Relationship between archaeal community structure and vegetation type in a fen on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau

The contribution of different methanogenic precursors probably depends on vegetation in the cold Zoige peatlands. This study was carried out to elucidate the relationship between archaeal community dynamics and vegetation type over growing season. Soil samples were collected monthly during the growing season from two vegetation types (communities dominated by Carex muliensis vs. Eleocharis valleculosa) on an open fen at the Wetland National Nature Reserve of the Zoige peatlands on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Archaeal community structure was determined with terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the 16S rRNA gene fragment. Methanosarcinales, Methanosaeta, Methanomicrobiales, Methanobacteriales, uncultured RC-II, and uncultured Crenarchaeota were detected in both vegetation types. The results suggested that seasonal change affects the activity rather than the structure of the archaeal community over the growing season. Ordination analyses indicated that archaeal community composition was related to vegetation type and plant height.