Grazing intensity in subarctic tundra affects the temperature adaptation of soil microbial communities

Abstract

Grazing by large ungulates, such as reindeer (Rangifer tarandus L.), in subarctic tundra exerts a considerable effect on the soil microclimate. Because of higher insulation by the aboveground vegetation in light versus heavily grazed areas, soil temperatures during the growing season are considerably higher under heavy grazing. Here, we hypothesized that these grazer-induced changes in soil microclimate affect the temperature sensitivity of soil microbial activity. To test this hypothesis, we conducted soil incubations at different temperatures (4 °C, 9 °C and 14 °C) for six weeks using soils from sites with contrasting long-term grazing intensities. Microbial respiration at low temperature (4 °C) was significantly higher in soils under light grazing than in soils under heavy grazing; however, grazing intensity did not affect respiration rates at 9 °C and 14 °C. In soils under light grazing, post-incubation β-glucosidase (BG) activity at 4 °C was higher in soils that had been incubated at 4 °C than in soils incubated at 14 °C, suggesting functional adaptation of the soil microbial community to low temperature. Similar adaptation was not detected in soils under heavy grazing. Ion Torrent sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA genes showed major differences in the bacterial community composition in soils incubated at different temperatures. Overall, our results indicate that tundra soil microorganisms may be more cold-adapted under low than high grazing intensity. Due to this difference in temperature adaptation, the consequences of climate warming on soil microbial processes may be dependent on the grazing intensity.