Size matters: larger fragments of riparian forest in urban areas support functional diversity of soil bacteria more than smaller ones
Soil microorganisms are relatively poorly studied in urban ecosystems, particularly within unmanaged woodlands that form island-like patches of vegetation. We surveyed soil bacteria on Salix spp. dominated riparian-like forest patches in Kraków, the second largest city in Poland, to find out which e...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Microbiology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1517545/full |
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| author | Gabriela Koster Małgorzata Jaźwa Sebastian Wojciech Przemieniecki Łukasz Musielok Hamed Azarbad Beata Klimek |
| author_facet | Gabriela Koster Małgorzata Jaźwa Sebastian Wojciech Przemieniecki Łukasz Musielok Hamed Azarbad Beata Klimek |
| author_sort | Gabriela Koster |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Soil microorganisms are relatively poorly studied in urban ecosystems, particularly within unmanaged woodlands that form island-like patches of vegetation. We surveyed soil bacteria on Salix spp. dominated riparian-like forest patches in Kraków, the second largest city in Poland, to find out which environmental factors influence their activities and functional diversity, measured using Biolog® ECO plates. Our results showed that soil bacterial alpha functional diversity, including substrate richness (number of substrates decomposed) and Shannon diversity, were positively correlated with patch area and number of vascular plant species in the forest floor vegetation layer. However, soil bacterial beta functional diversity (substrate use pattern, CLPP – community level physiological profiles) was primarily driven by patch area and soil physicochemical properties. Our results suggest that the positive effect of patch area (biogeographic effect) on soil bacterial functional diversity may be primarily through stabilisation of environmental conditions, as the amplitude of environmental fluctuations is reduced on larger plots compared to smaller ones. Taken together, our study provides important insights into the relationship between patch area, soil properties, vegetation characteristics, soil bacteria activity, and functional diversity in urban riparian forests, highlighting the importance of considering soil microbes when managing urban ecosystems. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4843ee19b7834f15b83cecccb4beaabb |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1664-302X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Microbiology |
| spelling | doaj-art-4843ee19b7834f15b83cecccb4beaabb2025-08-20T03:04:54ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Microbiology1664-302X2025-02-011610.3389/fmicb.2025.15175451517545Size matters: larger fragments of riparian forest in urban areas support functional diversity of soil bacteria more than smaller onesGabriela Koster0Małgorzata Jaźwa1Sebastian Wojciech Przemieniecki2Łukasz Musielok3Hamed Azarbad4Beata Klimek5Faculty of Biology, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, PolandFaculty of Natural Sciences and Technology, Institute of Biology, University of Opole, Opole, PolandDepartment of Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, Phytopathology and Molecular Diagnostics, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Olsztyn, PolandFaculty of Geography and Spatial Management, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, PolandDepartment of Biology, Evolutionary Ecology of Plants, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, GermanyFaculty of Biology, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, PolandSoil microorganisms are relatively poorly studied in urban ecosystems, particularly within unmanaged woodlands that form island-like patches of vegetation. We surveyed soil bacteria on Salix spp. dominated riparian-like forest patches in Kraków, the second largest city in Poland, to find out which environmental factors influence their activities and functional diversity, measured using Biolog® ECO plates. Our results showed that soil bacterial alpha functional diversity, including substrate richness (number of substrates decomposed) and Shannon diversity, were positively correlated with patch area and number of vascular plant species in the forest floor vegetation layer. However, soil bacterial beta functional diversity (substrate use pattern, CLPP – community level physiological profiles) was primarily driven by patch area and soil physicochemical properties. Our results suggest that the positive effect of patch area (biogeographic effect) on soil bacterial functional diversity may be primarily through stabilisation of environmental conditions, as the amplitude of environmental fluctuations is reduced on larger plots compared to smaller ones. Taken together, our study provides important insights into the relationship between patch area, soil properties, vegetation characteristics, soil bacteria activity, and functional diversity in urban riparian forests, highlighting the importance of considering soil microbes when managing urban ecosystems.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1517545/fullbacterial communitiesfunctional diversitymicroorganisms biogeographyriparian forestsurban soils |
| spellingShingle | Gabriela Koster Małgorzata Jaźwa Sebastian Wojciech Przemieniecki Łukasz Musielok Hamed Azarbad Beata Klimek Size matters: larger fragments of riparian forest in urban areas support functional diversity of soil bacteria more than smaller ones Frontiers in Microbiology bacterial communities functional diversity microorganisms biogeography riparian forests urban soils |
| title | Size matters: larger fragments of riparian forest in urban areas support functional diversity of soil bacteria more than smaller ones |
| title_full | Size matters: larger fragments of riparian forest in urban areas support functional diversity of soil bacteria more than smaller ones |
| title_fullStr | Size matters: larger fragments of riparian forest in urban areas support functional diversity of soil bacteria more than smaller ones |
| title_full_unstemmed | Size matters: larger fragments of riparian forest in urban areas support functional diversity of soil bacteria more than smaller ones |
| title_short | Size matters: larger fragments of riparian forest in urban areas support functional diversity of soil bacteria more than smaller ones |
| title_sort | size matters larger fragments of riparian forest in urban areas support functional diversity of soil bacteria more than smaller ones |
| topic | bacterial communities functional diversity microorganisms biogeography riparian forests urban soils |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1517545/full |
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