Soil bacterial endemism and potential functional redundancy in natural broadleaf forest along a latitudinal gradient.

ABSTRACT: Microorganisms play key roles in ecosystem processes and biogeochemical cycling, however, the relationship between soil microbial taxa diversity and their function in natural ecosystems is largely unknown. To determine how soil bacteria community and function are linked from the local to regional scale, we studied soil bacteria community composition, potential function and environmental conditions in natural and mature broadleaf forests along a latitudinal gradient in China, using the Illumina 16S rRNA sequencing and GeoChip technologies. The results showed strong biogeographic endemism pattern in soil bacteria were existed, and the spatial distance and climatic variables were the key controlling factors for this pattern. Therefore, dispersal limitation and environmental selection may repr

SUBMITTER: Zhang Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4928066 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature