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Korn R, Berg C, Bersier LF, Gray SM, Thallinger GG. Habitat conditions and not moss composition mediate microbial community structure in Swiss peatlands. Environ Microbiol 2024; 26:e16631. [PMID: 38757479 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Peatlands, one of the oldest ecosystems, globally store significant amounts of carbon and freshwater. However, they are under severe threat from human activities, leading to changes in water, nutrient and temperature regimes in these delicate systems. Such shifts can trigger a substantial carbon flux into the atmosphere and diminish the water-holding capacity of peatlands. Microbes associated with moss in peatlands play a crucial role in providing these ecosystem services, which are at risk due to global change. Therefore, understanding the factors influencing microbial composition and function is vital. Our study focused on five peatlands along an altitudinal gradient in Switzerland, where we sampled moss on hummocks containing Sarracenia purpurea. Structural equation modelling revealed that habitat condition was the primary predictor of community structure and directly influenced other environmental variables. Interestingly, the microbial composition was not linked to the local moss species identity. Instead, microbial communities varied significantly between sites due to differences in acidity levels and nitrogen availability. This finding was also mirrored in a co-occurrence network analysis, which displayed a distinct distribution of indicator species for acidity and nitrogen availability. Therefore, peatland conservation should take into account the critical habitat characteristics of moss-associated microbial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Korn
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Sarah M Gray
- Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Gerhard G Thallinger
- Institute of Biomedical Informatics, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria
- OMICS Center Graz, BioTechMed, Graz, Austria
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Mahapatra B, Dhal NK, Dash AK, Panda BP, Panigrahi KCS, Pradhan A. Perspective of mitigating atmospheric heavy metal pollution: using mosses as biomonitoring and indicator organism. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2019; 26:29620-29638. [PMID: 31463756 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-019-06270-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2018] [Accepted: 08/16/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Mosses were proved as an ideal and reliable biomonitor as well as an indicator of atmospheric trace metal pollution. They are used as model indicator species of air pollution since long back due to their simple structure, genetic diversity, totipotency, rapid colony-forming ability, and high metal resistance behavior. Bryomonitoring technique is gradually being popularized as an economically viable procedure for estimating the degrees of environmental health and evaluating the toxic pollutants in biosphere. Thus, in the present scenario, many parts of the world use these organisms for monitoring the air pollution. This article describes an overview of the relationship of terrestrial mosses with trace metals with respect to their uptake, accumulation, and toxification as well as detoxification and tolerance mechanisms. The review article explicitly expresses the caliber of the cryptogamic mosses in establishing the pristine environment around the world. It also highlights the underpinning mechanisms and potential for future research directions. We have referred more than 250 articles, which deals with the assessment and impact of different heavy metals on 52 numbers of different moss species belongs to different climatic zones. The present review covers the research work in this area carried out worldwide since 1965.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biswajita Mahapatra
- Environmental Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Institute of Technical Education and Research, Siksha 'O' Anusandhan (Deemed to be University), Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751030, India
| | - Nabin Kumar Dhal
- Department of Environment and Sustainability, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)-Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751013, India
| | - Aditya Kishore Dash
- Biofuel and Bioprocessing Research Centre, Institute of Technical Education and Research, Siksha 'O' Anusandhan (Deemed to be University), Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751030, India
| | - Bibhu Prasad Panda
- Environmental Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Institute of Technical Education and Research, Siksha 'O' Anusandhan (Deemed to be University), Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751030, India
| | | | - Abanti Pradhan
- Biofuel and Bioprocessing Research Centre, Institute of Technical Education and Research, Siksha 'O' Anusandhan (Deemed to be University), Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751030, India.
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Wieder RK, Vitt DH, Vile MA, Graham JA, Hartsock JA, Fillingim H, House M, Quinn JC, Scott KD, Petix M, McMillen KJ. Experimental nitrogen addition alters structure and function of a boreal bog: critical load and thresholds revealed. ECOL MONOGR 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ecm.1371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- R. Kelman Wieder
- Department of Biology Villanova University Villanova Pennsylvania 19085 USA
- Faculty of Science and Technology Athabasca University Athabasca Alberta T9S 3A3 Canada
| | - Dale H. Vitt
- Department of Plant Biology Southern Illinois University Carbondale Illinois 62901 USA
| | - Melanie A. Vile
- Faculty of Science and Technology Athabasca University Athabasca Alberta T9S 3A3 Canada
- Department of Geography and the Environment Villanova University Villanova Pennsylvania 19085 USA
| | - Jeremy A. Graham
- Department of Plant Biology Southern Illinois University Carbondale Illinois 62901 USA
- Michigan Tech Research Institute Ann Arbor Michigan 48105 USA
| | - Jeremy A. Hartsock
- Department of Plant Biology Southern Illinois University Carbondale Illinois 62901 USA
| | - Hope Fillingim
- Department of Geography and the Environment Villanova University Villanova Pennsylvania 19085 USA
| | - Melissa House
- Department of Plant Biology Southern Illinois University Carbondale Illinois 62901 USA
| | - James C. Quinn
- Department of Biology Villanova University Villanova Pennsylvania 19085 USA
| | - Kimberli D. Scott
- Department of Biology Villanova University Villanova Pennsylvania 19085 USA
| | - Meaghan Petix
- Department of Plant Biology Southern Illinois University Carbondale Illinois 62901 USA
| | - Kelly J. McMillen
- Department of Geography and the Environment Villanova University Villanova Pennsylvania 19085 USA
- Climate Science Center Texas Tech University Lubbock Texas 79409‐3131 USA
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Diversity of Active Viral Infections within the Sphagnum Microbiome. Appl Environ Microbiol 2018; 84:AEM.01124-18. [PMID: 30217851 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01124-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2018] [Accepted: 09/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Sphagnum-dominated peatlands play an important role in global carbon storage and represent significant sources of economic and ecological value. While recent efforts to describe microbial diversity and metabolic potential of the Sphagnum microbiome have demonstrated the importance of its microbial community, little is known about the viral constituents. We used metatranscriptomics to describe the diversity and activity of viruses infecting microbes within the Sphagnum peat bog. The vegetative portions of six Sphagnum plants were obtained from a peatland in northern Minnesota, and the total RNA was extracted and sequenced. Metatranscriptomes were assembled and contigs were screened for the presence of conserved virus marker genes. Using bacteriophage capsid protein gp23 as a marker for phage diversity, we identified 33 contigs representing undocumented phages that were active in the community at the time of sampling. Similarly, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase and the nucleocytoplasmic large DNA virus (NCLDV) major capsid protein were used as markers for single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) viruses and NCLDV, respectively. In total, 114 contigs were identified as originating from undescribed ssRNA viruses, 22 of which represent nearly complete genomes. An additional 64 contigs were identified as being from NCLDVs. Finally, 7 contigs were identified as putative virophage or polinton-like viruses. We developed co-occurrence networks with these markers in relation to the expression of potential-host housekeeping gene rpb1 to predict virus-host relationships, identifying 13 groups. Together, our approach offers new tools for the identification of virus diversity and interactions in understudied clades and suggests that viruses may play a considerable role in the ecology of the Sphagnum microbiome.IMPORTANCE Sphagnum-dominated peatlands play an important role in maintaining atmospheric carbon dioxide levels by modifying conditions in the surrounding soil to favor the growth of Sphagnum over that of other plant species. This lowers the rate of decomposition and facilitates the accumulation of fixed carbon in the form of partially decomposed biomass. The unique environment produced by Sphagnum enriches for the growth of a diverse microbial consortia that benefit from and support the moss's growth, while also maintaining the hostile soil conditions. While a growing body of research has begun to characterize the microbial groups that colonize Sphagnum, little is currently known about the ecological factors that constrain community structure and define ecosystem function. Top-down population control by viruses is almost completely undescribed. This study provides insight into the significant viral influence on the Sphagnum microbiome and identifies new potential model systems to study virus-host interactions in the peatland ecosystem.
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Matthews B, Best RJ, Feulner PGD, Narwani A, Limberger R. Evolution as an ecosystem process: insights from genomics. Genome 2017; 61:298-309. [PMID: 29241022 DOI: 10.1139/gen-2017-0044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Evolution is a fundamental ecosystem process. The study of genomic variation of organisms can not only improve our understanding of evolutionary processes, but also of contemporary and future ecosystem dynamics. We argue that integrative research between the fields of genomics and ecosystem ecology could generate new insights. Specifically, studies of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, evolutionary rescue, and eco-evolutionary dynamics could all benefit from information about variation in genome structure and the genetic architecture of traits, whereas genomic studies could benefit from information about the ecological context of evolutionary dynamics. We propose new ways to help link research on functional genomic diversity with (reciprocal) interactions between phenotypic evolution and ecosystem change. Despite numerous challenges, we anticipate that the wealth of genomic data being collected on natural populations will improve our understanding of ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blake Matthews
- a Eawag, Department of Aquatic Ecology, Center for Ecology, Evolution and Biogeochemistry, Kastanienbaum, Switzerland
| | - Rebecca J Best
- a Eawag, Department of Aquatic Ecology, Center for Ecology, Evolution and Biogeochemistry, Kastanienbaum, Switzerland.,b School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, Northern Arizona University, 525 S. Beaver Street, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Philine G D Feulner
- c Eawag, Department of Fish Ecology and Evolution, Center for Ecology, Evolution and Biogeochemistry, Kastanienbaum, Switzerland.,d University of Bern, Division of Aquatic Ecology and Evolution, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Anita Narwani
- a Eawag, Department of Aquatic Ecology, Center for Ecology, Evolution and Biogeochemistry, Kastanienbaum, Switzerland
| | - Romana Limberger
- a Eawag, Department of Aquatic Ecology, Center for Ecology, Evolution and Biogeochemistry, Kastanienbaum, Switzerland.,e Research Institute for Limnology, University of Innsbruck, Mondsee, Austria
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