Biodiversity - Ecosystem Function
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Nitrification | Nitrifier Diversity-Ecosystem Function | Archaeal Diversity
Links between microbial diversity and ecosystem function
Early molecular studies characterised microbial diversity but focused rapidly switched to assessment of the links between diversity and ecosystem function. This was facilitated by development of molecular techniques that determined which organisms were active. Examples include stable isotope probing and analysis transcriptional activity of functional genes, and their use is illustrated below. Two examples of the power of stable isotope probing are illustrated below, determining which soil microorganisms are involved in assimilation of plant root exudates and of pentachlorophenol.
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Environmental Microbiology (2005) 7(6), 828-838
Environmental Microbiology (2005) 7(9), 1349-1360
We have also investigated the influence of species richness on ecosystem function using two approaches. In the first, the richness of a soil community was reduced by inoculation of sterile soil with dilutions of the original soil community and, in the second approach, communities with defined richness were constructed from several pure cultures of bacteria. Both approaches indicate considerable functional diversity within microbial communities.
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