Vreulink J.-M., Esterhuyse A., Jacobs K., Botha A.
Department of Microbiology, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Stellenbosch, Matieland 7602, South Africa
Vreulink, J.-M., Department of Microbiology, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Stellenbosch, Matieland 7602, South Africa; Esterhuyse, A., Department of Microbiology, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Stellenbosch, Matieland 7602, South Africa; Jacobs, K., Department of Microbiology, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Stellenbosch, Matieland 7602, South Africa; Botha, A., Department of Microbiology, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Stellenbosch, Matieland 7602, South Africa
To explore the beneficial qualities or detrimental consequences of cultureable soil yeasts, it is important to understand which physicochemical soil properties most impact populations of these unicellular fungi in their natural habitat. The goal of this study was to determine which soil properties dictate yeast numbers in pristine sandy, low nutrient soils within a semi-arid region. A correlation matrix of the data obtained for 19 different environmental variables indicated a negative correlation between soil pH and yeast numbers. Using general regression models, it was demonstrated that soil pH and copper concentration were the 2 variables that correlated best with soil yeast counts in these soils. However, soil moisture content was found to be the environmental factor with the most impact on cultureable actinomycetes and heterotrophic microbes. The study also demonstrated that divalent cation availability might impact the size of both yeast and prokaryote populations in these soils. © 2007 NRC.
Bacteria; Biodiversity; Microbiology; Nutrients; pH effects; Yeast; Environmental variables; Semi-arid region; Soil chemistry; Soil yeasts; Soils; concentration (composition); environmental factor; nutrient availability; pH; physicochemical property; semiarid region; soil chemistry; soil microorganism; soil property; yeast; Actinobacteria; article; cation transport; correlation analysis; environmental factor; microbial community; moisture; nonhuman; nutrient availability; pH measurement; physical chemistry; priority journal; regression analysis; sandy soil; soil property; yeast; Actinobacteria; Cations, Divalent; Fertilizers; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Regression Analysis; Soil; Soil Microbiology; Yeasts; Actinobacteria (class); Prokaryota; Protofungi