Afforestation increases microbial diversity in low-carbon soils

Afforestation has an important role in biodiversity conservation and ecosystem function improvement.A meta-analysis was carried out in China,which has the largest plantation area globally,to quantify the effects of plantings on soil microbial diversity.The results showed that the overall effect of afforestation on soil microbial diversity was positive across the country.Random forest algorithm suggested that soil carbon was the most important factor regulating microbial diversity and the positive response was only found with new plantings on low-carbon bare lands but not on high-carbon farmlands and grasslands.In addition,afforestation with broadleaved species increased microbial diversity,whereas planting with conifers had no effect on microbial diversity.This study clarified the effects of plantings on soil microbial diversity,which has an important implication for establishing appropriate policies and practices to improve the multiple functionalities(e.g.,biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation)during plantation establishment.

Impact of Storage Temperature on Microbial Diversity and Probiotic Effect of Liquid Brewers’ Yeast

Using probiotics as animal feed additives instead of antibiotics is gaining momentum to avert adverse negative effects on human health. Liquid brewers yeast (LBY) is an industrial by-product containing probiotic microorganisms and is also used as a protein supplement for dairy animals. Nevertheless, value chain actors lack of appropriate handling practices compromises the by-products quality and safety. This study aimed to determine the effect of variation in temperature on microbial diversity and probiotic effects during the storage time of LBY sampled from distributors and farmers from Githunguri sub-county of Kenya. The samples were stored at 20C, 25C and 30C, then tested on 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 days. The studys parameters involved determining the pH levels, lactic acid bacteria (LAB), total coliform count (TCC), mould, and yeast in LBY. The rate (k) of the reaction kinetics model was used to extrapolate the expected probiotic shelf life. The LAB and yeast populations were reduced in a first-order reaction at all storage temperatures. The rate of reduction in the numbers of LAB reduced with an increase in temperature (k = 0.019 and 0.023) at 20C and 30C, respectively. Yeasts highest rate of growth reduction was 25C (k = 0.009) and least at 30C (k = 0.043). The minimum effective concentration for probiotics of 106 CFU/mL needed to observe the beneficial physiological impact on farm animals was achieved between 34.9 and 35.5 days at the tested storage temperatures. The study provides insight into the unexploited low-cost probiotic potential of LBY in dairy production. Conversely, handling practices and environmental microbial contamination along the value chain can compromise product quality and safety. There is a need to advocate its use in dairy for improved productivity and sensitize farmers to appropriate hygienic measures along the LBY value chain.

Gut microbial diversity analysis using Illumina sequencing for functional dyspepsia with liver depression-spleen deficiency syndrome and the interventional Xiaoyaosan in a rat model

AIM To investigate gut microbial diversity and the interventional effect of Xiaoyaosan(XYS) in a rat model of functional dyspepsia(FD) with liver depression-spleen deficiency syndrome. METHODS The FD with liver depression-spleen deficiency syndrome rat model was established through classic chronic mild unpredictable stimulation every day. XYS group rats received XYS 1 h before the stimulation. The models were assessed by parameters including state ofthe rat, weight, sucrose test result and open-field test result. After 3 wk, the stools of rats were collected and genomic DNA was extracted. PCR products of the V4 region of 16 S rD NA were sequenced using a barcoded Illumina paired-end sequencing technique. The primary composition of the microbiome in the stool samples was determined and analyzed by cluster analysis.RESULTS Rat models were successfully established, per data from rat state, weight and open-field test. The microbiomes contained 20 phyla from all samples. Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria and Tenericutes were the most abundant taxonomic groups. The relative abundance of Firmicutes, Proteobacteria and Cyanobacteria in the model group was higher than that in the normal group. On the contrary, the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes in the model group was lower than that in the normal group. Upon XYS treatment, the relative abundance of all dysregulated phyla was restored to levels similar to those observed in the normal group. Abundance clustering heat map of phyla corroborated the taxonomic distribution. CONCLUSION The microbiome relative abundance of FD rats with liver depression-spleen deficiency syndrome was significantly different from the normal cohort. XYS intervention may effectively adjust the gut dysbacteriosis in FD.

Effects of viral infection and microbial diversity on patients with sepsis:A retrospective study based on metagenomic next-generation sequencing

BACKGROUND: The study aims to investigate the performance of a metagenomic next-generationsequencing (NGS)-based diagnostic technique for the identifi cation of potential bacterial and viral infectionsand eff ects of concomitant viral infection on the survival rate of intensive care unit (ICU) sepsis patients.METHODS: A total of 74 ICU patients with sepsis who were admitted to our institution from February1, 2018 to June 30, 2019 were enrolled. Separate blood samples were collected from patients for bloodcultures and metagenomic NGS when the patients’ body temperature was higher than 38 °C. Patients’demographic data, including gender, age, ICU duration, ICU scores, and laboratory results, were recorded.The correlations between pathogen types and sepsis severity and survival rate were evaluated.RESULTS: NGS produced higher positive results (105 of 118;88.98%) than blood cultures(18 of 118;15.25%) over the whole study period. Concomitant viral infection correlated closelywith sepsis severity and had the negative effect on the survival of patients with sepsis. However,correlation analysis indicated that the bacterial variety did not correlate with the severity of sepsis.CONCLUSIONS: Concurrent viral load correlates closely with the severity of sepsis and thesurvival rate of the ICU sepsis patients. This suggests that prophylactic administration of antiviraldrugs combined with antibiotics may be benefi cial to ICU sepsis patients.

Microbial diversity in cold seep sediments from the northern South China Sea

South China Sea （SCS） is the largest Western Pacific marginal sea. However, microbial studies have never been performed in the cold seep sediments in the SCS. In 2004, ＂SONNE＂ 177 cruise found two cold seep areas with different water depth in the northern SCS. Haiyang 4 area, where the water depth is around 3000 m, has already been confirmed for active seeping on the seafloor, such as microbial mats, authigenic carbonate crusts and bivalves. We investigated microbial abundance and diver- sity in a 5.55-m sediment core collected from this cold seep area. An integrated approach was employed including geochemistry and 16S rRNA gene phylogenetic analyses. Here, we show that microbial abun- dance and diversity along with geochemistry profiles of the sediment core revealed a coupled reaction between sulphate reduction and methane oxidation. Acridine orange direct count results showed that microbial abundance ranges from 105 to 106 cells/g sediment （wet weight）. The depth-related variation of the abundance showed the same trend as the methane concentration profile. Phylogenetic analysis indicated the presence of sulphate-reducing bacteria and anaerobic methane-oxidizing archaea. The diver- sity was much higher at the surface, but decreased sharply with depth in response to changes in the geochemical conditions of the sediments, such as methane, sulphate concentration and total organic carbon. Marine Benthic Group B, Chloroflexi and JS1 were predominant phylotypes of the archaeal and bacterial libraries, respectively.

Dynamics of microbial diversity during the composting of agricultural straw

The dynamic changes in microbial diversity during the aerobic composting of agricultural crop straw with additives were evaluated using high-throughput sequencing at four phases of composting(mesophilic,thermophilic,cooling and maturation phases).In addition,the physicochemical parameters of the composting system were determined in this study.The fermentation time of the thermophilic period was prolonged with the addition of urea or urea combined with a microbial agent.The ratio of C/N and germination index variation indicated that the additives were favorable for composting,because the additives directly changed the physicochemical properties of the compost and had effects on the diversity and abundance of bacteria and fungi.The abundance of operational taxonomic units(OTUs),diversity index(Shannon)and richness index(Chao1)of fungi and bacteria were found to significantly increase when urea+microbial agents were added to straw in the thermophilic phase.The relative abundance of the predominant bacteria and fungi at the phylum and genus levels differed during different composting phases.The abundance of the phyla Firmicutes and Proteobacteria declined in the order of treatments SNW>SN>S(S is straw only compost;SN is straw+5 kg t^(–1) urea compost;and SNW is straw+5 kg t^(–1) urea+1 kg t^(–1) microbial agent compost)in the thermophilic phase.The abundance of the genera Staphylococcus,Bacillus and Thermobifida followed the same order in the mesophilic phase.Ascomycota accounted for more than 92%of the total fungal sequences.With the progression of the composting process,the abundance of Ascomycota decreased gradually.The abundance of Ascomycota followed the order of S>SN>SNW during the thermophilic phase.The abundance of Aspergillus accounted for 4–59%of the total abundance of fungi and increased during the first two sampling periods.Aspergillus abundance followed the order of SNW>SN>S.Additionally,principal component analysis(PCA)revealed that the community compositions in the straw and straw+urea treatments were similar,and that the bacterial communities in treatments S,SN and SNW in the mesophilic phase(at day 1)were different from those observed in three other phases(at days 5,11,and19,respectively),while the fungal communities showed only slight variations in their structure in response to changes in the composting process.Canonical correlation analysis(CCA)and redundancy analysis(RDA)showed that total carbon(TC),NO_(3)^(–)-N(NN),electrical conductivity(EC)and p H were highly correlated with community composition.Therefore,this study highlights that the additives are beneficial to straw composting and result in good quality compost.

PCR-DGGE analysis of intestinal bacteria and effect of Bacillus spp.on intestinal microbial diversity in kuruma shrimp(Marsupenaeus japonicus)

In this study,the intestinal microbiota of kuruma shrimp(Marsupenaeus japonicus) was examined by molecular analysis of the 16S rDNA to identify the dominant intestinal bacteria and to investigate the effects of Bacillus spp.on intestinal microbial diversity.Samples of the intestines of kuruma shrimp fed normal feed and Bacillus spp.amended feed.PCR and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis(DGGE) analyses were then performed on DNA extracted directly from the guts.Population fingerprints of the predominant organisms were generated by DGGE analysis of the universal V3 16S rDNA amplicons,and distinct bands in the gels were sequenced.The results suggested that the gut of kuruma shrimp was dominated by Vibrio sp.and uncultured gamma proteobacterium.Overall,the results of this study suggest that PCR-DGGE is a possible method of studying the intestinal microbial diversity of shrimp.

Microbial diversity of soil bacteria in agricultural field contaminated with heavy metals

In this study we evaluated the bacterial diversity in a soil sample from a site next to a chemical industrial factory previously contaminated with heavy metals. Analysis of 16S rDNA sequences amplified from DNA directly extracted from the soil revealed 17 different bacterial types （genera and/or species）. They included Polyangium spp., Sphingomonas spp., Variovorax spp., Hafina spp., Clostridia, Acidobacteria, the enterics and some uncultured strains. Microbes able to tolerate high concentrations of cadmium （500μmol/L and above） were also isolated from the soil. These isolates included strains of Acinetobacter （strain CD06）, Enterobacter sp. （strains CD01, CD03, CD04 and CD08） （similar strains also identified in culture-independent approach） and a strain of Stenotrophomonas sp. The results indicated that the species identified from direct analysis of 16S rDNA of the soil can be quite different from those strains obtained from enrichment cultures and the microbial activities for heavy metal resistance might be more appropriately addressed by the actual isolates.

Microbial diversity in two cold springs on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

The microbial diversity in Wuli Area, Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau was investigated using 16S rRNA gene phylogenetic analyses. A total of 117 bacterial and 66 archaeal 16S rRNA gene clones were obtained from the Wuli cold springs, The bacterial clones could be classified into Proteobacteria, Acid- obacteria, Deinococci, Sphingobacteria, Flavobacteria, Nitrospirae, Actinobacteria, Gemmatimona- detes, and unclassified-bacteria; and the archaeal clones could be classified into Crenarchaeota and Thaumarchaeota. Among the major groups, Proteobacteria and Crenarchaeota were dominant in the bacterial and archaeal 16S rRNA gene clone libraries, respectively. The clone sequences obtained in Wuli cold springs were closely related to those from cold habitats, such as snow/ice/soils on high mountains or at high latitude. Especially, the microbial community composition of Wuli Area was more similar to that in Tibetan glaciers than cold environments of other locations. The data presented in this study have impli- cations for a better understanding of microbial diversity in cold springs on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

Effects of Microbial Inoculums on Soil Enzyme Activity and Microbial Diversity in a Reclaimed Mining Area

Through a pot experiment, effects of various microbial inoculums on soil microbial diversity and enzyme activity in a typical reclaimed mining area in Shanxi Province were discussed based on quantitative analysis of PLFA, soil urease, phosphatase and sucrase activity. The results showed that the application of microbial inoculums increased microorganism quantity in rhizosphere of rape by 2.3% -66.4%, and quantities of bac- teria, gram-positive bacteria, gram-negative bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes in the treatments with microbial inoculums were significantly higher than the contrast （P 〈0.05）, while there was no obvious change in protist quantity. In comparison with the contrast, the application of various mi- crobial inoculums also improved soil urease, sucrase and phosphatase activity by 4.2% - 61.4%, 18.0% - 32.5% and 64.2% - 199.0% respec- tively. It indicated that the application of microbial inoculums can improve soil microbial diversity and enzyme activity, so it is an effective way to sl^eed UP ecoloQical restoration of soil.

The levels of microbial diversity in dif ferent water layers of saline Chagan Lake,China

Saline lakes represent a particularly interesting aquatic environment for harboring high microbial diversity.However,the microbial diversity in different states and locations of saline lake is often overlooked.We studied for the first time the diversity and relative composition of the microbial communities in the Chagan Lake,NE China,and investigated the dif ferences in microbial species and physical and chemical factors in different geographical localities of the lake.After extracting the total DNA of the sample,we tested the library with the established library,sequenced the qualified library with Illumina HiSeq 2500,and studied the bacterial diversity by 16 S rRNA targeted metagenomics analysis.Results reveal that the highest microbial abundance in Chagan Lake at genus level was Proteobacterium followed by Actinomycetes and Bacteroides.In addition,we compared the microbial composition within the lake using alpha-and beta-diversity indices,showing that both diversity and evenness were the highest in the middle of the lake and lowest in the west of lake areas,and in the upper,middle,and lower depth of water columns,the low water column had the highest species number in the whole water environment,but the dif ference was not significant.We believe that physicochemical factors contribute to the formation of microbial community composition and diversity.In aquaculture industry,it is impossible apply horticulture for making full use of the spatial dif ferences in the microbial composition of the water.Therefore,combining cultured aquatic animal with the most suitable microbial species is a good way to boost the breeding ef fect for greater economic value.

Changes of microbial diversity during pyrite bioleaching

Microorganisms,one of the key factors affecting the bioleaching process,change the components of extracellular polymeric substance(EPS)and community structure to survive in leaching environments.In this work,Fourier transform infrared(FTIR),X-ray powder diffraction(XRD)and 16S rDNA high-throughput sequence analyses were used to reveal the microbial changes in planktonic and sessile phases during bioleaching.The results showed the occupation of sessile cells decreased from 66.2%to(10±3)%.After bioleaching,the planktonic and sessile cells have similar EPS,but they are different from the original cells.Pyrite dissolution mainly occurs at the early and late stages with the decreasing of particle diameter,by 50%and 40%,respectively.The 16S rDNA gene based sequence analysis results in total of 1117420 Reads across the six samples,presented among 7 phyla,9 classes,17 orders,23 families and 31 genera.Genera Leptospirillum and Sulfobacillus are the main bacteria at the early and middle stages,and Leptospirillum is the main genus at the end of bioleaching.Aquabacterium and Acidovorax are special genera in sessile cells and Weissella is special in planktonic ones.

Contrasting resilience of soil microbial biomass,microbial diversity and ammonification enzymes under three applied soil fumigants

Fumigation is a widely applied approach to mitigate the soil-borne diseases.However,the potential effects of currently applied fumigants on ammonification remain unclear.An 84-day incubation experiment was conducted based on non-fumigated soil(CK)and fumigated soil using three common fumigants,i.e.,chloropicrin(CP),1,3-dichloropropene(1,3-D),and metam sodium(MS).The results showed that,the three fumigants all decreased the microbial C,and the largest reduction(84.7%)occurred with the application of CP.After fumigation,the microbial diversity in the CP treatment rapidly recovered,but that in the 1,3-D treatment decreased and did not recover by the end of the experiment.The application of MS showed no impact on the microbial diversity during the assay,indicating that significantly different microbial diversity can be achieved by choosing different fumigants.Futhermore,the three fumigants showed divergent effects on the enzymes involved in ammonification.The analysis showed that the enzyme variation with CP application was mainly associated with the changed microbial C and N(P<0.05),and not with the microbial community,which was different from the observed effects of 1,3-D or MS application.In addition,the soil quality index showed that CP was still significantly harmful at the end of incubation compared with the good resilience of MS,indicating that CP may not be a suitable fumigant.

Effects of rural domestic sewage reclaimed irrigation and regulation on heavy metals,PPCPs,water and nitrogen utilization,and microbial diversity in paddy field

Rural domestic reclaimed water(RDRW)is rural domestic sewage that being safely treated,the irrigation and reuse of RDRW are an effective way to alleviate the contradiction between supply and demand of water resources in South China.In this study,four kinds of irrigation water sources(primary and secondary treated water R1 and R2,purified water R3 and river water CK)and three kinds of water level regulations(low,medium,and high field water level control of W1,W2 and W3)were set to study the impact of RDRW on soil and crop safety,water and nitrogen utilization and biodiversity for establishing the regulation mechanism of RDRW irrigation with field experiment,and monitoring was carried out in RDRW irrigation demonstration area to assess the effectiveness of RDRW.The results showed that,under RDRW irrigation,the contents of Cd and Pb increased slightly,while the contents of Cr,Cu and Zn decreased in paddy soil.The heavy metals content decreased along the direction of stem,leaf and grain in rice plants,but did not increase significantly in rice grains.With the increase of field water level,pharmaceutical and personal care products(PPCPs)content in 60-80 cm soil layer was accumulated,and the PPCPs content in rice husks was higher than that in grains,but it was at a very low level.Compared to CK,RDRW irrigation can effectively increase rice yield,rainwater use efficiency(RUE)and nitrogen use efficiency(NUE)by 5.4%-7.6%,6.7%-9.4%and 21.7%-24.2%,respectively,and the species diversity,community diversity and richness in rice fields were improved.Additionally,water level regulation of W3 with R2 water resource irrigation was conducive to the exertion of comprehensive benefits.The monitoring of demonstration area showed that the consumption of fresh water was reduced by 530 mm,yield was increased by 9.6%,and the soil and crop were both safety.Short-term irrigation of RDRW did not cause soil and crops pollution,however,it is still necessary to track and monitor the effect of the system on soil,crop,and underground water with long-term reclaimed water irrigation.

How Does Heat-Stress Intensity Affect the Stability of Microbial Activity and Diversity of Soil Microbial Communities in Outfields and Homefields’ Cultivation Practices in the Senegalese Groundnut Basin?

Agroecosystems in the Senegalese groundnut basin experience long periods of high temperatures and drought, which disrupt the stability of soil microbial communities. This study evaluated how that stability is affected by homefields and outfields’ agricultural practices and the duration of heat stress. Specifically, we collected soils from organically farmed fields that receive continual high inputs of manure (homefields), and from fields that are rarely manured (outfields). Soil samples were submitted to artificial heat stress at 60°C for 3, 14, and 28 days, followed by 28 days of recovery at 28°C. We examined the functional stability of microbial communities by quantifying C mineralization, and characterized the stability of the communities’ taxonomic compositions via high-throughput DNA sequencing. We found that the microbial communities have a low resistance to heat stress in soils from both types of fields. However, the manuring practice does affect how the functional stability of microbial communities responds to different durations of heat stress. Although functional stability was not recovered fully in either soil, microbial community resilience seemed to be greater in homefield soils. Differences in manuring practices also affected the structural taxonomic stability of microbial communities: relative abundances of Bacilli, Chloroflexia, Actinobacteria and Sordariomycetes increased in the homefield stressed-soils, but decreased significantly in outfield soils. In contrast, relative abundances of α-Proteobacteria, γ-Proteobacteria and Eurotiomycetes increased significantly in outfield stressed-soils, while decreasing significantly in the homefield soils. Relative abundances of Bacilli changed little in outfield soils, indicating that this taxon is resistant to heat stress. In summary, the microbial communities’ capacities to resist heat stress and recover from it depend upon the organic richness of the soil (i.e., manuring practice) and the adaptation of soil microbes to environmental conditions.

Effect of heavy metals on soil microbial activity and diversity in a reclaimed mining wasteland of red soil area

The microbial biomass, basal respiration and substrate utilization pattern in copper mining wasteland of red soil area, southern China, were investigated. The results indicated that soil microflora were obviously different compared with that of the non-mine soil. Microbial biomass and basal respiration were negatively affected by the elevated heavy metal levels. Two important microbial ecophysiological parameters, namely, the ratio of microbial biomass C（ Cmic ）/organic C（ Corg ） and metabolic quotient（qCO2 ） were closely correlated to heavy metal stress. There was a significant decrease in the Cmic/Corg ratio and an increase in the metabolic quotient with increasing metal concentration. Multivariate analysis of Biolog data for sole carbon source utilization pattern demonstrated that heavy metal pollution had a significant impact on microbial community structure and functional diversity. All the results showed that soil microbiological parameters had great potential to become the early sensitive, effective and liable indicators of the stresses or perturbations in soils of mining ecosystems.

Biochar applications influence soil physical and chemical properties,microbial diversity,and crop productivity:a meta-analysis

Biochar is a widely known soil amendment.Here we synthesize the available information on influence of biochar application on different soil properties and crop productivity using meta-analysis.Global data on influence of biochar applications on different soil physical,chemical,microbial properties,and crop productivity were extracted from literature and statistically analyzed.Based on selection criteria,59 studies from the literature published between 2012 and 2021 were selected for the meta-analysis.Correlations were developed between effect size of biochar application on different soil properties and crop productivity.Application of biochar increased soil pH,cation exchange capacity,and organic carbon by 46%,20%,and 27%,respectively,with greater effects in coarse and fine-textured soils.Effects on chemical properties were variable among biochar prepared from different feedstocks.Among physical properties,biochar application reduced bulk densities by 29%and increased porosity by 59%.Biochar prepared at higher pyrolytic temperatures(>500℃)improved bulk density and porosity to greater extents(31%and 66%,respectively).Biochar prepared at lower pyrolytic temperatures(<500℃)had a greater effect on microbial diversity(both bacterial and fungal),with more diverse bacterial populations in medium and coarse textured soils,while fungal diversity increased in fine textured soils.Biochar applications increased crop productivity only in fine and coarse textured soil.The effect size of biochar application on crop productivity was correlated with responses to physical properties of soils.The meta-analysis highlighted the need to conduct long-term field experiments to provide better explanations for changes in biochar properties as it undergoes aging,its longer-term effects on soil properties,and timing of re-application of different biochars.

Soil fungistasis and its relations to soil microbial composition and diversity:A case study of a series of soils with different fungistasis

Fungistasis is one of the important approaches to control soil-borne plant pathogens.Some hypotheses about the mechanisms for soil fungistasis had been established,which mainly focused on the soil bacterial community composition,structure,diversity as well as function.In this study,the bacterial community composition and diversity of a series of soils treated by autoclaving,which coming from the same original soil sample and showing gradient fungistasis to the target soil-borne pathogen fungi Fusarium grami...

Microbial community diversity in the profile of an agricultural soil in northern China

The soil microorganisms at different depths play an important role in soil formation,ecosystem biogeochemistry,recycling of nutrients,and degradation of waste products.The aims of this study were to observe the microbial diversity in the profile of an agricultural soil in northern China,and to research the correlation between soil microbes and geochemistry.First,the soil geochemistry of the profile was investigated through 25 chemical elements.Secondly,the various physiological groups of microorganisms were...

Microbial community structure and diversity in deep-sea hydrothermal vent sediments along the Eastern Lau Spreading Centre

The aim of this study is to investigate microbial structures and diversities in five active hydrothermal fields＇ sediments along the Eastern Lau Spreading Centre （ELSC） in the Lau Basin （southwest Pacific）. Microbial communities were surveyed by denatured gradient gel electrophoresis （DGGE） and clone library analysis of 16S rRNA genes. The differences in microbial community structures among sediment samples from the five deep-sea hydrothermal sites were revealed by DGGE profiles. Cluster analysis of DGGE profiles sepa- rated the five hydrothermal samples into two groups. Four different 16S rRNA gene clone libraries, repre- senting two selected hydrothermal samples （19-4TVG8 and 19-4TVG11）, were constructed. Twenty-three and 32 phylotypes were identified from 166 and 160 bacterial clones respectively, including Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Nitrospirae and Planctomycetes. The phylum Proteobacteria is dominant in both bacterial libraries with a predominance of Gamma-Proteobacteria. A total of 31 and 25 phylotypes were obtained from 160 and 130 archaeal clones respectively, including Miscellaneous Crenarchaeotic Group, Marine Group Ⅰ and Ⅲ, Marine Benthic Group E, Terrestrial Hot Spring Crenarchaeota and Deep-sea Hy- drothermal Vent Euryarchaeota. These results show a variety of clones related to those involved in sulfur cycling, suggesting that the cycling and utilization of sulfur compounds may extensively occur in the Lau Basin deep-sea hydrothermal ecosystem.