| Autor: |
Cowan DA; Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa., Cary SC; School of Biological Sciences, University of Waikato, Hamilton 3216, New Zealand., DiRuggiero J; Departments of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.; Departments of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA., Eckardt F; Department of Environmental and Geographical Science, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7701, South Africa., Ferrari B; School of Biotechnology and Biological Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia., Hopkins DW; Scotland's Rural College, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK., Lebre PH; Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa., Maggs-Kölling G; Gobabeb-Namib Research Institute, Walvis Bay 13013, Namibia., Pointing SB; Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117558, Singapore., Ramond JB; Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa.; Departamento Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7820436, Chile., Tribbia D; School of Biotechnology and Biological Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia., Warren-Rhodes K; NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA. |
| Abstrakt: |
Water availability is the dominant driver of microbial community structure and function in desert soils. However, these habitats typically only receive very infrequent large-scale water inputs (e.g., from precipitation and/or run-off). In light of recent studies, the paradigm that desert soil microorganisms are largely dormant under xeric conditions is questionable. Gene expression profiling of microbial communities in desert soils suggests that many microbial taxa retain some metabolic functionality, even under severely xeric conditions. It, therefore, follows that other, less obvious sources of water may sustain the microbial cellular and community functionality in desert soil niches. Such sources include a range of precipitation and condensation processes, including rainfall, snow, dew, fog, and nocturnal distillation, all of which may vary quantitatively depending on the location and geomorphological characteristics of the desert ecosystem. Other more obscure sources of bioavailable water may include groundwater-derived water vapour, hydrated minerals, and metabolic hydro-genesis. Here, we explore the possible sources of bioavailable water in the context of microbial survival and function in xeric desert soils. With global climate change projected to have profound effects on both hot and cold deserts, we also explore the potential impacts of climate-induced changes in water availability on soil microbiomes in these extreme environments. |
