MP-ALPS

Examination of the relationship between microbial and plant diversity across large spatial and elevational gradients to predict community migration patterns as a function of climate change

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'The specific aims of the proposed project is to understand the relationship between microbial community structure and plant diversity across large spatial and elevational gradients in the Swiss Alps in order to predict community migration patterns as a function of climate change. The 3 objectives covered by the project will be: 1) to characterize the soil community composition of the archaeal, bacterial, and fungal groups in 200 locations across the Western Swiss Alps; 2) to determine the relationship between the microbial communities and aboveground plant communities at each of the 200 locations; and 3) to examine the microbial and plant communities across sites and at the landscape scale to determine the effect of climate change on biodiversity and migration patterns. Migration patterns will be assessed using multivariate analytical tools. Variables will include: microbial and plant species composition at each site, chemical and physical properties of each soil sample, landscape topography, elevational gradients, and migration patterns across multiple years. The proposed project will use a state-of-the-art ultra high-throughput sequencing approach using Titanium 454 pyrosequencing, alongside a coarser fingerprinting method and will involve multi-disciplinary work from areas of microbiology, fungal biology, plant biology, microbial ecology, macro-ecology, bioinformatics, and statistics. The goal is the provide data to help policy makers, alpine industry and businesses, and high-elevation agriculture, to maintain or improve sustainability and livelihood in the face of climate change. The proposed research project will bring to Europe a female Experienced Researcher from Europe’s main research competitor, the United States, with advanced cross-disciplinary training and research experience. Her goal is to bring her knowledge and experience to Europe and share them through mentorship, research, and teaching, to improve European research excellence and competitiveness.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

EU scientists studied the biogeography of soil microorganisms within a 700 kilometre-squared area of the Western Swiss Alps. The aim was to better understand the relationship between the structure of the microbial community and plant diversity over a large area at altitude.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

The MP-ALPS project studied microbial diversity across a range of sites where data on plant diversity, chemical and soil parameters, and macrofauna was already available. The combined data was used to develop statistical models that predicted microorganism distribution across the alpine landscape in relation to above-ground plant communities.

MP-ALPS used cutting-edge high-throughput sequencing technology to analyse the microbial community. In order to achieve this, field sampling and processing protocols as well as standardisation of DNA isolation and molecular biology protocols were developed.

Results indicated that the analytical methods employed gave reliable results. The findings replicated trends in soil microbial communities that had been previously documented in the scientific literature.

Analysis of additional soil samples revealed that the greatest influence on alpine soil bacterial communities was pH. Furthermore, sample sites could be divided into two categories: grassland-type sites with low to neutral pH, and alpine-type sites with a significantly higher pH.

Results from MP-ALPS will be used to create spatial distribution models to model the distribution of microbial communities across the alpine landscape. The models will help to predict microbial migration patterns as a result of climate and land-use changes in alpine ecosystems.

MP-ALPS will provide valuable data for decision makers, the alpine industry and business, and high-elevation agriculture. This will help to improve sustainability and livelihoods in the face of climate change. It will also act as the basis for a larger-scale study on biodiversity and soil chemistry in the same area.