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Full-Text Articles in Plant Sciences

Spatial And Seasonal Variations In Mercury Methylation And Microbial Community Structure In A Historic Mercury Mining Area, Yolo County, California, J. M. Holloway, M. B. Goldhaber, K. M. Scow, Rebecca E. Drenovsky Sep 2009

Spatial And Seasonal Variations In Mercury Methylation And Microbial Community Structure In A Historic Mercury Mining Area, Yolo County, California, J. M. Holloway, M. B. Goldhaber, K. M. Scow, Rebecca E. Drenovsky

Biology

The relationships between soil parent lithology, nutrient concentrations, microbial biomass and community structure were evaluated in soils from a small watershed impacted by historic Hg mining. Upland and wetland soils, stream sediments and tailings were collected and analyzed for nutrients (DOC, SO4=, NO3−), Hg, MeHg, and phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA). Stream sediment was derived from serpentinite, siltstone, volcanic rocks and mineralized serpentine with cinnabar, metacinnabar and other Hg phases. Soils from different parent materials had distinct PLFA biomass and community structures that are related to nutrient concentrations and toxicity effects of trace metals including Hg. The formation of MeHg appears …


New And Current Microbiological Tools For Ecosystem Ecologists: Towards A Goal Of Linking Structure And Function, Rebecca E. Drenovsky, Kevin P. Ferris, Katharine M. Batten, Krassimira Hristova Jan 2008

New And Current Microbiological Tools For Ecosystem Ecologists: Towards A Goal Of Linking Structure And Function, Rebecca E. Drenovsky, Kevin P. Ferris, Katharine M. Batten, Krassimira Hristova

Biology

Interest in the relationships between soil microbial communities and ecosystem functions is growing with increasing recognition of the key roles microorganisms play in a variety of ecosystems. With a wealth of microbial methods now available, selecting the most appropriate method can be daunting, especially to those new to the field of microbial ecology. In this review, we highlight those methods currently used and most applicable to ecological studies, including assays to study various aspects of the carbon and nitrogen cycles (e.g., pool dilution, acetylene reduction, enzyme analyses, among others), methods to assess microbial community composition (e.g., phospholipid fatty acid analysis …