Soil Cyanobacterial and Microalgal Diversity in Dry Mountains of Ladakh, NW Himalaya, as Related to Site, Altitude, and Vegetation

0364927 - BÚ 2012 RIV US eng J - Journal Article
Řeháková, Klára - Chlumská, Zuzana - Doležal, Jiří
Soil Cyanobacterial and Microalgal Diversity in Dry Mountains of Ladakh, NW Himalaya, as Related to Site, Altitude, and Vegetation.
Microbial Ecology. Roč. 62, č. 2 (2011), 337-346. ISSN 0095-3628. E-ISSN 1432-184X
R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA600050802
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60050516
Keywords : phototrophic microbial community * Ladakh * soil
Subject RIV: EF - Botanics
Impact factor: 2.912, year: 2011

Phototrophs were identified in all collected samples, and phototroph biovolume ranged from 0.08 to 0.32 mm3 g−1 dry weight. The dominant component was cyanobacteria, which represented 70.9% to 98.6% of the biovolume. Cyanobacterial species richness was low in that only 28 morphotypes were detected. The biovolume of Oscillatoriales consisted mainly of Phormidium spp. and Microcoleus vaginatus. The environmental factors accounted for 43.8% of the total variability in microbial and soil data, 20.6% of which was explained solely by mountain range, 7.0% by altitude, and 8.4% by vegetation type. Oscillatoriales prevailed in alpine meadows (which had relatively high organic matter and fine soil texture), while Nostocales dominated in the subnival zone and screes. Eukaryotic microalgae together with cyanobacteria in the order Chroococcales were mostly present in the subnival zone.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0200287