Estimates of global cyanobacterial biomass and its distribution

García-Pichel, Ferrán; Belnap, Jayne; Neuer, Susanne; Schanz, Fritz

doi:10.1127/1864-1318/2003/0109-0213

Cited by 157 publications

(138 citation statements)

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“…An understanding of the biology and distribution of modern microbes, which are ubiquitous in today's Earth's biosphere, seems essential for an understanding of their ancient counterparts and their impact on early terrestrial ecosystems. The genetic diversity and biomass distribution in drastically different environments [172][173][174] depict the ample range of strategies that terrestrial organisms, particularly primary producers, have developed for living on the land. Oxygenic photoautotrophy seems to be a particularly important capability of terrestrial organisms, simply because their energy source (light), reductant power (water), and carbon source (CO 2 ) are readily available in these environments.…”

Section: Microbial Biodiversity In Terrestrial Ecosystemmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aerobic Degradation of Petroleum Components by Microbial Consortia

Aa¹,

Essien²

2014

J Pet Environ Biotechnol

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This article is a state-of-the-art review on the aerobic degradation of petroleum components that are commonly found in the environment. Numerous microorganisms have been isolated and their phylogeny and metabolic capacity to degrade a variety of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons have been demonstrated. This review focuses on recent progress on how microbes degrade hydrocarbons and heteroaromatic components of petroleum contaminants directed towards better understanding of the aerobic degradation processes and their exploitation for bioremediation. The phylogenetic diversity of the oil-degrading microbes was also discussed.

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Section: Microbial Biodiversity In Terrestrial Ecosystemmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aerobic Degradation of Petroleum Components by Microbial Consortia

Aa¹,

Essien²

2014

J Pet Environ Biotechnol

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“…Biocrusts are photosynthetic, diazotrophic communities of bacteria, fungi, algae, lichens and mosses that colonize the surfaces of dryland soils. In the Western US, over 40% of the 100 million hectares of dryland grazing lands are covered by biocrusts (Garcia-Pichel et al, 2003).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Response and resilience of soil biocrust bacterial communities to chronic physical disturbance in arid shrublands

et al. 2011

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The impact of 10 years of annual foot trampling on soil biocrusts was examined in replicated field experiments at three cold desert sites of the Colorado Plateau, USA. Trampling detrimentally impacted lichens and mosses, and the keystone cyanobacterium, Microcoleus vaginatus, resulting in increased soil erosion and reduced C and N concentrations in surface soils. Trampled biocrusts contained approximately half as much extractable DNA and 20-52% less chlorophyll a when compared with intact biocrusts at each site. Two of the three sites also showed a decline in scytonemin-containing, diazotrophic cyanobacteria in trampled biocrusts. 16S rRNA gene sequence and terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analyses of soil bacteria from untrampled and trampled biocrusts demonstrated a reduced proportion (23-65% reduction) of M. vaginatus and other Cyanobacteria in trampled plots. In parallel, other soil bacterial species that are natural residents of biocrusts, specifically members of the Actinobacteria, Chloroflexi and Bacteroidetes, became more readily detected in trampled than in untrampled biocrusts. Replicate 16S rRNA T-RFLP profiles from trampled biocrusts at all three sites contained significantly more fragments (n ¼ 17) than those of untrampled biocrusts (np6) and exhibited much higher variability among field replicates, indicating transition to an unstable disturbed state. Despite the dramatic negative impacts of trampling on biocrust physical structure and composition, M. vaginatus could still be detected in surface soils after 10 years of annual trampling, suggesting the potential for biocrust re-formation over time. Physical damage of biocrusts, in concert with changing temperature and precipitation patterns, has potential to alter performance of dryland ecosystems for decades.

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“…Inselbergs occur in a broad range of sizes, vary significantly in their degrees of isolation throughout the Earth and they are characterized by low soil development and unique vascular plant cover [1]. At global scale, the cyanobacterial biomass forms a significant part of the whole vegetation of inselbergs in the semi-arid and arid regions [2] and nearly cover up two-thirds of the dry-land areas [3,4]. The cryptogamic crusts (biological soil crusts, cryptobiotic crusts, BSCs, CBCs) are dominant constituents of many ecosystems of the Earth from the arctic and alpine through the temperate and mediterranean to the tropical/subtropical climate region [5,6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecophysiological responses of desiccation-tolerant cryptobiotic crusts

et al. 2011

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In our present studies, the recovery of photosynthetic activity after rehydration was demonstrated. We measured chlorophyll fluorescence, CO2 gas exchange and the pigment composition in the previously long-term air-dried cryptogamic inselberg crusts collected from two tropical areas. The cryptobiotic crusts were collected from different localities on similar ecological and climatic conditions from extreme habitats of inselbergs (outcrops). These inselbergs are characterized by a dry microclimate and are covered by scarce soil. We found that the ecophysiological responses of both cryptogamic inselberg crusts showed an extremely high degree of desiccation-tolerance due to the fast and full recovery during rehydration. The photosynthetic activity of the cryptobiotic crusts were restored and regained within 15 and 40 min, respectively, after rehydration. Photosynthetic activity of the crusts was retained at all applied light intensities when enough water was available, however the degree of the recovery was different between the crusts. Photosynthetic pigment contents were strongly and positively correlated with water content. Our results indicated that tropical desiccation-tolerant cryptogamic crusts found on inselberg rock surfaces have CO2 fixation ability in the range of cyanobacteria and lichens, suggesting that at a global scale they can assimilate CO2 in a significant amount.

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Estimates of global cyanobacterial biomass and its distribution

Cited by 157 publications

References 0 publications

Aerobic Degradation of Petroleum Components by Microbial Consortia

Aerobic Degradation of Petroleum Components by Microbial Consortia

Response and resilience of soil biocrust bacterial communities to chronic physical disturbance in arid shrublands

Ecophysiological responses of desiccation-tolerant cryptobiotic crusts

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