Table 1. PCR Primers used in this study.

Target gene	Primer	Primer sequence	Annealing temperature (°C)	Amplicon size (bp)	Reference
Clone library
16 S rRNA	341F	CCTACGGGNGGCWGCAG	53	465	[23]
	805R	GACTACHVGGGTATCTAATCC
NarG	1960F	TA(CT)GT(GC)GGGCAGGA(AG)AAACTG	55	691	[24]
	2650R	TTYTCRTACCABGTBGC
NirS	cd3aF	GT(C/G) AAC GT(C/G) AAG GA(A/G) AC(C/G) GG	60	426	[25]
	R3cd	GA(C/G) TTC GG(A/G) TG(C/G) GTC TTG A
NirK	F1aCu	ATCATGGT(C\G)CTGCCGCG	53	473	[25]
	R3Cu	GCCTCGATCAG(A/G)TTGTGGTT
NorB	2F	GACAARHWVTAYTGGTGGT	52	428	[26]
	7R	CCRTGGSTRWARWARTTSAC
NosZ	F	CG(C/T)TGTTC(A/C)TCGACAGCCAG	58	454	[25]
	1622R	CG(G/C)ACCTT(G/C)TTGCC(C/G)T(T/C)GCG
Quantitative PCR
16S rRNA	341F	CCTACGGGNGGCWGCAG	60	175	[27]
	515R	ATTCCG CGG CTG GCA
NarG	1960m2F	TA(CT)GT(GC)GGGCAGGA(AG)AAACTG	60	100	[27]
	2050m2R	CGTAGAAGAAGCTGGTGCTGTT
NirS	2F	TACCACCC(C/G)GA(A/G)CCGCGCGT	60	165	[19]
	3R	GCCGCCGTC(A/G)TG(A/C/G)AGGAA
NirK	876F	ATYGGCGGVAYGGCGA	60	165	[28]
	1040R	GCCTCGATCAGRTTRTGGTT
NorB	2F	GACAARHWVTAYTGGTGGT	60	394	[26]
	6R	TGCAKSARRCCCCABACBCC
NosZ	1F	WCSYTGTTCMTCGACAGCCAG	60	260	[29]
	1R	ATGTCGATCARCTGVKCRTTYTC