DNA extractions and quantitative PCR
MP
DNA extractions were performed with a FastDNA spin kit for soil (MP Biomedicals) according to the manufacturer’s instructions. DNA concentrations were measured using Qubit 2·0 Fluorometer (Thermo Fisher Scientific). The total number of 16S rRNA gene copies per ml and abundance of several bacterial genera or species of the communities in the anaerobic faecal incubation experiments was determined by quantitative PCR as described previously