Active microbiome structure and its association with environmental factors and viruses at different aquatic sites of a high-altitude wetland

Eissler Y.; Gálvez M.-J.; Dorador C.; Hengst, M; Molina V.

Abstract

Salar de Huasco is a high-altitude wetland characterized by a highly diverse microbial life adapted to extreme climatic and environmental conditions. Our study aims to determine active microbial community structure changes within different aquatic sites and its relationship with environmental factors and viruses as potential drivers of diversification in different aquatic areas of this ecosystem. In this study, bacteria and archaea composition (16S rRNA subunit pyrolibraries) and picoplankton and viral abundance were determined at ponds, springs and lagoon sites of the wetland during wet and dry seasons (February and July 2012, respectively). In general, mixosaline waters (1,400-51,000 mu S/cm) usually found in ponds arid lagoon presented higher picoplanktonic abundances compared to freshwater (<800 mu S/cm) spring sites, ranging from 1.07 x 10(5) to 1.83 x 10(7) cells/ml. Viral abundance and viral to picoplankton ratio (VPR) also presented greater values at ponds compared to spring sites, reaching up to 4.78 x 10(8) viruses-like particles and up to 351 for VPR. In general, ponds hold a higher microbial diversity and complexity associated also with the presence of microbial mats compared with water sources or lagoon (Shannon index H' 2.6-3,9 vs. <2.0). A greater richness of archaea was also detected in ponds characterized by functional groups such as known methanogens and ammonia oxidizers, and uncultured groups. In total, our results indicate that among the different aquatic sites of the wetland, ponds presented a great microbial community diversification associated to a higher top-down control by viruses which may influence nutrient and greenhouse gases cycling.

Más información

Título según WOS: Active microbiome structure and its association with environmental factors and viruses at different aquatic sites of a high-altitude wetland
Título según SCOPUS: Active microbiome structure and its association with environmental factors and viruses at different aquatic sites of a high-altitude wetland
Título de la Revista: MICROBIOLOGYOPEN
Volumen: 8
Número: 3
Editorial: Wiley
Fecha de publicación: 2018
Idioma: English
DOI:

10.1002/mbo3.667

Notas: ISI, SCOPUS