Representativeness of data on the structure of microbial communities

The effects of different factors on populations of the main groups of soil microorganisms were studied. It was shown that time is the most significant factor. Under experimental conditions, the spatial heterogeneity of the soil with respect to the numbers of the main groups of soil microorganisms was small. A significant correlation was observed between the numbers of the main groups of soil microorganisms in the course of the succession: the highest correlation was observed between the numbers of algae and actinomycetes, as well as between the numbers of actinomycetes and bacteria. A tendency for periodical fluctuations of the populations of some groups of microorganisms with a period of seven days was recorded.