Microbial Communities and Methane Cycling in Bromeliad Tanks and Leaf Axils of Oil Palms”
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Methanogenesis in phytotelmata: Microbial communities and methane cycling in bromeliad tanks and leaf axils of oil palms Dissertation zur Erlangung des Doktorgrades der Naturwissenschaften (Dr. rer. nat.) dem Fachbereich Biologie der Philipps-Universität Marburg vorgelegt von Franziska Barbara Brandt aus Bad Hersfeld Marburg an der Lahn 2015 „Denn neben der objektiven Welt der Materie, die von der Wissenschaft so hervorragend erforscht wird, gibt es die subjektive Welt der Empfindungen, Gefühle, Gedanken sowie der ethischen Werte und spirituellen Hoffnungen, die in ihnen gründen. Wenn wir diesen Bereich außer Acht lassen und ihn so behandeln, als spiele er keine maßgebliche Rolle für unser Verständnis der Wirklichkeit, verzichten wir auf den Reichtum unserer Existenz, und unsere Einsicht wird nicht vollkommen sein. Die Wirklichkeit, einschließlich unseres eigenen Lebens, ist weitaus komplexer als die Beschreibungen des objektiven, wissenschaftlichen Materialismus.“ Der 14. Dalai Lama Die Untersuchungen zur folgenden Arbeit wurden von Januar 2012 bis März 2015 am Max-Planck-Institut für terrestrische Mikrobiologie in Marburg in der Abteilung Biogeochemie unter Anleitung von Prof. Dr. Ralf Conrad durchgeführt. Vom Fachbereich Biologie der Philipps-Universität Marburg als Dissertation angenommen am: Erstgutachter: Prof. Dr. Ralf Conrad Zweitgutachter: Prof. Dr. Erhard Bremer Tag der Disputation: 19.05.2015 Die in dieser Dissertation beschriebenen Ergebnisse sind in folgenden Publikationen veröffentlicht bzw. zur Veröffentlichung vorgesehen: Chapter 2 Brandt FB, Martinson GO, Conrad R. Unique islands - Microbial community composition in tank bromeliads of Werauhia gladioliflora. In preparation. Chapter 3 Brandt FB, Martinson GO, Pommerenke B, Pump J, Conrad R (2014) Drying effects on archaeal community composition and methanogenesis in bromeliad tanks. FEMS Microbiology Ecology, doi.org/10.1093/femsec/fiu021. Chapter 4 Brandt FB, Martinson GO, Pommerenke B, Conrad R. Drying effects on the bacterial community in tank bromeliad slurry incubated inside and outside of bromeliad tanks. In preparation. Content Summary ................................................................................................................................ 1 Zusammenfassung ................................................................................................................. 3 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................... 6 1.1 Methane and methanogenesis .................................................................................... 6 1.2 Methane cycling in tropical forests ............................................................................. 9 1.3 The Bromeliaceae ...................................................................................................... 11 1.4 The tank of bromeliads .............................................................................................. 12 1.5 Methane cycling in tank bromeliads .......................................................................... 16 1.6 Oil palms .................................................................................................................... 17 1.7 Objectives of the study .............................................................................................. 19 1.8 References ................................................................................................................. 21 2. Unique Islands-Microbial community composition in tank bromeliads of Werauhia gladioliflora................................................................................................................... 29 2.1 Abstract ...................................................................................................................... 30 2.2 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 31 2.3 Material and methods ............................................................................................... 33 2.4 Results ........................................................................................................................ 37 2.5 Discussion................................................................................................................... 44 2.6 References ................................................................................................................. 49 2.7 Supplementary material ............................................................................................ 54 3. Drying effects on archaeal community composition and methanogenesis in bromeliad tanks ............................................................................................................................. 57 3.1 Abstract ...................................................................................................................... 58 3.2 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 59 3.3 Material and methods ............................................................................................... 61 3.4 Results ........................................................................................................................ 67 3.5 Discussion................................................................................................................... 74 3.6 References ................................................................................................................. 78 3.7 Supplementary material ............................................................................................ 84 4. Drying effects on the bacterial community in tank bromeliad slurry incubated inside and outside of bromeliad tanks ................................................................................... 87 4.1 Abstract ...................................................................................................................... 88 4.2 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 89 4.3 Material and methods ............................................................................................... 91 4.4 Results ........................................................................................................................ 96 4.5 Discussion................................................................................................................. 105 4.6 References ............................................................................................................... 110 5. Leaf axils of oil palms - a potential habitat for methanogenesis ............................... 115 5.1 Abstract .................................................................................................................... 116 5.2 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 117 5.3 Material and methods ............................................................................................. 119 5.4 Results ...................................................................................................................... 123 5.5 Discussion................................................................................................................. 129 5.6 References ............................................................................................................... 133 5.7 Supplementary material .......................................................................................... 136 6. General discussion and concluding remarks .............................................................. 138 6.1 The tank bromeliad as a model ecosystem ............................................................. 139 6.2 Microbial communities and methane cycling in tank bromeliads .......................... 140 6.3 Methane emission from phytotelmata .................................................................... 144 6.4 Outlook .................................................................................................................... 147 6.5 References ............................................................................................................... 149 Lebenslauf ............................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Danksagung ....................................................................................................................... 155 Abgrenzung der Eigenleistung ........................................................................................... 156 Erklärung ............................................................................................................................ 157 1 Summary Summary The global emission of methane (CH4) is estimated to be 500-600 Tg per year from diverse natural and man-made sources. Wetlands are the main source of methane and provide an ideal habitat for anaerobic methanogenic archaea which significantly contribute to the total global methane emission. Besides permanently flooded wetlands, there are distinct wetlands created by small water bodies within parts of plants, called phytotelmata. These water catchments in tropical forests comprise bamboo nodes, pitcher plants, tree holes, tank bromeliads and non-bromeliads