Cyanobacterial populations in biological soil crusts of the northwest Negev Desert, Israel-effects of local conditions and disturbance

verfasst von

Martin Hagemann, Manja Henneberg, Vincent J.M.N.L. Felde, Simon M. Berkowicz, Hagai Raanan, Nadin Pade, Peter Felix-Henningsen, Aaron Kaplan

Abstract

Biological soil crusts (BSCs) fulfil numerous ecological functions in arid and semiarid areas. Cyanobacteria are important BSC organisms, which are responsible for carbon fixation, N2 fixation and binding of soil via extracellular polysaccharides. The cyanobacterial populations were characterised in different sampling plots established in three experimental stations along a rainfall gradient within NW Negev Desert, Israel. Cyanobacterial crust thickness and osmolyte accumulation therein decreased in plots with lower moisture. The cyanobacterial population structure also changed in different plots. We observed an increase of subsection III cyanobacteria such as Microcoleus spp. and Leptolyngbya spp. and a decreasing proportion of strains belonging to subsections I and IV in drier areas on the rainfall gradient. This population shift was also observed in the sampling plots, which were situated at various relief positions within the sand dune experimental sites. We also characterised the cyanobacterial populations within mechanically disturbed plots. After 4 years, they reached between 80% and 50% of the control populations in the northernmost and southern stations, respectively. Our results suggest that the cyanobacterial population is sensitive not only to macroscale factors but may also be subject to local climate variations and that 4 years was insufficient for complete recovery of the cyanobacterial population.

Externe Organisation(en)

Universität Rostock
Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen
Universität Kassel
Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI)
Rutgers University

Typ

Artikel

Journal

FEMS microbiology ecology

Band

93

ISSN

0168-6496

Publikationsdatum

01.06.2017

Publikationsstatus

Veröffentlicht

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Mikrobiologie, Ökologie, Angewandte Mikrobiologie und Biotechnologie

Ziele für nachhaltige Entwicklung

SDG 13 – Klimaschutzmaßnahmen

Elektronische Version(en)

https://doi.org/10.1093/femsec/fiw228 (Zugang: Offen)