Data from: Vertical distribution of the soil microbiota along a successional gradient in a glacier forefield

Spatial patterns of microbial communities have been extensively surveyed
in well-developed soils, but few studies investigated the vertical
distribution of microorganisms in newly developed soils after glacier
retreat. We used 454-pyrosequencing to assess whether bacterial and fungal
community structures differed between stages of soil development (SSD)
characterized by an increasing vegetation cover from barren (vegetation
cover: 0%/ age: 10 years), sparsely-vegetated (13%/ 60 years), transient
(60%/ 80 years) to vegetated (95%/ 110 years) and depths (surface, 5 and
20 cm) along the Damma glacier forefield (Switzerland). Stage of soil
development significantly influenced the bacterial and fungal communities.
Based on indicator species analyses, metabolically versatile bacteria
(e.g. Geobacter) and psychrophilic yeasts (e.g. Mrakia) characterized the
barren soils. Vegetated soils with higher C, N and root biomass consisted
of bacteria able to degrade complex organic compounds (e.g. Candidatus
Solibacter), ligno-cellulolytic Ascomycota (e.g. Geoglossum) and
ectomycorrhizal Basidiomycota (e.g. Laccaria). Soil depth only influenced
bacterial and fungal communities in barren and sparsely-vegetated soils.
These changes were partly due to more silt and higher soil moisture in the
surface. In both soil ages, the surface was characterized by OTUs
affiliated to Phormidium and Sphingobacteriales. In lower depths, however,
bacterial and fungal communities differed between both SSDs. Lower depths
of sparsely-vegetated soils consisted of OTUs affiliated to Acidobacteria
and Geoglossum whereas depths of barren soils were characterized by OTUs
related to Gemmatimonadetes. Overall, plant establishment drives the soil
microbiota along the successional gradient but does not influence the
vertical distribution of microbiota in recently deglaciated soils.