Contrasting elevational diversity patterns for soil bacteria between two ecosystems divided by the treeline.
Above- and below-ground organisms are closely linked, but how elevational distribution pattern of soil microbes shifting across the treeline still remains unknown. Sampling of 140 plots with transect, we herein investigated soil bacterial distribution pattern from a temperate forest up to a subalpine meadow along an elevational gradient using Illumina sequencing. Our results revealed distinct elevational patterns of bacterial diversity above and below the treeline in responding to changes in soil conditions: a hollow elevational pattern in the forest (correlated with soil temperature, pH, and C:N ratio) and a significantly decreasing pattern in the meadow (correlated with soil pH, and available phosphorus). The bacterial community structure was also distinct between the forest and meadow, relating to soil pH in the forest and soil temperature in the meadow. Soil bacteria did not follow the distribution pattern of herb diversity, but bacterial community structure could be predicted by herb community composition. These results suggest that plant communities have an important influence on soil characteristics, and thus change the elevational distribution of soil bacteria. Our findings are useful for future assessments of climate change impacts on microbial community.
State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China.|University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
Guixiang
G
Li
State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China.|University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
Guorui
G
Xu
State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China.
Congcong
C
Shen
Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, 666303, China.
Yong
Y
Tang
State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China.
Yuxin
Y
Zhang
State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China. mkm@rcees.ac.cn.
Keming
K
Ma
D000531:Altitude; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D002244:Carbon / Q000032:analysis; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D017753:Ecosystem; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000032:analysis; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D013696:Temperature; D014197:Trees / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development*
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D012987:Soil; D010758:Phosphorus; D002244:Carbon; D009584:Nitrogen
Illumina Miseq; community structure; diversity pattern; elevational gradient; soil bacteria; treeline