Austrian Research Centers, Department of Bioresources, A-2444 Seibersdorf, Austria.
Environ Microbiol Rep. 2009 Oct;1(5):457-65. doi: 10.1111/j.1758-2229.2009.00078.x. Epub 2009 Sep 23.
The role of methane-oxidizing bacteria (MOB) in alpine environments is poorly understood, but is of importance given the abundance of alpine environments and the role of MOB in the global carbon cycle. Using a combination of approaches we examined both seasonal and land usage effects on the ecology of microbial methane oxidation in an alpine meadow soil. Analysis of the abundance and diversity of MOB demonstrated that the abundance and diversity of the dominant type II MOB, predominantly Metylocystis and relatives, was only influenced by season. Conversely type Ia MOB abundance was significantly affected by season and land usage, while diversity changes were effected predominantly by land use. Assessment of methane oxidation potential and soil physical properties demonstrated a strong link between type Ia MOB abundance and methane oxidation potential as well as a complex series of relationships between soil moisture, pH and MOB abundance, changing with season. The results of this study suggest that, while type II MOB, unaffected by land use, represent the dominant MOB, Methylobacter-related type Ia MOB appear to be responsible for the majority of methane oxidation and are strongly affected by the grazing of cattle.
甲烷氧化菌（MOB）在高山环境中的作用还不太清楚，但鉴于高山环境的丰富性和 MOB 在全球碳循环中的作用，这一点非常重要。本研究采用多种方法，研究了高山草甸土壤中微生物甲烷氧化的生态学特性，探讨了季节和土地利用对其的影响。MOB 丰度和多样性的分析表明，优势的 II 型 MOB（主要是甲基球菌及其亲缘种）的丰度和多样性仅受季节影响。相反，I 型 MOB 的丰度受季节和土地利用的显著影响，而多样性的变化主要受土地利用的影响。甲烷氧化潜力和土壤物理性质的评估表明，I 型 MOB 丰度与甲烷氧化潜力之间存在很强的联系，同时，土壤水分、pH 值和 MOB 丰度之间也存在一系列复杂的关系，这些关系随季节而变化。本研究结果表明，虽然不受土地利用影响的 II 型 MOB 是主要的 MOB，但与甲基杆菌有关的 I 型 MOB 似乎负责大部分甲烷氧化，并且受牛群放牧的强烈影响。
