Microbial cenoses of alas soils on the Lena-Amga interfluve in Central Yakutia

The specific features of the microbial population in the soils of alases (thermokarst depressions) of Central Yakutia were revealed: a high number of microorganisms of all the groups (1.1 × 10³–3.9 × 10⁸ cell/g), which is compatible with the microbial density in the steppe soils of Transbaikalia; a particular distribution of the microorganisms along their profiles without decreasing of their number with the depth; and insignificant fluctuations of their population density in some soil horizons. The enrichment of these soils with microorganisms depends on the hydrothermal conditions. The microbial number gradually increases from the elevated peripheral parts of the alases to their centers and drastically decreases towards the lower lakeside areas of the alases. At the same time, the composition of the microorganisms changes, and nitrogen-fixing bacteria appear.