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Effects of pioneering plants on microbial structures and functions in a glacier forefield

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Abstract

This study investigates the small-scale spatial impact of the pioneering plant Leucanthemopsis alpina (L.) Heywood (L. alpina) on biological and chemical–physical parameters in an early successional stage of a glacier forefield. Considering the frequent occurrence of isolated patches of this pioneer plant in the forefield of the Dammaglacier (Switzerland), we hypothesized that the impact of the plant would establish gradients in nutrients, and microbial community structure and activity that may be of importance for the successional processes occurring in the forefield. Our results indicated that, in young successional soils, the rhizosphere effect of L. alpina plant patches can influence bacterial cell numbers and activities not only within the root zone, but even at 20 cm distance from the plant. Microbial cell counts, active cells, and saccharase, glucosidase, and acid phosphatase activities revealed significant distance effects, decreasing from soil directly underneath the plant to soils at 20 and 40 cm distance. Soil chemical and physical parameters did not exhibit significant trends. Fingerprinting analysis of amplified 16S rDNA fragments was used to characterize the microbial community. A selective effect of the plant on the microbial community could not be shown because the bacterial communities were similar regardless of distance to the plant.

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Author notes

  1. Ivan Edwards

    Present address: School of Natural Resources and Environment, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-1041, USA

  2. Helmut Bürgmann

    Present address: Centre of Ecology, Evolution and Biogeochemistry, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Eawag, 6047, Kastanienbaum, Switzerland

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich), Universitätstrasse 16, CH-8092, Zurich, Switzerland

    Ciro Miniaci, Laurence Duc & Josef Zeyer

  2. Institute of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, A-6020, Innsbruck, Austria

    Michael Bunge

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  1. Ciro Miniaci
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  2. Michael Bunge
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  3. Laurence Duc
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  4. Ivan Edwards
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  5. Helmut Bürgmann
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  6. Josef Zeyer
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Correspondence to Ciro Miniaci.

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Miniaci, C., Bunge, M., Duc, L. et al. Effects of pioneering plants on microbial structures and functions in a glacier forefield. Biol Fertil Soils 44, 289–297 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-007-0203-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-007-0203-0

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