Climate-related changes of soil characteristics affect bacterial community composition and function of high altitude and latitude lakes.

ABSTRACT: Lakes at high altitude and latitude are typically unproductive ecosystems where external factors outweigh the relative importance of in-lake processes, making them ideal sentinels of climate change. Climate change is inducing upward vegetation shifts at high altitude and latitude regions that translate into changes in the pools of soil organic matter. Upon mobilization, this allochthonous organic matter may rapidly alter the composition and function of lake bacterial communities. Here, we experimentally simulate this potential climate-change effect by exposing bacterioplankton of two lakes located above the treeline, one in the Alps and one in the subarctic region, to soil organic matter from below and above the treeline. Changes in bacterial community composition, diversity and function w

SUBMITTER: Rofner C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5434934 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature