GSL Soil Microbiome Survey

The saline soils comprising the shoreline of Great Salt Lake, Utah (GSL) provide a unique habitat for microorganisms and a select few halophytes (salt tolerant plants). Here we present the results of a five year study characterizing the microbiome of both plant free bare soil and that of the halophyte rhizosphere at two GSL locations; the more saline North Arm near the artwork, Robert Smithsons Spiral Jetty (SJ), and the less saline South Arm on Antelope Island (AI). Plant-free bare soil and the rhizosphere of Salicornia utahensis (Pickleweed) and Suaeda erecta (Seepweed) located along the shoreline at both SJ and AI locations were sampled.For each sample, soil salinity was quantified, and eDNA was isolated. Bacterial tag-encoded FLX amplicon pyrosequencing (bTEFAP) 5k long read diversity assay for 16s rRNA genes was used for the identification of Archaea and bacteria, and bTEFAP long read 5k ITS1-4 diversity assay for the identification of fungi.