Title

Biogeographical survey of soil microbiomes across sub-Saharan Africa: structure, drivers, and predicted climate-driven changes

Creators

M. Greve, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Pretoria
E. Kaimoyo, University of Zambia
E. Marais, Gobabeb-Namib Research Institute
Rw Becker, Biodiversity Research Centre, Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources Sciences, Namibia University of Science and Technology
Ph Lebre, Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria
Tp Makhalanyane, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria
G. Maggs-Kolling, Gobabeb-Namib Research Institute
Ak Kambura, Taita Taveta University
P. Houngnandan, Université Nationale d’Agriculture, Porto-Novo, Benin (Laboratoire de Microbiologie Des Sols Et d’Ecologie Microbienne)
E. Nghalipo, Biodiversity Research Centre, Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources Sciences, Namibia University of Science and Technology
Dw Hopkins, Scotland’s Rural College
Ma Harris, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Pretoria
Pc de Jager, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Pretoria
Hb Houngnandan, Université Nationale d’Agriculture, Porto-Novo, Benin (Laboratoire de Microbiologie Des Sols Et d’Ecologie Microbienne)
I. Sithole-Niang, Department of Biotechnology and Biochemistry, University of Zimbabwe
Hi Boga, Taita Taveta University
M. Seely, Gobabeb-Namib Research Institute
J.-B. Ramond, Departamento de Genética Molecular Y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
F. Eckardt, Department of Geography, University of Cape Town
G. Varliero, Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria
K. Jordaan, Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria
H. Mondlane, Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane
Bw Olivier, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Pretoria
A. Valverde, Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria
G. Kamgan-Nkuekam, Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria
Dh Wall, Department of Biology, Colorado State University
A. Zeze, Institut National Polytechnique Houphouet-Boigny
S. Vikram, Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria
M. Ortiz, Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University
Cer Amon, Institut National Polytechnique Houphouet-Boigny

Description

Abstract Background Top-soil microbiomes make a vital contribution to the Earth’s ecology and harbor an extraordinarily high biodiversity. They are also key players in many ecosystem services, particularly in arid regions of the globe such as the African continent. While several recent studies have documented patterns in global soil microbial ecology, these are largely biased towards widely studied regions and rely on models to interpolate the microbial diversity of other regions where there is low data coverage. This is the case for sub-Saharan Africa, where the number of regional microbial studies is very low in comparison to other continents. Results The aim of this study was to conduct an extensive biogeographical survey of sub-Saharan Africa’s top-soil microbiomes, with a specific focus on investigating the environmental drivers of microbial ecology across the region. In this study, we sampled 810 sample sites across 9 sub-Saharan African countries and used taxonomic barcoding to profile the microbial ecology of these regions. Our results showed that the sub-Saharan nations included in the study harbor qualitatively distinguishable soil microbiomes. In addition, using soil chemistry and climatic data extracted from the same sites, we demonstrated that the top-soil microbiome is shaped by a broad range of environmental factors, most notably pH, precipitation, and temperature. Through the use of structural equation modeling, we also developed a model to predict how soil microbial biodiversity in sub-Saharan Africa might be affected by future climate change scenarios. This model predicted that the soil microbial biodiversity of countries such as Kenya will be negatively affected by increased temperatures and decreased precipitation, while the fungal biodiversity of Benin will benefit from the increase in annual precipitation. Conclusion This study represents the most extensive biogeographical survey of sub-Saharan top-soil microbiomes to date. Importantly, this study has allowed us to identify countries in sub-Saharan Africa that might be particularly vulnerable to losses in soil microbial ecology and productivity due to climate change. Considering the reliance of many economies in the region on rain-fed agriculture, this study provides crucial information to support conservation efforts in the countries that will be most heavily impacted by climate change. Video Abstract

Publication Date

1-1-2022

Publisher

figshare Academic Research System

DOI

10.6084/m9.figshare.c.6160353.v1

Document Type

Data Set

Identifier

10.6084/m9.figshare.c.6160353.v1

Embargo Date

1-1-2022

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