Early primary succession on lava flows in Iceland

Abstract

One of the most striking aspects of a newly formed lava flow is its barren and sterile nature. However, just after the eruption these lava flows can be colonized by microorganisms starting up a primary succession. These pioneer microorganisms pave up the way for more complex forms which are later established. The initial processes of colonization and subsequent rock bioweathering are still poorly understood. In this study, we have proposed to characterize the dynamics of colonization of lava flows in Iceland by analyzing the community structure of microbial communities (bacteria and fungi) inhabiting successive and chronological lava flows of two different volcanos from the Highlands, Hekla and Hohlraum. Interestingly, we have detected differences between microbial community structures, for both bacteria and fungi, at two levels: spatial (variations according to the location) and temporal (variations according to different lava ages).