Assessing the responses of Sphagnum micro-eukaryotes to climate changes using high throughput sequencing

PeerJ

article

Monika K. Reczuga¹  Christophe Victor William Seppey²  Matthieu Mulot²  Vincent E.J. Jassey⁵  Alexandre Buttler⁶  Sandra Słowińska⁸  Michał Słowiński⁹  Enrique Lara²  Mariusz Lamentowicz¹  Edward A.D. Mitchell² 

[1] Climate Change Ecology Research Unit, Faculty of Geographical and Geological Sciences, Adam Mickiewicz University;Laboratory of Soil Biodiversity, University of Neuchâtel;Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University;Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, Faculty of Biosciences Fisheries and Economics, University of Tromsø;Laboratoire Ecologie Fonctionelle et Environnement, Université de Toulouse;Ecological Systems Laboratory, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering;Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research;Department of Geoecology and Climatology, Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization, Polish Academy of Sciences;Past Landscape Dynamics Laboratory, Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization, Polish Academy of Sciences;Real Jardín Botánico;Jardin Botanique de Neuchâtel

关键词: Wetlands;    Protists;    Warming;    Water table manipulation;    Food-web;    Biodiversity;    Community structure;   

DOI  :  10.7717/peerj.9821

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Inra

【 摘 要 】

Current projections suggest that climate warming will be accompanied by more frequent and severe drought events. Peatlands store ca. one third of the world’s soil organic carbon. Warming and drought may cause peatlands to become carbon sources through stimulation of microbial activity increasing ecosystem respiration, with positive feedback effect on global warming. Micro-eukaryotes play a key role in the carbon cycle through food web interactions and therefore, alterations in their community structure and diversity may affect ecosystem functioning and could reflect these changes. We assessed the diversity and community composition of Sphagnum-associated eukaryotic microorganisms inhabiting peatlands and their response to experimental drought and warming using high throughput sequencing of environmental DNA. Under drier conditions, micro-eukaryotic diversity decreased, the relative abundance of autotrophs increased and that of osmotrophs (including Fungi and Peronosporomycetes) decreased. Furthermore, we identified climate change indicators that could be used as early indicators of change in peatland microbial communities and ecosystem functioning. The changes we observed indicate a shift towards a more “terrestrial” community in response to drought, in line with observed changes in the functioning of the ecosystem.

【 授权许可】

CC BY