Seasonal soil microbial responses are limited to changes in functionality at two Alpine forest sites differing in altitude and vegetation.

ABSTRACT: The study of soil microbial responses to environmental changes is useful to improve simulation models and mitigation strategies for climate change. We here investigated two Alpine forest sites (deciduous forest vs. coniferous forest) situated at different altitudes (altitudinal effect) in spring and autumn (seasonal effect) regarding: (i) bacterial and fungal abundances (qPCR); (ii) diversity and structure of bacterial and fungal communities (amplicon sequencing); and (iii) diversity and composition of microbial functional gene community (Geochip 5.0). Significant altitudinal changes were detected in microbial abundances as well as in diversity and composition of taxonomic and functional communities as a consequence of the differences in pH, soil organic matter (SOM) and nutrient contents

SUBMITTER: Siles JA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5438347 | biostudies-literature | 2017 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature