Fungal community structure at the soil surface under light and dark conditions.

<p>The diversity and abundance of fungi (ITS region) at the soil surface of a pasture soil after 80 days incubation under light or dark conditions. Data is presented in MEGAN as an OTU table created in QIIME at a 97% similarity threshold (uclust). The number of reads that can be assigned using the RDP classifier at a confidence level of 80% to each taxon are shown at the end of each node. Pie charts show the proportion of reads assigned to each sample incubated under light (green) and dark (brown) conditions with replicates shown as shades of these colours. Significant differences in the read abundance of sequences between light and dark samples are highlighted in green when abundance is significantly higher under light conditions and in blue when abundance is significantly higher under dark conditions (p<0.05).</p

Relative read abundance of sequences with close homology to cyanobacteria and eukaryotic phototrophs from the soil surface of a pasture soil after incubation under light or dark conditions for 80 days (±1 standard error).

<p>Significant differences between light and dark treatments is indicated by a *(p≤0.05) or **(p≤0.01).</p

The effect of light and depth on chlorophyll <i>a</i>, most probable number (MPN) of algae, pH, and extractable nitrate, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium after 80 days incubation under light and dark conditions (±1 standard error).

<p>Significant differences between treatments are indicated by different letters (p≤0.01).</p

Chlorophyll <i>a</i> development in Gartenacker soil.

<p>Chlorophyll <i>a</i> in the surface (▴) and bulk (▾) of pasture soil after incubation under light (open symbols) or dark (closed symbols) conditions. Errors bars are ±1 standard error.</p

Bacterial community structure at the soil surface under light and dark conditions.

<p>The diversity and abundance of bacteria (16S rRNA gene) at the soil surface of a pasture soil after 80 days incubation under light or dark conditions. Data is presented in MEGAN as an OTU table created in QIIME at a 97% similarity threshold (uclust). The OTU table is presented at the taxonomic level of family. The number of reads that can be assigned using the RDP classifier at a confidence level of 80% are shown at the end of each node. Pie charts show the proportion of reads assigned to each sample incubated under light (green) and dark (brown) conditions with replicates shown as shades of these colours. Taxonomic assignments accounting for <0.5% total sequence abundance were removed. Significant differences in the read abundance of sequences between light and dark samples are highlighted in green when abundance is significantly higher under light conditions and in blue when abundance is significantly higher under dark conditions (p<0.05).</p

Phototroph diversity at the soil surface under light and dark conditions.

<p>α diversity estimates Chao1 (a) and Observed Species (b) and non-metric multidimensional scaling of community structure similarity (c) for phototrophs (23S rRNA genes of plastids) at the soil surface of a pasture soil after 80 days incubation under light (open symbols) or dark (closed symbols) conditions. OTU clustering was performed at the 97% similarity threshold using UCLUST. Error bars are ±1 S.E. Non-metric multidimensional scaling shows clustering based on the similarity of microbial community structure between treatments: 20% (red cluster), 25% (black cluster) and 80% (blue cluster).</p

Fungal diversity at the soil surface under light and dark conditions.

<p>α diversity estimates Chao1 (a) and Observed Species (b) and non-metric multidimensional scaling of community structure similarity (c) for fungi (ITS region) at the soil surface of a pasture soil after 80 incubation under light (open symbols) or dark (closed symbols) conditions. OTU clustering was performed at the 97% similarity threshold using UCLUST. Error bars are ±1 S.E. Non-metric multidimensional scaling shows clustering based on the similarity of microbial community structure between treatments: 55% (red cluster) and 70% (black cluster).</p