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Soil Microbial Diversity in the Vicinity of a Negev Desert Shrub—Reaumuria negevensis

  • Soil Microbiology
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Abstract

The Negev Desert is characterized by low soil–water availability and organic matter content, as well as important factors significantly influencing soil biological activity. In order to overcome the xeric environment, plant and soil biota have evolutionarily developed, over time, ecophysiological abilities that help them fulfill their biological role and function. Microorganisms are known as a major part of the ecosystem’s total biomass and play an important role in decomposition processes and the nutrient cycle. Perennial shrubs have been found to play an important role as organic matter suppliers and as a physical barrier prolonging biological activity of microbial communities. Soil samples were collected monthly, from November 2006 to November 2007, from a 0 to 10-cm depth under the canopies of Reaumuria negevensis and from open areas (control) in order to evaluate abiotic components and microbial variables on a temporal basis. H′ values, evenness, and β diversity (Sørensen’s similarity) were determined by a molecular method based on sequencing. Water availability, organic matter content, and total soluble nitrogen were higher in soil samples collected in the vicinity of R. negevensis than in samples collected in open areas. Our study also indicated that, in spite of the similarity between H′ values of soil samples collected in the vicinity of R. negevensis and the open area, a low percentage of similarity was found between the soil bacterial populations. These results support the hypothesis that distribution of resources in the environment under R. negevensis shrubs varies in space and time and also influences soil microbial diversity and the abiotic environmental role.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Dr. Dror Minz; his students Lilach Iasur, Hila Elifantz, and Patricia Bucki; and Dr. Einav Mayzlish-Gati for consultation and guidance. Thanks also go to Ms. Sharon Victor for her suggestions and language editing and Dr. Orit Shaul for providing necessary equipment.

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  1. The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 52900, Israel

    Vered Saul-Tcherkas & Yosef Steinberger

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  1. Vered Saul-Tcherkas
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  2. Yosef Steinberger
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Correspondence to Yosef Steinberger.

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This paper is dedicated to the loving memory of Saul Saul (father of V.S-T.)

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Saul-Tcherkas, V., Steinberger, Y. Soil Microbial Diversity in the Vicinity of a Negev Desert Shrub—Reaumuria negevensis . Microb Ecol 61, 64–81 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-010-9763-x

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