Show simple item record

dc.contributor.authorTveit, Alexander Tøsdal
dc.contributor.authorSchwacke, Rainer
dc.contributor.authorSvenning, Mette Marianne
dc.contributor.authorUrich, Tim
dc.date.accessioned2013-03-15T12:18:41Z
dc.date.available2013-03-15T12:18:41Z
dc.date.issued2012
dc.description.abstractA substantial part of the Earths’ soil organic carbon (SOC) is stored in Arctic permafrost peatlands, which represent large potential sources for increased emissions of the greenhouse gases CH4 and CO2 in a warming climate. The microbial communities and their genetic repertoire involved in the breakdown and mineralisation of SOC in these soils are, however, poorly understood. In this study, we applied a combined metagenomic and metatranscriptomic approach on two Arctic peat soils to investigate the identity and the gene pool of the microbiota driving the SOC degradation in the seasonally thawed active layers. A large and diverse set of genes encoding plant polymer-degrading enzymes was found, comparable to microbiotas from temperate and subtropical soils. This indicates that the metabolic potential for SOC degradation in Arctic peat is not different from that of other climatic zones. The majority of these genes were assigned to three bacterial phyla, Actinobacteria, Verrucomicrobia and Bacteroidetes. Anaerobic metabolic pathways and the fraction of methanogenic archaea increased with peat depth, evident for a gradual transition from aerobic to anaerobic lifestyles. A population of CH4-oxidising bacteria closely related to Methylobacter tundripaludum was the dominating active group of methanotrophs. Based on the in-depth characterisation of the microbes and their genes, we conclude that these Arctic peat soils will turn into CO2 sources owing to increased active layer depth and prolonged growing season. However, the extent of future CH4 emissions will critically depend on the response of the methanotrophic bacteria.en
dc.identifier.citationThe ISME Journal 7(2012) s. 299-311en
dc.identifier.cristinIDFRIDAID 1005060
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2012.99
dc.identifier.issn1751-7362
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10037/5033
dc.identifier.urnURN:NBN:no-uit_munin_4743
dc.language.isoengen
dc.rights.accessRightsopenAccess
dc.subjectVDP::Mathematics and natural science: 400::Zoology and botany: 480::Plant physiology: 492en
dc.subjectVDP::Matematikk og Naturvitenskap: 400::Zoologiske og botaniske fag: 480::Plantefysiologi: 492en
dc.titleOrganic carbon transformations in high-Arctic peat soils: key functions and microorganismsen
dc.typeJournal articleen
dc.typeTidsskriftartikkelen
dc.typePeer revieweden


File(s) in this item

Thumbnail
Thumbnail

This item appears in the following collection(s)

Show simple item record