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Spatiotemporal variations in the abundances of the prokaryotic rRNA genes, pmoA, and mcrA in the deep layers of a peat bog in Sarobetsu-genya wetland, Japan

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Abstract

Spatiotemporal variations in microbial gene abundances were investigated to identify potential zones of methanotroph and methanogen biomass in a peat bog in Sarobetsu-genya wetland. The abundances of the bacterial and archaeal 16S rRNA genes, pmoA, and mcrA were 107–109, 107–108, 104–106, and 104–107 copies g−1 dry peat, respectively. Correlation analysis based on microbial gene abundances and environmental factors showed that the spatiotemporal distributions of the abundances of the four microbial genes in peat layers were similar. The mcrA abundance showed a significant negative correlation with the dissolved organic carbon content and a significant positive correlation with the peat temperature. The pmoA abundance was not detectable during the spring thaw when the lowest peat temperature at a depth of 50 cm was recorded. At a depth of 200 cm, the peat temperature exceeded 6°C throughout the year, and the mcrA abundance exceeded 104 copies g−1 dry peat. These results indicate that the seasonal microbial activity related to methane should be evaluated in not only the shallow but also the deep peat layers in order to elucidate the methane dynamics in boreal wetlands.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) of Japan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Horonobe Research Institute for the Subsurface Environment, Northern Advancement Center for Science and Technology, 5-3 Sakaemachi, Horonobe-cho, Hokkaido, 098-3221, Japan

    Masaru Akiyama, Satoru Shimizu, Toshiaki Sakai, Seiichiro Ioka & Yoji Ishijima

  2. Graduate School of Biosphere Science, Hiroshima University, 1-4-4 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, 739-8528, Japan

    Takeshi Naganuma

  3. Geoscience Research Laboratory Co., Ltd., 1794 Kamiwada, Yamato, Kanagawa, 242-0014, Japan

    Masaru Akiyama

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  1. Masaru Akiyama
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  2. Satoru Shimizu
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Correspondence to Masaru Akiyama.

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Akiyama, M., Shimizu, S., Sakai, T. et al. Spatiotemporal variations in the abundances of the prokaryotic rRNA genes, pmoA, and mcrA in the deep layers of a peat bog in Sarobetsu-genya wetland, Japan. Limnology 12, 1–9 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10201-010-0315-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10201-010-0315-3

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