Bacterial and fungal communities in sub-Arctic tundra heaths are shaped by contrasting snow accumulation and nutrient availability.

ABSTRACT: Climate change is affecting winter snow conditions significantly in northern ecosystems but the effects of the changing conditions for soil microbial communities are not well-understood. We utilized naturally occurring differences in snow accumulation to understand how the wintertime subnivean conditions shape bacterial and fungal communities in dwarf shrub-dominated sub-Arctic Fennoscandian tundra sampled in mid-winter, early, and late growing season. Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) and quantitative PCR analyses indicated that fungal abundance was higher in windswept tundra heaths with low snow accumulation and lower nutrient availability. This was associated with clear differences in the microbial community structure throughout the season. Members of Clavaria spp. and Sebacinales were esp

SUBMITTER: Mannisto MK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10996926 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature