Response of ammonia oxidizing bacteria and archaea to acute zinc stress and different moisture regimes in soil.

Ammonia oxidation has been intensively studied for its sensitivity to environmental shifts and stresses. However, acute stress effects on the occurrence and composition of ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA) based on expression of related molecular markers in complex soil environments have been to an extent overlooked, particularly concerning transient but commonly occurring environmental changes like soil moisture shifts. The present study investigates the responses of AOB and AOA to moisture shifts and high Zn soil content.