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Determining the Microbial Bioindicators of Phosphorus Limitation in an Eastern Deciduous Forest

Mason, Laura M
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1532011166794737

Abstract Details

2018, Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, Plant Biology (Arts and Sciences).
Nitrogen deposition has increased the nitrogen content in soils in the unglaciated Allegheny plateau maybe to the point of saturation, which can limit the availability of phosphorus in the acidic, low-phosphorus soils of this region. The soil microbial community plays a critical role in increasing phosphorus availability through the secretion of phosphorus-acquiring extracellular enzymes to “mine” for organic phosphorus. However, there is a lack of fine-scale data on the community members that are directly involved in the mining of phosphorus, e.g. the microbial bioindicators of low-phosphorus soils. In this study, I used data generated in 2014 from the pyrosequencing of the soil microbial community present in an Eastern deciduous forest to determine if there are any observable microbial bioindicators of low-phosphorus availability. Conversely, if there are no candidate bioindicators, I hypothesized that phosphorus mining is a common trait among the soil microbial community. To test these hypotheses, fungal and bacterial DNA was extracted from a long-term research site in the unglaciated Allegheny Plateau. Since 2009, naturally acidic, low-phosphorus soils were fertilized with a phosphate fertilizer to directly increase phosphorus availability and lime to raise pH and indirectly increase phosphorus availability. Metagenomic community analysis revealed several candidate bioindicators of low-phosphorus availability and potential miners of recalcitrant phosphorus, as well as candidate bioindicators of phosphorus abundance.
Jared DeForest (Advisor)
Sarah Wyatt (Committee Member)
Erin Murphy (Committee Member)
67 p.
Microbiology; Soil Sciences
Soil microbial ecology; microbial community ecology; ITS; 16S; QIIME; Phosphorus

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Mason, L. M. (2018). Determining the Microbial Bioindicators of Phosphorus Limitation in an Eastern Deciduous Forest [Master's thesis, Ohio University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1532011166794737

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Mason, Laura. Determining the Microbial Bioindicators of Phosphorus Limitation in an Eastern Deciduous Forest. 2018. Ohio University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1532011166794737.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Mason, Laura. "Determining the Microbial Bioindicators of Phosphorus Limitation in an Eastern Deciduous Forest." Master's thesis, Ohio University, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1532011166794737

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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© 2018, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Ohio University and OhioLINK.