Thermophilic bacteria in cool temperate soil environments: are they metabolically active or continually added by global atmospheric transport?

Thermophilic soil geobacilli isolated from cool temperate environments have been shown to be metabolically inactive under aerobic conditions at ambient temperatures. It is now confirmed that a similar situation exists for their anaerobic denitrification activity. It is necessary therefore to determine the mechanisms that sustain the observed significant viable populations in these soils. Population analysis of thermophiles in rainwater and air samples has shown distinct differences which support the view that long distance global transport and deposition in rainwater is a possible source of replenishment of the soil thermophile populations. Survival experiments using a representative Geobacillus isolate have indicated that while cells lose viability rapidly at most temperatures, populations can increase above 40o C when growth rate exceeds death rate. Long term (9 month) experiments at 4o C show population increases which can be accounted for by very slow growth rates complemented by negligible death rates. These results are interpreted in the context of current hypotheses on the biogeography of bacteria.