Shifts in community composition of soil protozoa in response to climate change may substantially influence microbial activity and thereby decomposition processes. However, effects of climate and vegetation on soil protozoa remain poorly understood. We studied the distribution of soil testate amoebae in herbaceous and shrubby vegetation along an altitudinal gradient (from below the treeline at 500 m to the mid-alpine region at 900 m a.s.l.) in subarctic tundra. To explain patterns in abundance, species diversity and assemblage composition of testate amoebae, a data set of microclimate and soil chemical characteristics was collected. Both elevation and vegetation influenced the assemblage composition of testate amoebae. The variation was regulated by interactive effects of summer soil moisture, winter soil temperature, soil pH and nitrate ion concentrations. Besides, soil moisture regulated non-linear patterns in species richness across the gradient. This is the first study showing the effects of winter soil temperatures on species composition of soil protozoa. The effects could be explained by specific adaptations of testate amoebae such as frost-resistant cysts allowing them to survive low winter temperatures. We conclude that the microclimate and soil chemical characteristics are the main drivers of changes in protozoan assemblage composition in response to elevation and vegetation.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ejop.2012.08.004 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Testate amoebae from the wetlands of the Phobjikha Valley of Bhutan, the Eastern Himalayas.
Eur J Protistol
October 2024
Science Research Center, Hosei University, Fujimi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8160, Japan. Electronic address:
The Kingdom of Bhutan in the Eastern Himalayas harbors a rich biodiversity. However, its detailed documentation still needs to be created, including not only macroorganisms but also protists. In the present study, as many as 105 taxa of testate amoebae were identified and directly counted in soil suspension samples collected from the wetlands of the Gangtey-Phobji Valley (generally Phobjikha), Wangdue Phodrang district.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFExploring optimal sampling strategy of testate amoebae as hydrological bioindicators in UK upland peatlands.
J Environ Manage
November 2024
Department of Environment and Geography, University of York, YO10 5NG, York, North Yorkshire, UK.
Many modified or degraded blanket bogs in the UK have been undergoing restoration by different rewetting strategies. While testate amoebae (TA), well-known as hydrology-sensitive species, have been increasingly applied to assess and monitor peatland restoration success, we still do not know the most appropriate sampling strategy of TA in heather-dominated peatlands. In this study, TA communities were taken from two modified blanket bog sites and one intact border mire across a strong hydrological gradient to explore the optimal sampling strategy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFossil Geyserite and Testate Amoebae in Geothermal Spring Vent Pools: Paleoecology and Variable Preservation Quality in Jurassic Sinter of Patagonia (Deseado Massif, Argentina).
Geobiology
September 2024
Université d'Orléans, CNRS/INSU, BRGM, Institut des Sciences de la Terre d'Orléans (ISTO), UMR 7327, Orléans, France.
Geyserite is a type of terrestrial siliceous hot spring deposit (sinter) formed subaerially in proximal vent areas, with near-neutral pH, alkali chloride discharge fluids characterized by initial high temperatures (~73°C to up to 100°C) that fluctuate rapidly in relation to dynamic hydrology, seasonality, wind, and other environmental parameters. We analyzed sinters at the Claudia paleogeothermal field from the Late Jurassic (~150 Ma) Deseado Massif geological province, Argentinean Patagonia. The geyserite samples-with spicular to columnar to nodular morphologies-contain abundant microfossils in monotypic assemblages that occur in three diagenetic states of preservation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFunctional traits data for testate amoebae of Northern Holarctic realm.
Sci Data
September 2024
Shenzhen MSU-BIT University, Shenzhen, 518172, China.
The functional traits of soil protists have been employed in ecological research to enhance comprehension of the underlying mechanisms of ecological processes. Among the numerous soil protists, testate amoebae emerge as a prominent and abundant group, playing a pivotal role in soil micro-food webs. Furthermore, they are regarded as valuable bioindicators for environmental monitoring and palaeoecological studies due to their sensitivity to environmental changes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCommunity responses of testate amoebae (Arcellinida and Euglyphida) to ecological disturbance explained by contrasting assembly mechanisms in two subtropical reservoirs.
Sci Total Environ
November 2024
Aquatic EcoHealth Group, Fujian Key Laboratory of Watershed Ecology, Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China. Electronic address:
Mechanisms underlying the effects of ecological disturbance on aquatic ecosystems remain uncertain in subtropical regions. Here, we used a proxy-based approach to explore the community dynamics of testate amoebae (Arcellinida and Euglyphida) in two subtropical deep reservoirs (Tingxi and Shidou) in Xiamen, southeastern China, over a three-year period. Specifically, we employed drought and typhoon events recorded by weather station as proxies for ecological disturbance and chlorophyll-a estimated through fluorometry as a proxy for testate amoeba food.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!