Temperature-driven adaptation of the bacterial community in peat measured by using thymidine and leucine incorporation

Temperature Adaptation of Aquatic Bacterial Community Growth Is Faster in Response to Rising than to Falling Temperature

Bacteria are key organisms in energy and nutrient cycles, and predicting the effects of temperature change on bacterial activity is important in assessing global change effects. A changing in situ temperature will affect the temperature adaptation of bacterial growth in lake water, both long term in response to global change, and short term in response to seasonal variations. The rate of adaptation may, however, depend on whether temperature is increasing or decreasing, since bacterial growth and turnover scale with temperature. Temperature adaptation was studied for winter (in situ temperature 2.5 °C) and summer communities (16.5 °C) from a temperate lake in Southern Sweden by exposing them to a temperature treatment gradient between 0 and 30 °C in ~ 5 °C increments. This resulted mainly in a temperature increase for the winter and a decrease for the summer community. Temperature adaptation of bacterial community growth was estimated as leucine incorporation using a temperature Sensitivity Index (SI, log growth at 35 °C/4 °C), where higher values indicate adaptation to higher temperatures. High treatment temperatures resulted in higher SI within days for the winter community, resulting in an expected level of community adaptation within 2 weeks. Adaptation for the summer community was also correlated to treatment temperature, but the rate of adaption was slower. Even after 5 weeks, the bacterial community had not fully adapted to the lowest temperature conditions. Thus, during periods of increasing temperature, the bacterial community will rapidly adapt to function optimally, while decreasing temperature may result in long periods of non-optimal functioning.

Seasonal variation in temperature sensitivity of bacterial growth in a temperate soil and lake

Faster bacterial biomass turnover is expected in water compared to soil, which would result in more rapid community adaption to changing environmental conditions, including temperature. Bacterial community adaptation for growth is therefore predicted to have larger seasonal amplitudes in lakes than in soil. To test this prediction, we compared the seasonal variation in temperature adaptation of bacterial community growth in a soil and lake in Southern Sweden (Tin situ 0-20°C, mean 10°C) during 1.5 years, based on monthly samplings including two winters and summers. An indicator of community adaptation, minimum temperature for growth (Tmin), was calculated from bacterial growth measurements (Leu incorporation) using the Ratkowsky model. The seasonal variation in Tmin (sinusoidal function, R2 = 0.71) was most pronounced for the lake bacterial community, with an amplitude for Tmin of 3.0°C (-4.5 to -10.5°C) compared to 0.6°C (-7 to -8°C) for the soil. Thus, Tmin in water increased by 0.32°C/degree change of Tin situ. Similar differences were also found when comparing four lakes and soils in the winter and summer (amplitudes 2.9°C and 0.9°C for lakes and soils, respectively). Thus, seasonal variation in temperature adaptation has to be taken into account in lakes, while for soils a constant Tmin can be used.

Optimal growth temperature of Arctic soil bacterial communities increases under experimental warming

Future climate warming in the Arctic will likely increase the vulnerability of soil carbon stocks to microbial decomposition. However, it remains uncertain to what extent decomposition rates will change in a warmer Arctic, because extended soil warming could induce temperature adaptation of bacterial communities. Here we show that experimental warming induces shifts in the temperature-growth relationships of bacterial communities, which is driven by community turnover and is common across a diverse set of 8 (sub) Arctic soils. The optimal growth temperature (T_opt ) of the soil bacterial communities increased 0.27 ± 0.039 (SE) and 0.07 ± 0.028°C per °C of warming over a 0-30°C gradient, depending on the sampling moment. We identify a potential role for substrate depletion and time-lag effects as drivers of temperature adaption in soil bacterial communities, which possibly explain discrepancies between earlier incubation and field studies. The changes in T_opt were accompanied by species-level shifts in bacterial community composition, which were mostly soil specific. Despite the clear physiological responses to warming, there was no evidence for a common set of temperature-responsive bacterial amplicon sequence variants. This implies that community composition data without accompanying physiological measurements may have limited utility for the identification of (potential) temperature adaption of soil bacterial communities in the Arctic. Since bacterial communities in Arctic soils are likely to adapt to increasing soil temperature under future climate change, this adaptation to higher temperature should be implemented in soil organic carbon modeling for accurate predictions of the dynamics of Arctic soil carbon stocks.

Decreased growth of wild soil microbes after 15 years of transplant-induced warming in a montane meadow

The carbon stored in soil exceeds that of plant biomass and atmospheric carbon and its stability can impact global climate. Growth of decomposer microorganisms mediates both the accrual and loss of soil carbon. Growth is sensitive to temperature and given the vast biological diversity of soil microorganisms, the response of decomposer growth rates to warming may be strongly idiosyncratic, varying among taxa, making ecosystem predictions difficult. Here, we show that 15 years of warming by transplanting plant-soil mesocosms down in elevation, strongly reduced the growth rates of soil microorganisms, measured in the field using undisturbed soil. The magnitude of the response to warming varied among microbial taxa. However, the direction of the response-reduced growth-was universal and warming explained twofold more variation than did the sum of taxonomic identity and its interaction with warming. For this ecosystem, most of the growth responses to warming could be explained without taxon-specific information, suggesting that in some cases microbial responses measured in aggregate may be adequate for climate modeling. Long-term experimental warming also reduced soil carbon content, likely a consequence of a warming-induced increase in decomposition, as warming-induced changes in plant productivity were negligible. The loss of soil carbon and decreased microbial biomass with warming may explain the reduced growth of the microbial community, more than the direct effects of temperature on growth. These findings show that direct and indirect effects of long-term warming can reduce growth rates of soil microbes, which may have important feedbacks to global warming.

Sulfidic acetate mineralization at 45°C by an aquifer microbial community: key players and effects of heat changes on activity and community structure

High-Temperature Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (HT-ATES) is a sustainable approach for integrating thermal energy from various sources into complex energy systems. Temperatures ≥45°C, which are relevant in impact zones of HT-ATES systems, may dramatically influence the structure and activities of indigenous aquifer microbial communities. Here, we characterized an acetate-mineralizing, sulfate-reducing microbial community derived from an aquifer and adapted to 45°C. Acetate mineralization was strongly inhibited at temperatures ≤25°C and 60°C. Prolonged incubation at 12°C and 25°C resulted in acetate mineralization recovery after 40-80 days whereas acetate was not mineralized at 60°C within 100 days. Cultures pre-grown at 45°C and inhibited for 28 days by incubation at 12°C, 25°C, or 60°C recovered quickly after changing the temperature back to 45°C. Phylotypes affiliated to the order Spirochaetales and to endospore-forming sulfate reducers of the order Clostridiales were highly abundant in microcosms being active at 45°C highlighting their key role. In summary, prolonged incubation at 45°C resulted in active microbial communities mainly consisting of organisms adapted to temperatures between the typical temperature range of mesophiles and thermophiles and being resilient to temporary heat changes.

Exploring Temperature-Related Effects in Catch Crop Net N Mineralization Outside of First-Order Kinetics

Catch crops are an effective method for reducing nitrogen (N) leaching in agriculture, but the mineralization of incorporated catch crop residue N is difficult to predict and model. We conducted a five-month incubation experiment using fresh residue from three catch crops (hairy vetch, fodder radish and ryegrass) with three temperature treatments (2 °C, 15 °C and 2–15 °C variable temperature) and two termination methods (glyphosate and untreated). Mineral N (ammonium and nitrate) in soil was quantified at 0, 1, 2, 4, 8 and 20 weeks of incubation. Ammonium accumulation from residue decomposition showed a lag at low and variable temperature, but subsequent nitrification of the ammonium did not. Mineral N accumulation over time changed from exponential to sigmoidal mode at low and variable temperature. Incubation temperature significantly affected mineralization rates in a first-order kinetics (FOK) model, while plant type and termination method did not. Plant type alone had a significant effect on the final mineralized fraction of added catch crop N. FOK models modified to accommodate an initial lag were fitted to the incubation results and produced better goodness-of-fit statistics than simple FOK. We suggest that initial lags in residue decomposition should be investigated for the benefit of mineralization predictions in cropping models.

Temperature adaptation of soil microbial respiration in alpine, boreal and tropical soils: An application of the square root (Ratkowsky) model

Warming is expected to stimulate soil microbial respiration triggering a positive soil carbon-climate feedback loop while a consensus remains elusive regarding the magnitude of this feedback. This is partly due to our limited understanding of the temperature-adaptive response of soil microbial respiration, especially over broad climatic scales. We used the square root (Ratkowsky) model to calculate the minimum temperature for soil microbial respiration (T_min , which describes the temperature adaptation of soil microbial respiration) of 298 soil samples from alpine grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau and forest ecosystems across China with a mean annual temperature (MAT) range from -6°C to +25°C. The instantaneous soil microbial respiration was determined between 4°C and 28°C. The square root model could well fit the temperature effect on soil microbial respiration for each individual soil, with R² higher than 0.98 for all soils. T_min ranged from -8.1°C to -0.1°C and increased linearly with increasing MAT (R²  = 0.68). MAT dominantly regulated T_min variation when accounting simultaneously for multiple other drivers (mean annual precipitation, soil pH and carbon quality); an independent experiment showed that carbon availability had no significant effect on T_min . Using the relationship between T_min and MAT, soil microbial respiration after an increased MAT could be estimated, resulting in a relative increase in respiration with decreasing MAT. Thus, soil microbial respiration responses are adapted to long-term temperature differences in MAT. We suggest that T_min  = -5 + 0.2 × MAT, that is, every 1°C rise in MAT is estimated to increase T_min of respiration by approximately 0.2°C, could be used as a first approximation to incorporate temperature adaptation of soil microbial respiration in model predictions. Our results can be used to predict future changes in the response of soil microbial respiration to temperature over different levels of warming and across broad geographic scales with different MAT.

Temperature effects on N2O production pathways in temperate forest soils

Nitrous oxide (N₂O) is an important greenhouse gas and contributes to stratospheric ozone depletion. Increasing temperature generally exerts a positive effect on soil N₂O production. However, not much is known on the temperature influence on individual N₂O production pathways. In this study, both laboratory ¹⁵N labelling experiments with an incubation temperature gradient (35 °C, 25 °C, 15 °C, 5 °C) and field ¹⁵N labelling experiments carried out in different seasons were conducted in Korean pine forest (KF) and Redwood coniferous forest (RF) soils. The results showed that the contribution of denitrification was positively correlated with temperature in KF and negatively correlated with temperature in RF, while their N₂O production rates via denitrification (N₂O_d) all declined with decreasing temperature. The contribution of autotrophic nitrification in KF ranged from 11% to 21%, while the contribution in RF significantly increased with decreasing temperature (P < 0.05). However, the N₂O production rates via autotrophic nitrification process (N₂O_a) were significantly and positively correlated with incubation temperature (P < 0.05). In addition, the contribution of heterotrophic nitrification to N₂O production showed a negative and positive relation with increasing temperature in KF and RF, respectively. Whereas, the N₂O production rates via heterotrophic nitrification (N₂O_h) showed a significantly positive correlation with temperature (P < 0.05), but a negative relation with gross heterotrophic nitrification rates. The results in the field experiments corresponded to the laboratory results, indicating that the methods applied in field experiments were suitable for the estimation and prediction of in situ N₂O production. The response of calculated N₂O production rates to seasonal temperature in KF during the year of 2015-2017 also confirmed the suitability of the field research methods. This novel in situ technique to determine N₂O production in temperate forest soils should be validated for other ecosystems.

Microbial Degradation of Forensic Samples of Biological Origin: Potential Threat to Human DNA Typing

Forensic biology is a sub-discipline of biological science with an amalgam of other branches of science used in the criminal justice system. Any nucleated cell/tissue harbouring DNA, either live or dead, can be used as forensic exhibits, a source of investigation through DNA typing. These biological materials of human origin are rich source of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, trace elements as well as water and, thus, provide a virtuous milieu for the growth of microbes. The obstinate microbial growth augments the degradation process and is amplified with the passage of time and improper storage of the biological materials. Degradation of these biological materials carriages a huge challenge in the downstream processes of forensic DNA typing technique, such as short tandem repeats (STR) DNA typing. Microbial degradation yields improper or no PCR amplification, heterozygous peak imbalance, DNA contamination from non-human sources, degradation of DNA by microbial by-products, etc. Consequently, the most precise STR DNA typing technique is nullified and definite opinion can be hardly given with degraded forensic exhibits. Thus, suitable precautionary measures should be taken for proper storage and processing of the biological exhibits to minimize their decaying process by micro-organisms.

The responses of microbial temperature relationships to seasonal change and winter warming in a temperate grassland

Microorganisms dominate the decomposition of organic matter and their activities are strongly influenced by temperature. As the carbon (C) flux from soil to the atmosphere due to microbial activity is substantial, understanding temperature relationships of microbial processes is critical. It has been shown that microbial temperature relationships in soil correlate with the climate, and microorganisms in field experiments become more warm-tolerant in response to chronic warming. It is also known that microbial temperature relationships reflect the seasons in aquatic ecosystems, but to date this has not been investigated in soil. Although climate change predictions suggest that temperatures will be mostly affected during winter in temperate ecosystems, no assessments exist of the responses of microbial temperature relationships to winter warming. We investigated the responses of the temperature relationships of bacterial growth, fungal growth, and respiration in a temperate grassland to seasonal change, and to 2 years' winter warming. The warming treatments increased winter soil temperatures by 5-6°C, corresponding to 3°C warming of the mean annual temperature. Microbial temperature relationships and temperature sensitivities (Q₁₀ ) could be accurately established, but did not respond to winter warming or to seasonal temperature change, despite significant shifts in the microbial community structure. The lack of response to winter warming that we demonstrate, and the strong response to chronic warming treatments previously shown, together suggest that it is the peak annual soil temperature that influences the microbial temperature relationships, and that temperatures during colder seasons will have little impact. Thus, mean annual temperatures are poor predictors for microbial temperature relationships. Instead, the intensity of summer heat-spells in temperate systems is likely to shape the microbial temperature relationships that govern the soil-atmosphere C exchange.

Temperature sensitivity of soil microbial activity modeled by the square root equation as a unifying model to differentiate between direct temperature effects and microbial community adaptation

Numerous models have been used to express the temperature sensitivity of microbial growth and activity in soil making it difficult to compare results from different habitats. Q10 still is one of the most common ways to express temperature relationships. However, Q10 is not constant with temperature and will differ depending on the temperature interval used for the calculation. The use of the square root (Ratkowsky) relationship between microbial activity (A) and temperature below optimum temperature, √A = a × (T-T_min ), is proposed as a simple and adequate model that allow for one descriptor, T_min (a theoretical minimum temperature for growth and activity), to estimate correct Q10-values over the entire in situ temperature interval. The square root model can adequately describe both microbial growth and respiration, allowing for an easy determination of T_min . Q10 for any temperature interval can then be calculated by Q10 = [(T + 10 - T_min )/(T-T_min )]² , where T is the lowest temperature in the Q10 comparison. T_min also describes the temperature adaptation of the microbial community. An envelope of T_min covering most natural soil habitats varying between -15°C (cold habitats like Antarctica/Arctic) to 0°C (tropical habitats like rain forests and deserts) is suggested, with an 0.3°C increase in T_min per 1°C increase in mean annual temperature. It is shown that the main difference between common temperature relationships used in global models is differences in the assumed temperature adaptation of the soil microbial community. The use of the square root equation will allow for one descriptor, T_min , determining the temperature response of soil microorganisms, and at the same time allow for comparing temperature sensitivity of microbial activity between habitats, including future projections.

Shifts in microbial trophic strategy explain different temperature sensitivity of CO2 flux under constant and diurnally varying temperature regimes

Understanding soil CO2 flux temperature sensitivity (Q10) is critical for predicting ecosystem-level responses to climate change. Yet, the effects of warming on microbial CO2 respiration still remain poorly understood under current Earth system models, partly as a result of thermal acclimation of organic matter decomposition. We conducted a 117-day incubation experiment under constant and diurnally varying temperature treatments based on four forest soils varying in vegetation stand and soil horizon. Our results showed that Q10 was greater under varying than constant temperature regimes. This distinction was most likely attributed to differences in the depletion of available carbon between constant high and varying high-temperature treatments, resulting in significantly higher rates of heterotrophic respiration in the varying high-temperature regime. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing data using Illumina, the varying high-temperature regime harbored higher prokaryotic alpha-diversity, was more dominated by the copiotrophic strategists and sustained a distinct community composition, in comparison to the constant-high treatment. We found a tightly coupled relationship between Q10 and microbial trophic guilds: the copiotrophic prokaryotes responded positively with high Q10 values, while the oligotrophs showed a negative response. Effects of vegetation stand and soil horizon consistently supported that the copiotrophic vs oligotrophic strategists determine the thermal sensitivity of CO2 flux. Our observations suggest that incorporating prokaryotic functional traits, such as shifts between copiotrophy and oligotrophy, is fundamental to our understanding of thermal acclimation of microbially mediated soil organic carbon cycling. Inclusion of microbial functional shifts may provide the potential to improve our projections of responses in microbial community and CO2 efflux to a changing environment in forest ecosystems.

Making soy sauce from defatted soybean meal without the mejus process by submerged cultivation using thermophilic bacteria

The diversity of thermophilic bacteria was not significantly altered while growing in a defatted soybean meal (DFSM) slurry at 60 °C for 10, 20, and 30 days. Five species of thermophilic bacteria, which belong to the genera Aeribacillus (temperature gradient gel electrophoresis [TGGE] band no. 1), Saccharococcus (TGGE band no. 2), Geobacillus (TGGE band no. 3), Bacillus (TGGE band no. 4), and Anoxybacillus (TGGE band no. 5), were detected in the fermenting DFSM slurry. The cell-free culture fluid obtained from the fermenting DFSM slurry on day 14 hydrolyzed starch and soy protein at 60 °C but not at 30 °C. Soy sauce (test soy sauce) was prepared from the fermented DFSM slurry after a 30 day cultivation at 60 °C and a 60 day ripening at 45 °C. Free amino acid (AA) and organic acid contents in the soy sauce increased in proportion to the fermentation period, whereas ammonium decreased proportionally. Mg and Ca contained in the soy sauce decreased proportionally during fermentation and were lower than those in the non-fermented DFSM extract (control). Spectral absorbance of soy sauce prepared from the fermented DFSM slurry was maximal at 430 nm and increased slightly in proportion to the fermentation period. The aroma and flavor of the test soy sauce were significantly different from those of traditional Korean soy sauce. Conclusively, soy sauce may be prepared directly from the fermented DFSM slurry without meju-preparing process and fermentation period may be a factor for control of soy sauce quality.

Thermal adaptation of decomposer communities in warming soils

Temperature regulates the rate of biogeochemical cycles. One way it does so is through control of microbial metabolism. Warming effects on metabolism change with time as physiology adjusts to the new temperature. I here propose that such thermal adaptation is observed in soil microbial respiration and growth, as the result of universal evolutionary trade-offs between the structure and function of both enzymes and membranes. I review the basis for these trade-offs and show that they, like substrate depletion, are plausible mechanisms explaining soil respiration responses to warming. I argue that controversies over whether soil microbes adapt to warming stem from disregarding the evolutionary physiology of cellular metabolism, and confusion arising from the term thermal acclimation to represent phenomena at the organism- and ecosystem-levels with different underlying mechanisms. Measurable physiological adjustments of the soil microbial biomass reflect shifts from colder- to warmer-adapted taxa. Hypothesized declines in the growth efficiency of soil microbial biomass under warming are controversial given limited data and a weak theoretical basis. I suggest that energy spilling (aka waste metabolism) is a more plausible mechanism for efficiency declines than the commonly invoked increase in maintenance-energy demands. Energy spilling has many fitness benefits for microbes and its response to climate warming is uncertain. Modeled responses of soil carbon to warming are sensitive to microbial growth efficiency, but declines in efficiency mitigate warming-induced carbon losses in microbial models and exacerbate them in conventional models. Both modeling structures assume that microbes regulate soil carbon turnover, highlighting the need for a third structure where microbes are not regulators. I conclude that microbial physiology must be considered if we are to have confidence in projected feedbacks between soil carbon stocks, atmospheric CO₂, and climate change.

Temperature responses of carbon monoxide and hydrogen uptake by vegetated and unvegetated volcanic cinders

Ecosystem succession on a large deposit of volcanic cinders emplaced on Kilauea Volcano in 1959 has resulted in a mosaic of closed-canopy forested patches and contiguous unvegetated patches. Unvegetated and unshaded surface cinders (Bare) experience substantial diurnal temperature oscillations ranging from moderate (16 °C) to extreme (55 °C) conditions. The surface material of adjacent vegetated patches (Canopy) experiences much smaller fluctuations (14-25 °C) due to shading. To determine whether surface material from these sites showed adaptations by carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H(2)) consumption to changes in ambient temperature regimes accompanying succession, we measured responses of CO and H(2) uptake to short-term variations in temperature and long-term incubations at elevated temperature. Based on its broader temperature optimum and lower activation energy, Canopy H(2) uptake was less sensitive than Bare H(2) uptake to temperature changes. In contrast, Bare and Canopy CO uptake responded similarly to temperature during short-term incubations, indicating no differences in temperature sensitivity. However, during extended incubations at 55 °C, CO uptake increased for Canopy but not Bare material, which indicated that the former was capable of thermal adaptation. H(2) uptake for material from both sites was completely inhibited at 55 °C throughout extended incubations. These results indicated that plant development during succession did not elicit differences in short-term temperature responses for Bare and Canopy CO uptake, in spite of previously reported differences in CO oxidizer community composition, and differences in average daily and extreme temperatures. Differences associated with vegetation due to succession did, however, lead to a notable capacity for thermophilic CO uptake by Canopy but not Bare material.

Influence of environment and substrate quality on the decomposition of wetland plant root in the Sanjiang Plain, Northeast China

The litterbag method was used to study the decomposition of wetland plant root in three wetlands along a water level gradient in the Sanjiang Plain, Northeast China. These wetlands are Calamagrostis angustifolia (C.aa), Carex meyeriana (C.ma) and Carex lasiocarpa (C.la). The objective of our study is to evaluate the influence of environment and substrate quality on decomposition rates in the three wetlands. Calico material was used as a standard substrate to evaluate environmental influences. Roots native to each wetland were used to evaluate decomposition dynamics and substrate quality influences. Calico mass loss was statistically different among the three wetlands in the upper soil profile (0-10 cm) and in the lower depth range (10-20 cm). Hydrology, temperature and pH all influence calico decomposition rates in different ways at different depths of the soil profiles. The decomposition rates of native roots declined differentially with the increase of depth in the soil profiles. The mass loss of native roots showed a statistical decrease among the three wetlands in the upper soil profile (0-10 cm) and in the lower depth range (10-20 cm) as C.ma wetland > C.aa wetland > C.la wetland. Both the C:P ratio and N:P ratio were positively interrelated with decomposition rates. Decomposition rates were negatively related to initial P concentration in all three wetlands, indicating that P concentration seems to be an important factor controlling the litter loss.

Soil microbial community response to hexavalent chromium in planted and unplanted soil

Theories suggest that rapid microbial growth rates lead to quicker development of metal resistance. We tested these theories by adding hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] to soil, sowing Indian mustard (Brassica juncea), and comparing rhizosphere and bulk soil microbial community responses. Four weeks after the initial Cr(VI) application we measured Cr concentration, microbial biomass by fumigation extraction and soil extract ATP, tolerance to Cr and growth rates with tritiated thymidine incorporation, and performed community substrate use analysis with BIOLOG GN plates. Exchangeable Cr(VI) levels were very low, and therefore we assumed the Cr(VI) impact was transient. Microbial biomass was reduced by Cr(VI) addition. Microbial tolerance to Cr(VI) tended to be higher in the Cr-treated rhizosphere soil relative to the non-treated systems, while microorganisms in the Cr-treated bulk soil were less sensitive to Cr(VI) than microorganisms in the non-treated bulk soil. Microbial diversity as measured by population evenness increased with Cr(VI) addition based on a Gini coefficient derived from BIOLOG substrate use patterns. Principal component analysis revealed separation between Cr(VI) treatments, and between rhizosphere and bulk soil treatments. We hypothesize that because of Cr(VI) addition there was indirect selection for fast-growing organisms, alleviation of competition among microbial communities, and increase in Cr tolerance in the rhizosphere due to the faster turnover rates in that environment.

Comparison of temperature effects on soil respiration and bacterial and fungal growth rates

Temperature is an important factor regulating microbial activity and shaping the soil microbial community. Little is known, however, on how temperature affects the most important groups of the soil microorganisms, the bacteria and the fungi, in situ. We have therefore measured the instantaneous total activity (respiration rate), bacterial activity (growth rate as thymidine incorporation rate) and fungal activity (growth rate as acetate-in-ergosterol incorporation rate) in soil at different temperatures (0-45 degrees C). Two soils were compared: one was an agricultural soil low in organic matter and with high pH, and the other was a forest humus soil with high organic matter content and low pH. Fungal and bacterial growth rates had optimum temperatures around 25-30 degrees C, while at higher temperatures lower values were found. This decrease was more drastic for fungi than for bacteria, resulting in an increase in the ratio of bacterial to fungal growth rate at higher temperatures. A tendency towards the opposite effect was observed at low temperatures, indicating that fungi were more adapted to low-temperature conditions than bacteria. The temperature dependence of all three activities was well modelled by the square root (Ratkowsky) model below the optimum temperature for fungal and bacterial growth. The respiration rate increased over almost the whole temperature range, showing the highest value at around 45 degrees C. Thus, at temperatures above 30 degrees C there was an uncoupling between the instantaneous respiration rate and bacterial and fungal activity. At these high temperatures, the respiration rate closely followed the Arrhenius temperature relationship.

Use of phospholipid fatty acids to detect previous self-heating events in stored peat

The use of the phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) composition of microorganisms to detect previous self-heating events was studied in naturally self-heated peat and in peat incubated under temperature-controlled conditions. An increased content of total PLFAs was found in self-heated peat compared to that in unheated peat. Two PLFAs, denoted T1 and T2, were detected only in the self-heated peat. Incubation of peat samples at 25 to 55 degrees C for 4 days indicated that T1 and T2 were produced from microorganisms with different optimum temperatures. This was confirmed by isolation of bacteria at 55 degrees C, which produced T2 but not T1. These bacteria produced another PLFA (denoted T3) which coeluted with 18:1omega7. T2 and T3 were identified as omega-cyclohexyltridecanoic acid and omega-cyclohexylundecanoic acid, respectively, indicating that the bacteria belonged to the genus Alicyclobacillus: T1 was tentatively identified as omega-cycloheptylundecanoic acid. T2 was detected 8 h after the peat incubation temperature was increased to 55 degrees C, and maximum levels were found within 5 days of incubation. The PLFA 18:1omega7-T3 increased in proportion to T2. T1 was detected after 96 h at 55 degrees C, and its level increased throughout the incubation period, so that it eventually became one of the dominant PLFAs after 80 days. In peat samples incubated at 55 degrees C and then at 25 degrees C, T1 and T2 disappeared slowly. After 3 months, detectable levels were still found. Incubation at 25 degrees C after heating for 3 days at 55 degrees C decreased the amounts of T2 and 18:1omega7-T3 faster than did incubation at 5 degrees C. Thus, not only the duration and temperature during the heating event but also the storage temperature following heating are important for the detection of PLFAs indicating previous self-heating.