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Effect of large herbivore decomposition on the succession of Mesic-grassland soil microbiomes
Thesis (PhD (Microbiology))--University of Pretoria, 2024.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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University of Pretoria
2024
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| _version_ | 1867613581238861824 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author2 | Cowan, Don A. |
| author_browse | Cowan, Don A. |
| author_facet | Cowan, Don A. |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | © 2023 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. |
| description | Thesis (PhD (Microbiology))--University of Pretoria, 2024. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/99983 |
| institution | University of Pretoria (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:38:24.974Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| publishDate | 2024 |
| publishDateRange | 2024 |
| publishDateSort | 2024 |
| publisher | University of Pretoria |
| publisherStr | University of Pretoria |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| spelling | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/99983 Effect of large herbivore decomposition on the succession of Mesic-grassland soil microbiomes Cowan, Don A. jacques.fch@gmail.com Lebre, Pedro Humberto Fouché, Jacques UCTD Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Postmorten microbiology Biolog® EcoPlatesTM Grassland soil microbiome Carcass decomposition Functional succession Thesis (PhD (Microbiology))--University of Pretoria, 2024. Plant detritus is abundant in grassland but decomposes slowly and is relatively nutrient-poor, whereas animal carcasses are labile and nutrient-rich. Although nutrients from carcasses are highly sought-after, historically, they have been considered insignificant due to their brief decomposition period and minor contribution to the overall landscape nutrition. Recent studies have demonstrated that carcasses significantly alter long-term soil properties at an ecosystem scale. There is a paucity of empirical evidence of the temporal scale of functional and structural succession of the soil microbiome during and after carcass decomposition. Over a period of eighteen months, this study evaluated the functional and structural succession of the soil microbiomes beneath ten Connochaetes taurinus (wildebeest) carcasses. Functional succession was measured by the utilisation of 31 ecologically relevant carbon substrates using BiologTM EcoPlatesTM. Metagenomic analysis of 16S rRNA genes evaluated the bacterial community structural succession. Functional analysis results indicated that most soil microbial processes beneath the carcasses were accelerated for a limited period but resulted in an enduring increase in functional diversity. Substrate utilisation shifted successively and remained evident throughout the study period. Conversely, bacterial diversity was significantly reduced and dissimilar to control soil, although it recovered incrementally to the control soil levels within eighteen months. Biomarkers at different taxonomic levels were identified at various postmortem intervals up to eighteen months Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology (BGM) PhD (Microbiology) Unrestricted Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences SDG-15: Life on land 2024-12-12T12:08:58Z 2024-12-12T12:08:58Z 2025-04 2024-11-19 Thesis * A2025 http://hdl.handle.net/2263/99983 https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/OJ3IK8. en © 2023 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria |
| spellingShingle | UCTD Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Postmorten microbiology Biolog® EcoPlatesTM Grassland soil microbiome Carcass decomposition Functional succession Effect of large herbivore decomposition on the succession of Mesic-grassland soil microbiomes |
| title | Effect of large herbivore decomposition on the succession of Mesic-grassland soil microbiomes |
| title_full | Effect of large herbivore decomposition on the succession of Mesic-grassland soil microbiomes |
| title_fullStr | Effect of large herbivore decomposition on the succession of Mesic-grassland soil microbiomes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effect of large herbivore decomposition on the succession of Mesic-grassland soil microbiomes |
| title_short | Effect of large herbivore decomposition on the succession of Mesic-grassland soil microbiomes |
| title_sort | effect of large herbivore decomposition on the succession of mesic grassland soil microbiomes |
| topic | UCTD Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Postmorten microbiology Biolog® EcoPlatesTM Grassland soil microbiome Carcass decomposition Functional succession |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/2263/99983 https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/OJ3IK8. |