Changes in the biodiversity of algae in soils along land use gradients within the German Biodiversity Exploratories: community structures and functional roles

Figure: The photo shows a meadow in summer with partly dried grass. In the background is a deciduous forest with a grazing flock of sheep in front. Dark gray clouds hang in the sky.

Hypotheses

Changes in the diversity of algae/cyanobacteria in soils of grasslands and forests along a gradient of different land use intensities:

• Algae communities are highly influenced by environmental factors because they are integrating environmental and seasonal changes over several weeks.

• Changes in the algal/cyanobacterial community structures are more affected by land use than by physico-chemical parameters of the soil.

Functional roles of algae/cyanobacteria diversity: food resources for microarthropods (Acari and Collembola) as an exemplar functional role

• There is a functional connection between the algal biodiversity and algae consumers because algae and cyanobacteria are important primary producers in soil and occupy various roles in the maintenance of soil fertility and structure.

Publications

Green algae in soil: assessing their biodiversity and biogeography with molecular-phylogenetic methods based on cultures

Hodač L. (2016): Green algae in soil: assessing their biodiversity and biogeography with molecular-phylogenetic methods based on cultures. Dissertation, University Göttingen

Widespread green algae Chlorella and Stichococcus exhibit polar-temperate and tropical-temperate biogeography

Hodač L., Hallmann C., Spitzer C., Elster J., Faßhauer F., Brinkmann N., Lepka D., Diwan V., Friedl T. (2016): Widespread green algae Chlorella and Stichococcus exhibit polar-temperate and tropical-temperate biogeography. FEMS Microbiology Ecology 92 (8), fiw122. doi: 10.1093/femsec/fiw122

Biodiversity of terrestrial algal communities from soil and air-exposed substrates using a molecular approach

Hallmann C. (2015): Biodiversity of terrestrial algal communities from soil and air-exposed substrates using a molecular approach. Dissertation, University Göttingen

Molecular Evidence for theWide Distribution of Two Lineages of Terrestrial Green Algae (Chlorophyta) over Tropics to Temperate Zone

Hodač L., Hallmann C., Rosenkranz H., Faßhauer F., Friedl T. (2012): Molecular Evidence for theWide Distribution of Two Lineages of Terrestrial Green Algae (Chlorophyta) over Tropics to Temperate Zone. ISRN Ecology 2012, ID 795924. doi: 10.5402/2012/795924

Veränderung in der Diversität von Algenbiofilmen auf Baumrinden: molekulare Analysen

Faßhauer F. (2010): Veränderung in der Diversität von Algenbiofilmen auf Baumrinden: molekulare Analysen. Thesis, University Goettingen