Changes in the microbial community structure triggered by permafrost peat thawing

Abstract

An increase in permafrost temperature, accompanied by the melting and release of buried organic carbon, is one of the elements of the global warming scenario. To understand the way ecosystems respond to environmental changes, it is necessary to elucidate the factors affecting the distribution and activity of microbes in permafrost soils, which have been poorly studied so far. Meanwhile, they can have significant implications for nutrient cycling and related processes. Our research is devoted to assessing changes in the structure of the microbial community due to the melting of the palsa permafrost layer caused by the fire in 2007. The ecological-trophic groups of microorganisms of the territories changed under the influence of a natural fire in comparison with undisturbed analogs have been studied. It was revealed that the number of microorganisms in most groups on the palsa, affected by fire, is statistically significantly higher than the number of microorganisms in the undisturbed area.