Microbial community diversity in tea root zone soils at different elevations

Soil samples were collected in tea root zone of Tieguanyin tea gardens at different elevations in Anxi County, Fujian Province. Then phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) biomarkers were used to analyze microbial community diversity in the tea root zone soils. Significant differences exist among the 22 PLFAs detected in the soil samples from 525 m, 603 m, 717 m and 834 m elevations. For the purpose of analysis, PLFAs biomarkers are divided into two groups — complete distribution group, which means that a biomarker is well distributed across soil sample; and incomplete distribution group, which means that a biomarker is distributed in a fraction of soil sample. Tea root zone soil at higher elevation exhibits richer PLFAs distribution both in type and amount. The PLFAs biomarkers with the first three maximum concentration are 16:0, 18:3ω6c(6, 9, 12) and 18:0 — respectively indicating bacteria, fungi and hydrogenobacter. Biomarker 16:0 has the richest distribution, followed by 10Me 16:0 (indicating actinomyces) and 18:3ω6c(6,9,12) at different elevations. Cluster analysis reveals that PLFAs in root zone soils at different elevations are categorized into three groups at an euclidean distance of 11.51. PLFAs biomarkers in the group one are completely distributive, but at medium contents at different elevations. PLFAs biomarkers in the group two are completely distributive at a much higher contens at different elevations than those in the group one. Contrary to the group two, PLFAs biomarkers in the group three are much less than in the group two, with an incompletely distributive characteristics. Based on community diversity indices of Shannon-Wiener, Simpson and Pielou, it is concluded that maximum Shannon-Wiener, Simpson and Pielou indices occur in root zone soils at 834 m elevation whereas the minimum in root zone soils at 717 m elevation.