing of the internal rDNA transcribed spacer region (ITS) showed the dominance of Ascomycota within the fungal community. Overall, these molecular data provided the first detailed overview of microorganisms associated with biocrusts inhabiting highly saline potash tailing piles and showed the dissimilarities in microbial diversity among the samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina Pushkareva
- Department of Applied Ecology and Phycology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Rostock, 18059 Rostock, Germany; (V.S.); (U.K.)
- Department of Biology, Botanical Institute, University of Cologne, 50674 Cologne, Germany
| | - Veronika Sommer
- Department of Applied Ecology and Phycology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Rostock, 18059 Rostock, Germany; (V.S.); (U.K.)
| | - Israel Barrantes
- Research Group Translational Bioinformatics, Institute for Biostatistics and Informatics in Medicine and Ageing Research, Rostock University Medical Center, 18057 Rostock, Germany;
| | - Ulf Karsten
- Department of Applied Ecology and Phycology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Rostock, 18059 Rostock, Germany; (V.S.); (U.K.)
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22
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Karray F, Gargouri M, Chebaane A, Mhiri N, Mliki A, Sayadi S. Climatic Aridity Gradient Modulates the Diversity of the Rhizosphere and Endosphere Bacterial Microbiomes of Opuntia ficus-indica. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1622. [PMID: 32849335 PMCID: PMC7401614 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent microbiome research has shown that soil fertility, plant-associated microbiome, and crop production can be affected by abiotic environmental parameters. The effect of aridity gradient on rhizosphere-soil (rhizosphere) and endosphere-root (endosphere) prokaryotic structure and diversity associated with cacti remain poorly investigated and understood. In the current study, next-generation sequencing approaches were used to characterize the diversity and composition of bacteria and archaea associated with the rhizosphere and endosphere of Opuntia ficus-indica spineless cacti in four bioclimatic zones (humid, semi-arid, upper-arid, and lower-arid) in Tunisia. Our findings showed that bacterial and archaeal cactus microbiomes changed in inside and outside roots and along the aridity gradient. Plant compartment and aridity gradient were the influencing factors on the differentiation of microbial communities in rhizosphere and endosphere samples. The co-occurrence correlations between increased and decreased OTUs in rhizosphere and endosphere samples and soil parameters were determined according to the aridity gradient. Blastococcus, Geodermatophilus, Pseudonocardia, Promicromonospora, and Sphingomonas were identified as prevailing hubs and were considered as specific biomarkers taxa, which could play a crucial role on the aridity stress. Overall, our findings highlighted the prominence of the climatic aridity gradient on the equilibrium and diversity of microbial community composition in the rhizosphere and endosphere of cactus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatma Karray
- Laboratory of Environmental Bioprocesses, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Mahmoud Gargouri
- Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Centre of Biotechnology of Borj Cedria, Hammam-Lif, Tunisia
| | - Asma Chebaane
- Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Centre of Biotechnology of Borj Cedria, Hammam-Lif, Tunisia
| | - Najla Mhiri
- Laboratory of Environmental Bioprocesses, Centre of Biotechnology of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Ahmed Mliki
- Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Centre of Biotechnology of Borj Cedria, Hammam-Lif, Tunisia
| | - Sami Sayadi
- Center for Sustainable Development, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
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