Universität zu Köln

Jilkova, Veronika ORCID: 0000-0002-5150-3439, Frouz, Jan ORCID: 0000-0002-0908-8606, Cajthaml, Tomas ORCID: 0000-0002-3393-1333 and Bonkowski, Michael ORCID: 0000-0003-2656-1183 (2015). The role of bacteria and protists in nitrogen turnover in ant nest and forest floor material: A laboratory experiment. Eur. J. Soil Biol., 69. S. 66 - 74. ISSY-LES-MOULINEAUX: ELSEVIER FRANCE-EDITIONS SCIENTIFIQUES MEDICALES ELSEVIER. ISSN 1778-3615

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Abstract

Wood ant nests are hotspots of nutrients and microbial activity in nutrient-limited coniferous forest ecosystems, as ants accumulate honeydew and nutrients in their nests due to foraging and building activities. In this study we carried out a microcosm experiment focussing on the role of bacteria and protozoa on carbon and nitrogen turnover in nutrient-rich and nutrient-poor litter materials. Two types of litter material, (i) ant nest material or (ii) surrounding forest floor material were sterilized and inoculated either with bacteria alone (B treatment) or with bacteria and protozoa in combination (BP treatment). The litter materials were subsequently incubated in laboratory microcosms for 21 days. Respiration of the microcosms was measured during the whole incubation period and leachates were sampled every week and analysed for ammonium and nitrate. Our results showed lower ammonium leaching and increased respiration in the BP treatment, which could be explained by higher microbial biomass in this treatment. The negative effect of protozoa on ammonium leaching was independent of the type of litter material suggesting that available carbon in nest material supported fixation of nitrogen in the bacterial biomass. Our data show that protozoan grazing can play a critical role in retaining nitrogen in ant nests by increasing microbial activity and biomass, and thereby preventing nitrogen leaching. (C) 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Jilkova, Veronika UNSPECIFIED orcid.org/0000-0002-5150-3439 UNSPECIFIED Frouz, Jan UNSPECIFIED orcid.org/0000-0002-0908-8606 UNSPECIFIED Cajthaml, Tomas UNSPECIFIED orcid.org/0000-0002-3393-1333 UNSPECIFIED Bonkowski, Michael UNSPECIFIED orcid.org/0000-0003-2656-1183 UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-400297
DOI:	10.1016/j.ejsobi.2015.05.004
Journal or Publication Title:	Eur. J. Soil Biol.
Volume:	69
Page Range:	S. 66 - 74
Date:	2015
Publisher:	ELSEVIER FRANCE-EDITIONS SCIENTIFIQUES MEDICALES ELSEVIER
Place of Publication:	ISSY-LES-MOULINEAUX
ISSN:	1778-3615
Language:	English
Faculty:	Unspecified
Divisions:	Unspecified
Subjects:	no entry
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language RED WOOD ANTS; FORMICA-POLYCTENA HYMENOPTERA; SOIL MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES; PLANT-GROWTH; FAUNAL INTERACTIONS; ORGANIC-MATTER; CO2 EFFLUX; HOT-SPOTS; PROTOZOA; RHIZOSPHERE Multiple languages Ecology; Soil Science Multiple languages
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/40029