The adaptations of the microbial communities of the savanna soil over a period of wildfire, after the first rains, and during the rainy season

Annually, the Cerrado ecosystem alternates between dry periods and long rainy seasons. During the dry season, severe forest fires occur, consuming a considerable part of the native vegetation, which impacts directly on the microbiome of the soil. Evaluate the adaptations of the soil microbiome to drought, rain and wildfire. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene was carried out for three significant conditions: drought and forest fires (Fire), after the first recorded rains (First_Rain), and during the rainy season (Rainy). It has been shown that under the Fire condition, there was a predominance of Phylum Actinobacteria, followed by Proteobacteria and Firmicutes. With the advent of the rainy season, First_Rain, there was a change in the predominant taxonomic groups, with a higher prevalence of members of Proteobacteria and Firmicutes. During the rainy season, Proteobacteria and Firmicutes continued as the most prevalent groups. However, it was noted that in this period, there was an increase in bacterial diversity when compared with other periods analyzed. These results show how environmental factors influence adaptations in microbial communities. This allows for a better understanding of how to link the structure of the microbial community to the performance of ecosystems, and assist in preventing the consequences of increased frequency of wildfires, and long periods of drought.

Automated summary

The study evaluated the adaptations of the soil microbiome in the Cerrado ecosystem to drought, rain and wildfires. It found that environmental factors influence microbial community structure and diversity.