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Biological Soil Crusts of Sand Dunes in Cape Cod National Seashore, Massachusetts, USA

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Abstract

Biological soil crusts cover hundreds of hectares of sand dunes at the northern tip of Cape Cod National Seashore (Massachusetts, USA). Although the presence of crusts in this habitat has long been recognized, neither the organisms nor their ecological roles have been described. In this study, we report on the microbial community composition of crusts from this region and describe several of their physical and chemical attributes that bear on their environmental role. Microscopic and molecular analyses revealed that eukaryotic green algae belonging to the genera Klebsormidium or Geminella formed the bulk of the material sampled. Phylogenetic reconstruction of partial 16S rDNA sequences obtained from denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) fingerprints also revealed the presence of bacterial populations related to the subclass of the Proteobacteria, the newly described phylum Geothrix/Holophaga/Acidobacterium, the Cytophaga/Flavobacterium/Bacteroides group, and spirochetes. The presence of these crusts had significant effects on the hydric properties and nutrient status of the natural substrate. Although biological soil crusts are known to occur in dune environments around the world, this study enhances our knowledge of their geographic distribution and suggests a potential ecological role for crust communities in this landscape.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Park Service, Cape Cod National Seashore. Analyses conducted by Ferran Garcia-Pichel were supported by a grant from NSF’s Biotic Surveys and Inventories Program. The authors acknowledge the services of Debra L. Nieuwenhuis of Water’s Edge Scientific LLC (Wisconsin, USA), who provided independent microscopic analyses of our samples.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Park Service Cape Cod National Seashore, 99 Marconi Site Road, Wellfleet, Massachusetts, 02667, USA

    S.M. Smith

  2. Max-Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Celsiusstrasse 1, D-28359, Bremen, Germany

    R.M.M. Abed

  3. School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 852287, USA

    F. Gercia-Pichel

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  3. F. Gercia-Pichel
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Smith, S., Abed, R. & Gercia-Pichel, F. Biological Soil Crusts of Sand Dunes in Cape Cod National Seashore, Massachusetts, USA. Microb Ecol 48, 200–208 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-004-0254-9

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