Short-term effects of simulated below-ground carbon dioxide leakage on a soil microbial community

• Short-term effect of simulated CO2 leaks from CSS was studied in an experimental site.
• Genetic, metabolic profile and abundance of Bacteria, Archaea and Fungi were evaluated.
• Soil type was more important than CO2 additions in microbial activity and abundance.
• Short-term low CO2 emissions did not affect soil microbial communities.

The effects of artificial increments in soil carbon dioxide (CO2) on microbial communities were studied in an experimental plant in Cubillos del Sil (León, Spain). The impact of two fluxes of CO2 (20 and 40 l/h) influencing microbial communities and their relationships in two different soils (Cubillos and Hontomín) was evaluated by using three different approaches: community structure by DGGE, qPCR quantification of Bacteria, Archaea and Fungi domains and community-level physiological profile (CLPP). Soil type was the most important determinant factor in microbial activity and abundance: Cubillos soil showed a significantly higher qPCR copy numbers (58.68, 275.92 and 375.4%, for Bacteria, Archaea and Fungi, respectively) with a richer metabolism than Hontomín soil. No significant changes were observed in relation to CO2 increase with any of the methods employed. Soil microbial communities proved to be resilient to short-term below-ground low CO2 emissions. Short-term studies are useful for developing methods to detect possible leakages and assessing the likelihood of undesirable consequences on soil ecosystem.

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