Successional patterns of in vitro soil respiration and methane production and oxidation along a mire chronosequence

摘要

We studied the in vitro soil respiration (CO2 production) and CH4 production and oxidation activity in peat and peat/soil profiles from a mire succession transect in the coastal land uplift area in Siikajoki, Finland. We aimed to describe the successional pattern of microbial activities along this pristine mire chronosequence. The gas production/oxidation rates were calculated per volume and per dry weight. Our results supported the preferable use of the volume based approach as it repeals the impact of soil bulk density in quantifying microbial activity in varying soil environments. We found that CO2 and CH4 production activities were the highest in the early successional sites, while CH4 oxidation increased after soil exposure from the sea and then stabilized.