permafrost metagenome. permafrost metagenome

Svalbard permafrost.Soil samples were obtained from a characteristic low-centred ice-wedge polygon site in the valley Adventdalen on Svalbard (78.186N, 15.9248E).Thawing permafrost can stimulate microbial activity, leading to faster decomposition of formerly preserved organic matter and CO 2 release. Detailed knowledge about the vertical distribution of the responsible microbial community is limited. In this study, we determined the microbial community composition from cores sampled in a High-artic heath at Svalbard, Norway; spanning from the active layer (AL) into the permafrost layer (PL). A special aim has been on identifying the transition zone (TZ), representing recently, within the past 10 years, thawed PL, thereby providing insights into the fate ofthawing permafrost.