Work package 2 – Microbial ecosystem quality and biodiversity of the deglaciated high-mountain area

The main focuses of this study are the weathering processes of the rocks mediated by bacteria, the bacterial communities and the macroinvertebrate communities harvested by riparian sediments and the bacterial communities involved in the cycle of elements for plant nutrition. Both traditional and molecular methods are applied for diversity and functional studies.

This work package intends to answer the following questions:

•   What are the main mechanisms of soil formation in the newly exposed areas, and how are they influenced by climate change?
•  What is the role of bacterial communities in the establishment of pioneer plants?
•  How changes in community composition will affect water quality?

The forseen work of this work package will be useful for the assessment of the role of microbial communities in alpine ecosystem development. Our findings will be useful in order to monitor and model ecological processes in the context of climate change.