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Full-Text Articles in Microbiology
Carbon Metabolism In Cave Subaerial Biofilms, Victoria E. Frazier
Carbon Metabolism In Cave Subaerial Biofilms, Victoria E. Frazier
Masters Theses
Subaerial biofilms (SABs) grow at the interface between the atmosphere and rock surfaces in terrestrial and subterranean environments around the world. Multi-colored SABs colonizing relatively dry and nutrient-limited cave surfaces are known to contain microbes putatively involved in chemolithoautotrophic processes using inorganic carbon like carbon dioxide (CO2) or methane (CH4). However, the importance of CO2 and CH4 to SAB biomass production has not been quantified, the environmental conditions influencing biomass production and diversity have not been thoroughly evaluated, and stable carbon and nitrogen isotope compositions have yet to be determined from epigenic cave SABs. …
Soil Microbial Community Succession During Cadaver Decomposition, Kelly Lynn Cobaugh
Soil Microbial Community Succession During Cadaver Decomposition, Kelly Lynn Cobaugh
Masters Theses
Microbes play critical roles in nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. In particular, microbial decomposition of organic matter is a key step in carbon and nutrient cycling, linking above-ground and below-ground pools. It is well known that the microbial community changes in structure and function following the introduction of organic matter into a terrestrial system. The decomposition of plant litter has been extensively investigated but the decomposition of animal-derived organic matter has often been overlooked. The unique characteristics of animal input are hypothesized to dictate a distinct decomposition process. This study examined the microbial community responsible for decomposition of animal-derived organic …
The Effects Of Nutrient Limitation And Cyanophage On Heterotrophic Microbial Diversity, Claire Elyse Campbell
The Effects Of Nutrient Limitation And Cyanophage On Heterotrophic Microbial Diversity, Claire Elyse Campbell
Masters Theses
Marine viruses are critically important in the regulation of biogeochemical cycles and host microbial communities. In this study, we tested whether the indirect effects of virus predation on a phototroph (i.e., Synechococcus) affected the composition of co-occurring heterotrophic bacteria under nitrogen and phosphorus limitation in long-term chemostat experiments. Using 454 Titanium barcoded pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, microbial diversity and technical (i.e., sequencing) reproducibility were assessed for nine individual chemostats across five different time points. A total of 325,142 reads were obtained; 194,778 high-quality, non-cyanobacterial sequences were assigned to 110 OTUs. Our results show high reproducibility …