[Microbial Community Structure of Soil Methanogens and Methanotrophs During Degradation and Restoration of Reed Wetlands in the Songnen Plain].

Abstract

Wetlands are an important global source and sink of methane. However, human activities and climatic conditions are causing serious degradation of wetlands in China. In response to this, the relevant departments have progressively carried out wetland restoration projects over the past few years. To investigate the response of microbial communities of bacteria, methanogens, and methanotrophs during degradation and restoration of wetlands, soil samples were collected from undegraded reed wetlands, degraded reed wetlands, and restored reed wetlands in the Songnen Plain. Microbial diversity and community composition were studied by high-throughput sequencing based on the 16S rRNA gene of bacteria, the mcrA gene of methanogens, and the pmoA gene of methanotrophs. The results indicate that the degradation of reed wetlands results in a decrease in bacterial and methanogenic α-diversity and an increase in methanotrophic α-diversity. Bacterial α-diversity and methanogenic α-diversity were both significantly positively correlated with soil water content. At different taxonomic levels, higher relative abundances of Rhizobiales and Methanobacteriaceae were detected in the undegraded wetland soils. Wetland degradation decreased the relative abundance of Rhizobiales but increased that of the pathogenic bacteria Burkholderiaceae and microorganisms resistant to harsh and extreme environments including Sphingomonas, Rubrobacter, Methylobacter, Methylomonas, and Methylococcus. In the restored wetland soils, the relative abundances of Bacillus, Methanosarcinaceae, Methanomicrobiaceae, and the type Ⅱ methanotroph Methylocystis were higher. Therefore, different wetland conditions can indirectly change soil properties and, consequently, change the community structure of methanogens and methanotrophs.