Summer thaw duration is a strong predictor of the soil microbiome and its response to permafrost thaw in arctic tundra.

ABSTRACT: Climate warming has increased permafrost thaw in arctic tundra and extended the duration of annual thaw (number of thaw days in summer) along soil profiles. Predicting the microbial response to permafrost thaw depends largely on knowing how increased thaw duration affects the composition of the soil microbiome. Here, we determined soil microbiome composition from the annually thawed surface active layer down through permafrost from two tundra types at each of three sites on the North Slope of Alaska, USA. Variations in soil microbial taxa were found between sites up to ~90 km apart, between tundra types, and between soil depths. Microbiome differences at a site were greatest across transitions from thawed to permafrost depths. Results from correlation analysis based on multi-decadal thaw s

SUBMITTER: Romanowicz KJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10092252 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature