Seda Özer Bodur

Abstract Understanding how microbial communities assemble is central to predicting ecosystem function. Although predators strongly influence bacterial communities through predation, the role of microbial predators in modulating global microbial divergence and convergence patterns remains largely neglected.

1 INTRODUCTION Vertisols are soils characterized by a high proportion of 2:1-layer-type smectite-group clay (fine clayey), which deeply cracks during specific times of the year and typically exhibits a very high bulk density. The moisture regimes and consequently soil colours show significant variations. Soil temperature regimes range from mesic to isohyperthermic but generally tend to be thermic or warm (Soil Survey Staff, 1999).