Ultraviolet irradiation of soil samples as a model of the effect of stress factors on bacterial diversity in soil ecosystem
Romanovskaia, V.A.; Rokitko, P.V.; Malashenko, I.R.; Krishtab, T.P.; Chernaia, N.A.
Mikrobiologiia 68(4): 540-546
1999
ISSN/ISBN: 0026-3656 PMID: 10576091 Document Number: 508768
UV irradiation is proposed for use in studying the effect of radioactive irradiation, since radioresistant bacteria are, as a rule, resistant to UV, and the mechanisms of repair of cell damage induced by UV and ionizing radiation are similar. It was found that the total number of bacteria and the number of dominant species in soil samples exposed to UV radiation decreased, indicating the unfavorable effect of UV radiation on bacterial diversity in soil ecosystems. The percentage of cells of bacteria belonging to dominant species varied significantly depending on the intensity of UV irradiation. It can be inferred that long-term irradiation of soils must impair the stability of soil ecosystems, a phenomenon that was indeed observed in the zone around the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. At the same time, the UV irradiation of soil samples made it possible to reveal minor species, primarily UV-resistant pigmented bacteria. UV irradiation can probably be used as a selective factor for the isolation of radioresistant species.