Table 1.
Effects of desiccation or flooding on microbial populations and methanogenic functions in soils across a gradient from permanent wet to permanent dry conditions. (The symbols denote the following: = constant; ↑ increase; ↓ decrease).
| Permanent Wet | Seasonal Flooding | Seasonal Flooding | Rotation | Mostly Dry | Permanent Dry | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| lake sediments | Amazon floodplain | paddy rice | rice—upland crop | upland soil | desert soil crusts | |
| Methanogen numbers after flooding | = | = | = | = | ↑ | ↑ |
| Methanogen taxa stimulated by desiccation |
M’sarcinaceae
M’cellaceae |
M´sarcinaceae
M´cellaceae |
M´sarcinaceae
M´cellaceae M´bacteriales |
M´sarcinaceae M´bacteriales or unchanged |
M´sarcinaceae
M´cellaceae M´bacteriales |
M´sarcinaceae
M´cellaceae |
| Firmicutes after desiccation and reflooding | ↑ | ↑ | ↑ = | ↑ = | ↑ | ↑ |
| CH4 production after desiccation and reflooding | ↑ | = | ↑↓ | ↓ | ↓ | |
| Hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis (%) | >50 | >50 | <33 | <33 | >50 | >50 |
| References | [69,70] | [73] | [71,72,76] | [74,75,76] | [39,72,73,74] | [62,77] |