Niche differentiation of Glade A comammox Nitrospira and canonical ammonia oxidizers in selected forest soils

Abstract

Unravelling the ecological niche differentiation between comammox Nitrospira, ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and bacteria (AOB) is essential to understand forest nitrogen dynamics. Although genomic and physiological studies have suggested that comammox Nitrospira may outcompete AOA and AOB under oligotrophic conditions, empirical evidence is lacking in terrestrial ecosystems. Here we investigated the environmental prevalence and functional importance of comammox Nitrospira and their niche differentiation with AOA and AOB in forest soils from eastern Australia. Clade A comammox Nitrospira was widely detected in these forest soils, and their abundance was positively correlated with ammonium, ..