Structure and function of bacterial communities during succession on dead plant biomass

The decomposition of dead plant biomass substantially contributes to the carbon cycle and therefore is one of the key processes in temperate forests. While the role of fungi in litter and deadwood decomposition was repeatedly addressed, there are just a few surveys of bacteria associated with decomposing plant biomass. The development of bacterial community within leaf litter is likely driven by the changes in litter chemistry and by the availability of nutrients in the litter. Fungal activity greatly contributes to changing properties of substrate and thus influences bacterial community. Availability of nutrients is changing during biomass decomposition from easily accessible substrates toward more recalcitrant ones (e.g. lignin). The colonization of deadwood by bacteria is influenced by various factors such as microclimate conditions, tree species and volume. The aim of this thesis was to describe bacterial community dynamics during the first two years of decomposition of leaf litter and deadwood. In the leaf litter experiment, bacterial community was analysed in the live, senescent and decomposing leaves of Quercus petraea. This experiment was performed in the Xaverovsky Haj Natural Reserve, Czech Republic. Deadwood experiment was focused on the composition of bacterial community in the initial..