Effect of secondary metabolites of lichens on microbial communities in permafrost forest soils

Author:
Prokopiev I.A., Sazanova K.V., Sleptsov I.V., Filippova G.V., Kuzmina N.P., Frolova D.A. & Zholobova Zh.O.
Year:
2025
Journal:
Contemporary Problems of Ecology
Pages:
18: 82–100
Url:
https://doi.org/10.1134/S1995425524700914
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[original Russian text published in Sibirskii Ekologicheskii Zhurnal, 2025, No. 1, pp. 98–119.] The influence of ground lichens Flavocetraria cucullata and Certraria laevigata on the chemical, biochemical, and microbiological characteristics of permafrost soils of central Yakutia has been studied. It is revealed that the values of the content of organic carbon, exchangeable cations and anions, and pH do not depend on the presence or absence of lichens on the soil surface. It is revealed that the main secondary metabolites of F. cucullata are usnic, lichesteric, protolichesteric and allo-protolichesteric acids and, for C. laevigata, fumarprotocetraric acid. A chromatographic analysis of soils has revealed the presence of only usnic acid in humus samples under F. cucullata and adjacent areas without vegetation. It is shown that, as F. cucullata moves away from the place of growth, there is a decrease in the content of usnic acid and an increase in the content of specific compounds that could be biomarkers of fungi in the soil. An analysis of fungi and bacteria in soils, performed using the cultural approach, shows an abundance of fast-growing micromycetes and bacteria. According to the metagenomic analysis, the taxonomic diversity of fungi in soils is incomparably higher than according to the cultural studies, and mycorrhizal basidiomycetes are the predominant ecological group. Ectomycorrhizal basidiomycetes are primarily susceptible to the effect of lichen F. cucullata. The allelopathic effect of C. laevigata on the soil microbiome is much less pronounced. It is assumed that usnic acid synthesized by F. cucullata diffusely spreads and accumulates in the soil, selectively suppressing the growth of ectomycorrhizal basidiomycetes. Keywords: Flavocetraria cucullata, Ceratraria laevigata, secondary metabolites, permafrost soils, ectomycorrhizal basidiomycetes, soil microbiomes.
Id:
38070
Submitter:
zpalice
Post_time:
Monday, 21 April 2025 22:08