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Palmer B, Pietrasiak N, Cobb P, Lipson D. Using simulated wildland fire to assess microbial survival at multiple depths from biocrust and bare soils. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1123790. [PMID: 37007522 PMCID: PMC10064808 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1123790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
IntroductionSurface soil microbial communities are directly exposed to the heat from wildland fires. Due to this, the microbial community composition may be stratified within the soil profile with more heat tolerant microbes near the surface and less heat tolerant microbes, or mobile species found deeper in the soil. Biological soil crusts, biocrusts, are found on the soil surface and contain a diverse microbial community that is directly exposed to the heat from wildland fires.MethodsHere, we used a simulated fire mesocosm along with a culture-based approach and molecular characterization of microbial isolates to understand the stratification of biocrust and bare soil microbes after low severity (450°C) and high severity (600°C) fires. We cultured and sequenced microbial isolates from 2 to 6 cm depth from both fire types.ResultsThe isolates were stratified along the soil depth. Green algal isolates were less thermotolerant and found in the deeper depths (4–6 cm) and the control soils, while several cyanobacteria in Oscillatoriales, Synechococcales, and Nostocales were found at 2–3 cm depth for both fire temperatures. An Alphaproteobacteria isolate was common across several depths, both fire types, and both fire temperatures. Furthermore, we used RNA sequencing at three depths after the high severity fire and one control to determine what microbial community is active following a fire. The community was dominated by Gammaproteobacteria, however some Cyanobacteria ASVs were also present.DiscussionHere we show evidence of stratification of soil and biocrust microbes after a fire and provide evidence that these microbes are able to survive the heat from the fire by living just below the soil surface. This is a steppingstone for future work on the mechanisms of microbial survival after fire and the role of soil insulation in creating resilient communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brianne Palmer
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
- Department of Plant Science, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Brianne Palmer,
| | - Nicole Pietrasiak
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, United States
| | - Polina Cobb
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, Scripps Research Institute, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - David Lipson
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, United States
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Draft Genome Sequences of Two Cyanobacteria Leptolyngbya spp. Isolated from Microbial Mats in Miravalles Thermal Spring, Costa Rica. Microbiol Resour Announc 2021; 10:e0055321. [PMID: 34647804 PMCID: PMC8515892 DOI: 10.1128/mra.00553-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We report the draft genome sequences of Leptolyngbya sp. strain 7M and Leptolyngbya sp. strain 15MV, isolated from Miravalles Thermal Spring, Costa Rica. The thermophilic cyanobacteria exhibit unique diversity features that provide insight into the adaptation and evolution of phototrophic microorganisms in geothermal habitats.
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