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The soil and plant determinants of community structures of the dominant actinobacteria in Marion Island terrestrial habitats, Sub-Antarctica

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Abstract

Marion Island is a Sub-Antarctic island made up of distinct ecological habitats based on soil physiochemical, plant cover and physical characteristics. The microbial diversity and ecological determinants in this harsh Sub-Antarctic environment are largely uncharacterized. Actinobacteria have diverse ecological functions related to soil and plant functioning. This study was aimed at characterizing the diversity and community structures of the dominant actinobacteria in the distinct habitats and to identify their determinant soil and plant characteristics. Using the 16S rRNA gene, the denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis patterns and clone library diversity were correlated with the soil and plant characteristics. Multivariate statistical methods were also used to identify determinant soil and plant characteristics. Salinity and pH were the most important soil determinants, and a number of important site-specific plant species may have been important. The Coastal Fellfield Habitat was dominated by sequences of the suborders Micrococcineae (44%) and Propionibacterineae (18%), with salinity identified as the principal determinant. The Cotula Herbfield Habitat was dominated by Frankineae (37%) and Streptosporangineae (38%), which were correlated with organic nutrient concentrations. The Wet Mire Habitat was dominated by Acidimicrobineae (61%), with moisture and organic carbon content as principal components. Culture-dependent studies were complementary to culture-independent studies with the majority of actinobacteria isolated not identified in 16S rRNA gene clone libraries. This study demonstrates how the soil physiochemical characteristics and plant species independently determine the community structures of the dominant actinobacteria in distinct ecological habitats. These factors subsequently influence their ecological adaptation, roles and functions.

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully thank the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa for funding this PhD work under the (SANAP) programme. We would also like to thank Maphefo Wendy Sekgota for helping with the isolation of actinobacteria and Marla Tuffin for editing the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Microbial Biotechnology and Metagenomics, University of Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville, 7535, South Africa

    Tendai Walter Sanyika & Don A. Cowan

  2. Natural Resources and the Environment, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, 11 Jan Celliers Str., Stellenbosch, 7600, South Africa

    William Stafford

  3. Department of Biochemistry, University of Zimbabwe, P.O. Box MP, Harare, Zimbabwe

    Tendai Walter Sanyika

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  1. Tendai Walter Sanyika
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Correspondence to Tendai Walter Sanyika.

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Sanyika, T.W., Stafford, W. & Cowan, D.A. The soil and plant determinants of community structures of the dominant actinobacteria in Marion Island terrestrial habitats, Sub-Antarctica. Polar Biol 35, 1129–1141 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-012-1160-0

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