Characterization of the Microbial Community in the Rhizosphere of Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin ex. Steudel Growing in the Sun Island Wetland

Rhizospheric microorganisms are important for environmental conservancy. The constancy and variability of the microorganisms in the rhizosphere of Phragmites australis in relation to the spatiotemporal variations in wetland ecosystems were studied. During the peak and trough of the vegetative period of the Phragmites australis growing across the hydrologic gradients of the Sun Island Wetland, Biolog and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) were used to investigate the rhizospheric microbial characteristics. Both methods demonstrated that the microbial activity, richness, and diversity decreased from summer to autumn. However, these properties did not show significant correlation with hydrologic gradient, except that the genetic richness and diversity of the fungi decreased with it. Cluster analysis also demonstrated that the rhizospheric microbial community seemed to be largely affected by a vegetative period. In addition, this research was extended to a broader range of determining the universal microorganisms, which showed notable adaptability.