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Effects of seasonal variations on soil microbial community composition of two typical zonal vegetation types in the Wuyi Mountains

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Abstract

Seasonal shifts play an important role in soil microbial community composition. This study examined the hypothesis that soil microbial community structure would vary with seasonal shifts in the Wuyi Mountains in Southeast China, and that two representative tree species (Castanopisi carlesii and Cunninghamia lanceolata) may have different soil microbial community composition. Phospholipids fatty acid analysis (PLFA) was used to assess the effect of seasonal shifts and vegetation types on soil microbial community structure. A total of 22 different PLFAs were identified from all the soil samples. The bacterial PLFAs accounted for 62.37% of the total PLFAs, followed by fungi (28.94%), and the minimum was actinomycetes (6.41%). Overall, the level of PLFAs in C. carlesii soil was greater than those in C. lanceolata soil, and significant differences were observed in some seasons. The amounts of total, bacteria, actinomycic and fungal PLFAs significantly changed with the seasons and followed a sequence order (summer > autumn > spring > winter). The bacteria/fungi PLFAs and G (+) /G (-) PLFAs of two vegetation types also changed with the seasons and the ratios in summer and autumn were higher than those in spring and winter. The correlation analysis of microbial PLFAs and soil physicochemical properties showed that the total, bacteria, fungal, actinomycic, G (+) and G (-) PLFAs were significantly positive correlation with TOC, TN, TP, TK and moisture content. We concluded that the seasonal shifts and vegetation types affect soil microbial community composition by changing the soil physicochemical properties.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Life Sciences College of Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China

    Ze-yan Wu, Wen-xiong Lin, Jian-juan Li, Lin-kun Wu, Chang-xun Fang & Zhi-xing Zhang

  2. Ecological Complexity and Modeling Laboratory, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, 92507, USA

    Ze-yan Wu & Bai-lian Li

  3. Forestry College of Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China

    Jin-fu Liu

  4. Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Agroecological Processing and Safety Monitoring, School of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China

    Ze-yan Wu, Wen-xiong Lin, Lin-kun Wu, Chang-xun Fang & Zhi-xing Zhang

  5. Key Laboratory of Crop Ecology and Molecular Physiology (Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University), Fujian Province University, Fuzhou, 350002, China

    Ze-yan Wu, Wen-xiong Lin, Lin-kun Wu, Chang-xun Fang & Zhi-xing Zhang

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  1. Ze-yan Wu
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Correspondence to Wen-xiong Lin.

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Wu, Zy., Lin, Wx., Li, Jj. et al. Effects of seasonal variations on soil microbial community composition of two typical zonal vegetation types in the Wuyi Mountains. J. Mt. Sci. 13, 1056–1065 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-015-3599-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11629-015-3599-2

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