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Singh JP, Bottos EM, Van Hamme JD, Fraser LH. Microbial composition and function in reclaimed mine sites along a reclamation chronosequence become increasingly similar to undisturbed reference sites. Sci Total Environ 2024; 920:170996. [PMID: 38369136 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Mine reclamation historically focuses on enhancing plant coverage to improve below and aboveground ecology. However, there is a great need to study the role of soil microorganisms in mine reclamation, particularly long-term studies that track the succession of microbial communities. Here, we investigate the trajectory of microbial communities of mining sites reclaimed between three and 26 years. We used high-throughput amplicon sequencing to characterize the bacterial and fungal communities. We quantified how similar the reclaimed sites were to unmined, undisturbed reference sites and explored the trajectory of microbial communities along the reclamation chronosequence. We also examined the ecological processes that shape the assembly of bacterial communities. Finally, we investigated the functional potential of the microbial communities through metagenomic sequencing. Our results reveal that the reclamation age significantly impacted the community compositions of bacterial and fungal communities. As the reclamation age increases, bacterial and fungal communities become similar to the unmined, undisturbed reference site, suggesting a favorable succession in microbial communities. The bacterial community assembly was also significantly impacted by reclamation age and was primarily driven by stochastic processes, indicating a lesser influence of environmental properties on the bacterial community. Furthermore, our read-based metagenomic analysis showed that the microbial communities' functional potential increasingly became similar to the reference sites. Additionally, we found that the plant richness increased with the reclamation age. Overall, our study shows that both above- and belowground ecological properties of reclaimed mine sites trend towards undisturbed sites with increasing reclamation age. Further, it demonstrates the importance of microbial genomics in tracking the trajectory of ecosystem reclamation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jay Prakash Singh
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, 805 TRU Way, Kamloops, BC V2C 0C8, Canada.
| | - Eric M Bottos
- Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, 805 TRU Way, Kamloops, BC V2C 0C8, Canada
| | - Jonathan D Van Hamme
- Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, 805 TRU Way, Kamloops, BC V2C 0C8, Canada
| | - Lauchlan H Fraser
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, 805 TRU Way, Kamloops, BC V2C 0C8, Canada
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2
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Liu M, Munoz G, Hermiston J, Zhang J, Vo Duy S, Wang D, Sundar Dey A, Bottos EM, Van Hamme JD, Lee LS, Sauvé S, Liu J. High Persistence of Novel Polyfluoroalkyl Betaines in Aerobic Soils. Environ Sci Technol 2023; 57:7442-7453. [PMID: 37144860 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c07395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Some contemporary aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs) contain n:3 and n:1:2 fluorotelomer betaines (FTBs), which are often detected at sites impacted by AFFFs. As new chemical replacements, little is known about their environmental fate. For the first time, we investigated the biotransformation potential of 5:3 and 5:1:2 FTBs and a commercial AFFF that mainly contains n:3 and n:1:2 FTBs (n = 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13). Although some polyfluoroalkyl compounds are precursors to perfluoroalkyl acids, 5:3 and 5:1:2 FTBs exhibited high persistence, with no significant changes even after 120 days of incubation. While the degradation of 5:3 FTB into suspected products such as fluorotelomer acids or perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) could not be conclusively confirmed, we did identify a potential biotransformation product, 5:3 fluorotelomer methylamine. Similarly, 5:1:2 FTB did not break down or produce short-chain hydrogen-substituted polyfluoroalkyl acids (n:2 H-FTCA), hydrogen-substituted PFCA (2H-PFCA), or any other products. Incubating the AFFF in four soils with differing properties and microbial communities resulted in 0.023-0.25 mol % PFCAs by day 120. Most of the products are believed to be derived from n:2 fluorotelomers, minor components of the AFFF. Therefore, the findings of the study cannot be fully explained by the current understanding of structure-biodegradability relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Liu
- Department of Civil Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0C3, Canada
| | - Gabriel Munoz
- Department of Chemistry, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec H2V 0B3, Canada
| | - Juliana Hermiston
- Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, British Columbia V2C 0C8, Canada
| | - Ju Zhang
- Department of Civil Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0C3, Canada
| | - Sung Vo Duy
- Department of Chemistry, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec H2V 0B3, Canada
| | - Dan Wang
- Department of Civil Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0C3, Canada
| | - Anindya Sundar Dey
- Department of Civil Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0C3, Canada
| | - Eric M Bottos
- Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, British Columbia V2C 0C8, Canada
| | - Jonathan D Van Hamme
- Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, British Columbia V2C 0C8, Canada
| | - Linda S Lee
- Department of Agronomy, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47906, United States
| | - Sébastien Sauvé
- Department of Chemistry, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec H2V 0B3, Canada
| | - Jinxia Liu
- Department of Civil Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0C3, Canada
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3
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Stephens CRA, McAmmond BM, Van Hamme JD, Otter KA, Reudink MW, Bottos EM. Analysis of bacterial communities associated with Mountain Chickadees ( Poecile gambeli) across urban and rural habitats. Can J Microbiol 2021; 67:572-583. [PMID: 33656947 DOI: 10.1139/cjm-2020-0320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Host-associated microbial communities play important roles in wildlife health, but these dynamics can be influenced by environmental factors. Urbanization has numerous effects on wildlife; however, the degree to which wildlife-associated bacterial communities and potential bacterial pathogens vary across urban-rural/native habitat gradients remains largely unknown. We used 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to examine bacterial communities found on Mountain Chickadee (Poecile gambeli) feathers and nests in urban and rural habitats. The feathers and nests in urban and rural sites had similar abundances of major bacterial phyla and dominant genera with pathogenic members. However, richness of bacterial communities and potential pathogens on birds were higher in urban habitats, and potential pathogens accounted for some of the differences in bacterial occurrence between urban and rural environments. We predicted habitat using potential pathogen occurrence with a 90% success rate for feather bacteria, and a 72.2% success rate for nest bacteria, suggesting an influence of urban environments on the presence of potential pathogens. We additionally observed similarities in bacterial communities between nests and their occupants, suggesting bacterial transmission between them. These findings improve our understanding of the bacterial communities associated with urban wildlife and suggest that urbanization impacts the composition of wildlife-associated bacterial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colton R A Stephens
- Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, 805 TRU Way, Kamloops, BC V2C 0C8, Canada
| | - Breanne M McAmmond
- Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, 805 TRU Way, Kamloops, BC V2C 0C8, Canada
| | - Jonathan D Van Hamme
- Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, 805 TRU Way, Kamloops, BC V2C 0C8, Canada
| | - Ken A Otter
- Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, University of Northern British Columbia, 3333 University Way, Prince George, BC V2N 4Z9, Canada
| | - Matthew W Reudink
- Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, 805 TRU Way, Kamloops, BC V2C 0C8, Canada
| | - Eric M Bottos
- Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, 805 TRU Way, Kamloops, BC V2C 0C8, Canada
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4
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Bottos EM, Laughlin DC, Herbold CW, Lee CK, McDonald IR, Cary SC. Abiotic factors influence patterns of bacterial diversity and community composition in the Dry Valleys of Antarctica. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2020; 96:5815075. [PMID: 32239205 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiaa042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2019] [Accepted: 03/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Dry Valleys of Antarctica are a unique ecosystem of simple trophic structure, where the abiotic factors that influence soil bacterial communities can be resolved in the absence of extensive biotic interactions. This study evaluated the degree to which aspects of topographic, physicochemical and spatial variation explain patterns of bacterial richness and community composition in 471 soil samples collected across a 220 square kilometer landscape in Southern Victoria Land. Richness was most strongly influenced by physicochemical soil properties, particularly soil conductivity, though significant trends with several topographic and spatial variables were also observed. Structural equation modeling (SEM) supported a final model in which variation in community composition was best explained by physicochemical variables, particularly soil water content, and where the effects of topographic variation were largely mediated through their influence on physicochemical variables. Community dissimilarity increased with distance between samples, and though most of this variation was explained by topographic and physicochemical variation, a small but significant relationship remained after controlling for this environmental variation. As the largest survey of terrestrial bacterial communities of Antarctica completed to date, this work provides fundamental knowledge of the Dry Valleys ecosystem, and has implications globally for understanding environmental factors that influence bacterial distributions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric M Bottos
- School of Science, The University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand.,The International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, The University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand
| | - Daniel C Laughlin
- School of Science, The University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand
| | - Craig W Herbold
- School of Science, The University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand.,The International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, The University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand
| | - Charles K Lee
- School of Science, The University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand.,The International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, The University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand
| | - Ian R McDonald
- School of Science, The University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand.,The International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, The University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand
| | - S Craig Cary
- School of Science, The University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand.,The International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, The University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand
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5
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Bottos EM, Al-Shabib EY, Shaw DMJ, McAmmond BM, Sharma A, Suchan DM, Cameron ADS, Van Hamme JD. Transcriptomic response of Gordonia sp. strain NB4-1Y when provided with 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonamidoalkyl betaine or 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate as sole sulfur source. Biodegradation 2020; 31:407-422. [PMID: 33150552 PMCID: PMC7661421 DOI: 10.1007/s10532-020-09917-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Abstract Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are environmental contaminants of concern. We previously described biodegradation of two PFAS that represent components and transformation products of aqueous film-forming foams (AFFF), 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonamidoalkyl betaine (6:2 FTAB) and 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate (6:2 FTSA), by Gordonia sp. strain NB4-1Y. To identify genes involved in the breakdown of these compounds, the transcriptomic response of NB4-1Y was examined when grown on 6:2 FTAB, 6:2 FTSA, a non-fluorinated analog of 6:2 FTSA (1-octanesulfonate), or MgSO4, as sole sulfur source. Differentially expressed genes were identified as those with ± 1.5 log2-fold-differences (± 1.5 log2FD) in transcript abundances in pairwise comparisons. Transcriptomes of cells grown on 6:2 FTAB and 6:2 FTSA were most similar (7.9% of genes expressed ± 1.5 log2FD); however, several genes that were expressed in greater abundance in 6:2 FTAB treated cells compared to 6:2 FTSA treated cells were noted for their potential role in carbon–nitrogen bond cleavage in 6:2 FTAB. Responses to sulfur limitation were observed in 6:2 FTAB, 6:2 FTSA, and 1-octanesulfonate treatments, as 20 genes relating to global sulfate stress response were more highly expressed under these conditions compared to the MgSO4 treatment. More highly expressed oxygenase genes in 6:2 FTAB, 6:2 FTSA, and 1-octanesulfonate treatments were found to code for proteins with lower percent sulfur-containing amino acids compared to both the total proteome and to oxygenases showing decreased expression. This work identifies genetic targets for further characterization and will inform studies aimed at evaluating the biodegradation potential of environmental samples through applied genomics. Graphic Abstract ![]()
Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s10532-020-09917-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric M Bottos
- Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC, V2C 0C8, Canada
| | - Ebtihal Y Al-Shabib
- Department of Biology, University of Regina, Regina, SK, S4S 0A2, Canada
- Faculty of Science, Institute for Microbial Systems and Society, University of Regina, Regina, SK, S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - Dayton M J Shaw
- Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC, V2C 0C8, Canada
| | - Breanne M McAmmond
- Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC, V2C 0C8, Canada
| | - Aditi Sharma
- Department of Biology, University of Regina, Regina, SK, S4S 0A2, Canada
- Faculty of Science, Institute for Microbial Systems and Society, University of Regina, Regina, SK, S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - Danae M Suchan
- Department of Biology, University of Regina, Regina, SK, S4S 0A2, Canada
- Faculty of Science, Institute for Microbial Systems and Society, University of Regina, Regina, SK, S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - Andrew D S Cameron
- Department of Biology, University of Regina, Regina, SK, S4S 0A2, Canada
- Faculty of Science, Institute for Microbial Systems and Society, University of Regina, Regina, SK, S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - Jonathan D Van Hamme
- Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC, V2C 0C8, Canada.
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6
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Hettle AG, Hobbs JK, Pluvinage B, Vickers C, Abe KT, Salama-Alber O, McGuire BE, Hehemann JH, Hui JPM, Berrue F, Banskota A, Zhang J, Bottos EM, Van Hamme J, Boraston AB. Insights into the κ/ι-carrageenan metabolism pathway of some marine Pseudoalteromonas species. Commun Biol 2019; 2:474. [PMID: 31886414 PMCID: PMC6923384 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-019-0721-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Pseudoalteromonas is a globally distributed marine-associated genus that can be found in a broad range of aquatic environments, including in association with macroalgal surfaces where they may take advantage of these rich sources of polysaccharides. The metabolic systems that confer the ability to metabolize this abundant form of photosynthetically fixed carbon, however, are not yet fully understood. Through genomics, transcriptomics, microbiology, and specific structure-function studies of pathway components we address the capacity of newly isolated marine pseudoalteromonads to metabolize the red algal galactan carrageenan. The results reveal that the κ/ι-carrageenan specific polysaccharide utilization locus (CarPUL) enables isolates possessing this locus the ability to grow on this substrate. Biochemical and structural analysis of the enzymatic components of the CarPUL promoted the development of a detailed model of the κ/ι-carrageenan metabolic pathway deployed by pseudoalteromonads, thus furthering our understanding of how these microbes have adapted to a unique environmental niche.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew G. Hettle
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, PO Box 1700 STN CSC, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 2Y2 Canada
| | - Joanne K. Hobbs
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, PO Box 1700 STN CSC, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 2Y2 Canada
| | - Benjamin Pluvinage
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, PO Box 1700 STN CSC, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 2Y2 Canada
| | - Chelsea Vickers
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, PO Box 1700 STN CSC, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 2Y2 Canada
- Present Address: School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University, PO Box 600, Wellington, 6012 New Zealand
| | - Kento T. Abe
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, PO Box 1700 STN CSC, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 2Y2 Canada
- Present Address: Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health System, and Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, 600 University Ave, Rm 992, Toronto, ON M5G1X5 Canada
| | - Orly Salama-Alber
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, PO Box 1700 STN CSC, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 2Y2 Canada
| | - Bailey E. McGuire
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, PO Box 1700 STN CSC, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 2Y2 Canada
| | - Jan-Hendrik Hehemann
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, PO Box 1700 STN CSC, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 2Y2 Canada
- Present Address: Marum and Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Celsiusstraße 1, 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - Joseph P. M. Hui
- Aquatic and Crop Resource Development Research Centre, National Research Council of Canada, 1411 Oxford Street, Halifax, NS B3H 3Z1 Canada
| | - Fabrice Berrue
- Aquatic and Crop Resource Development Research Centre, National Research Council of Canada, 1411 Oxford Street, Halifax, NS B3H 3Z1 Canada
| | - Arjun Banskota
- Aquatic and Crop Resource Development Research Centre, National Research Council of Canada, 1411 Oxford Street, Halifax, NS B3H 3Z1 Canada
| | - Junzeng Zhang
- Aquatic and Crop Resource Development Research Centre, National Research Council of Canada, 1411 Oxford Street, Halifax, NS B3H 3Z1 Canada
| | - Eric M. Bottos
- Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, 805 TRU Way, Kamloops, British Columbia V2C 0C8 Canada
| | - Jonathan Van Hamme
- Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, 805 TRU Way, Kamloops, British Columbia V2C 0C8 Canada
| | - Alisdair B. Boraston
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, PO Box 1700 STN CSC, Victoria, British Columbia V8W 2Y2 Canada
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7
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Niederberger TD, Bottos EM, Sohm JA, Gunderson T, Parker A, Coyne KJ, Capone DG, Carpenter EJ, Cary SC. Rapid Microbial Dynamics in Response to an Induced Wetting Event in Antarctic Dry Valley Soils. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:621. [PMID: 31019494 PMCID: PMC6458288 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2018] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The cold deserts of the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV), Antarctica, host a high level of microbial diversity. Microbial composition and biomass in arid vs. ephemerally wetted regions are distinctly different, with wetted communities representing hot spots of microbial activity that are important zones for biogeochemical cycling. While climatic change is likely to cause wetting in areas not historically subject to wetting events, the responses of microorganisms inhabiting arid soils to water addition is unknown. The purpose of this study was to observe how an associated, yet non-wetted microbial community responds to an extended addition of water. Water from a stream was diverted to an adjacent area of arid soil with changes in microbial composition and activities monitored via molecular and biochemical methods over 7 weeks. The frequency of genetic signatures related to both prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms adapted to MDV aquatic conditions increased during the limited 7 week period, indicating that the soil community was transitioning into a typical "high-productivity" MDV community. This work is consistent with current predictions that MDV microbial communities in arid regions are highly sensitive to climate change, and further supports the notion that changes in community structure and associated biogeochemical cycling may occur much more rapidly than predicted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas D Niederberger
- College Earth, Ocean, and Environment, University of Delaware, Lewes, DE, United States
| | - Eric M Bottos
- International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand.,Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC, Canada
| | - Jill A Sohm
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Troy Gunderson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Alex Parker
- Romberg Tiburon Center, San Francisco State University, Tiburon, CA, United States
| | - Kathryn J Coyne
- College Earth, Ocean, and Environment, University of Delaware, Lewes, DE, United States
| | - Douglas G Capone
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Edward J Carpenter
- Romberg Tiburon Center, San Francisco State University, Tiburon, CA, United States
| | - Stephen Craig Cary
- College Earth, Ocean, and Environment, University of Delaware, Lewes, DE, United States.,International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
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8
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Caruso T, Hogg ID, Nielsen UN, Bottos EM, Lee CK, Hopkins DW, Cary SC, Barrett JE, Green TGA, Storey BC, Wall DH, Adams BJ. Nematodes in a polar desert reveal the relative role of biotic interactions in the coexistence of soil animals. Commun Biol 2019; 2:63. [PMID: 30793042 PMCID: PMC6377602 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-018-0260-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Abiotic factors are major determinants of soil animal distributions and their dominant role is pronounced in extreme ecosystems, with biotic interactions seemingly playing a minor role. We modelled co-occurrence and distribution of the three nematode species that dominate the soil food web of the McMurdo Dry Valleys (Antarctica). Abiotic factors, other biotic groups, and autocorrelation all contributed to structuring nematode species distributions. However, after removing their effects, we found that the presence of the most abundant nematode species greatly, and negatively, affected the probability of detecting one of the other two species. We observed similar patterns in relative abundances for two out of three pairs of species. Harsh abiotic conditions alone are insufficient to explain contemporary nematode distributions whereas the role of negative biotic interactions has been largely underestimated in soil. The future challenge is to understand how the effects of global change on biotic interactions will alter species coexistence. Tancredi Caruso et al. analyze biodiversity survey data from the McMurdo Dry Valleys, an extreme desert ecosystem in Antarctica in which abiotic factors are thought to determine species distributions. Focusing on three nematode species, they find that abiotic factors alone cannot explain the data and interaction between species have been historically underestimated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tancredi Caruso
- School of Biological Sciences and Institute for Global Food Security, Queen's University Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, Northern Ireland, UK.
| | - Ian D Hogg
- International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, University of Waikato, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand.,Canadian High Arctic Research Station, Polar Knowledge Canada, 1 Uvajuk Road, Cambridge Bay, NU, X0B 0C0, Canada
| | - Uffe N Nielsen
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, 2751, NSW, Australia
| | - Eric M Bottos
- Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, V2C 3A6, BC, Canada
| | - Charles K Lee
- International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, University of Waikato, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand
| | - David W Hopkins
- SRUC - Scotland's Rural College, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JG, UK
| | - S Craig Cary
- International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, University of Waikato, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand
| | - John E Barrett
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, 24061, VA, USA
| | - T G Allan Green
- International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, University of Waikato, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand
| | - Bryan C Storey
- Gateway Antarctica, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, 8140, New Zealand
| | - Diana H Wall
- Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, 80523, CO, USA
| | - Byron J Adams
- Department of Biology, Evolutionary Ecology Laboratories, and the Monte L. Bean Museum, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, 84602, USA
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9
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Lee CK, Laughlin DC, Bottos EM, Caruso T, Joy K, Barrett JE, Brabyn L, Nielsen UN, Adams BJ, Wall DH, Hopkins DW, Pointing SB, McDonald IR, Cowan DA, Banks JC, Stichbury GA, Jones I, Zawar-Reza P, Katurji M, Hogg ID, Sparrow AD, Storey BC, Allan Green TG, Cary SC. Biotic interactions are an unexpected yet critical control on the complexity of an abiotically driven polar ecosystem. Commun Biol 2019; 2:62. [PMID: 30793041 PMCID: PMC6377621 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-018-0274-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Abiotic and biotic factors control ecosystem biodiversity, but their relative contributions remain unclear. The ultraoligotrophic ecosystem of the Antarctic Dry Valleys, a simple yet highly heterogeneous ecosystem, is a natural laboratory well-suited for resolving the abiotic and biotic controls of community structure. We undertook a multidisciplinary investigation to capture ecologically relevant biotic and abiotic attributes of more than 500 sites in the Dry Valleys, encompassing observed landscape heterogeneities across more than 200 km2. Using richness of autotrophic and heterotrophic taxa as a proxy for functional complexity, we linked measured variables in a parsimonious yet comprehensive structural equation model that explained significant variations in biological complexity and identified landscape-scale and fine-scale abiotic factors as the primary drivers of diversity. However, the inclusion of linkages among functional groups was essential for constructing the best-fitting model. Our findings support the notion that biotic interactions make crucial contributions even in an extremely simple ecosystem. Charles Lee, Daniel Laughlin et al. use structural equation modeling to analyze ecological data from more than 500 sites in the Antarctic Dry Valleys. They find that although abiotic factors are the primary drivers of biodiversity variation, biotic interactions are needed to explain the data fully and may play previously underestimated roles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles K Lee
- School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand.,International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, University of Waikato, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand
| | - Daniel C Laughlin
- School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand.,International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, University of Waikato, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand.,Department of Botany, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, 82071, USA
| | - Eric M Bottos
- School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand.,International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, University of Waikato, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand.,Department of Biology, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC, V2C 0C8, Canada
| | - Tancredi Caruso
- International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, University of Waikato, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand.,School of Biological Sciences and Institute for Global Food Security, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT7 1NN, UK
| | - Kurt Joy
- School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand.,International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, University of Waikato, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand
| | - John E Barrett
- International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, University of Waikato, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand.,Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA
| | - Lars Brabyn
- International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, University of Waikato, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand.,School of Social Sciences, University of Waikato, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand
| | - Uffe N Nielsen
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW, 2751, Australia
| | - Byron J Adams
- International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, University of Waikato, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand.,Department of Biology, Evolutionary Ecology Laboratories, and Monte L. Bean Museum, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, 84602, USA
| | - Diana H Wall
- International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, University of Waikato, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand.,Department of Biology & School of Global Environmental Sustainability, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
| | - David W Hopkins
- International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, University of Waikato, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand.,SRUC - Scotland's Rural College, Edinburgh, EH9 3JG, UK
| | - Stephen B Pointing
- International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, University of Waikato, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand.,Yale-NUS College and Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 138527, Singapore
| | - Ian R McDonald
- School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand.,International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, University of Waikato, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand
| | - Don A Cowan
- International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, University of Waikato, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand.,Centre for Microbial Ecology and Genomics, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa
| | - Jonathan C Banks
- School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand.,International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, University of Waikato, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand.,Cawthron Institute, Nelson, 7010, New Zealand
| | - Glen A Stichbury
- International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, University of Waikato, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand.,Environmental Research Institute, University of Waikato, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand
| | - Irfon Jones
- Gateway Antarctica, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, 8041, New Zealand
| | - Peyman Zawar-Reza
- Centre for Atmospheric Research, Department of Geography, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, 8041, New Zealand
| | - Marwan Katurji
- Centre for Atmospheric Research, Department of Geography, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, 8041, New Zealand
| | - Ian D Hogg
- School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand.,International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, University of Waikato, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand.,Polar Knowledge Canada, Canadian High Arctic Research Station, Cambridge, Bay, X0B 0C0, Nunavut, Canada
| | | | - Bryan C Storey
- International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, University of Waikato, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand.,Gateway Antarctica, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, 8041, New Zealand
| | - T G Allan Green
- School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand.,International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, University of Waikato, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand.,Departamento de Biología Vegetal II, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, 28040, Spain
| | - S Craig Cary
- School of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand. .,International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, University of Waikato, Hamilton, 3240, New Zealand. .,College of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19958, USA.
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10
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Shaw DMJ, Munoz G, Bottos EM, Duy SV, Sauvé S, Liu J, Van Hamme JD. Degradation and defluorination of 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonamidoalkyl betaine and 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate by Gordonia sp. strain NB4-1Y under sulfur-limiting conditions. Sci Total Environ 2019; 647:690-698. [PMID: 30092525 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2018] [Revised: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonamidoalkyl betaine (6:2 FTAB) is a major component of aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs) used for firefighting and is frequently detected, along with one of its suspected transformation products, 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate (6:2 FTSA), in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems impacted by AFFF usage. Biochemical processes underlying bacterial biodegradation of these compounds remain poorly understood due to a lack of pure culture studies. Here, we characterized the water-soluble and volatile breakdown products of 6:2 FTSA and 6:2 FTAB produced using Gordonia sp. strain NB4-1Y cultures over seven days under sulfur-limited conditions. After 168 h, 99.9% of 60 μM 6:2 FTSA was degraded into ten major breakdown products, with a mol% recovery of 88.2, while 70.4% of 60 μM 6:2 FTAB was degraded into ten major breakdown products, with a mol% recovery of 84.7. NB4-1Y uses two pathways for 6:2 FTSA metabolism, with 55 mol% of breakdown products assigned to a major pathway and <1.0 mol% assigned to a minor pathway. This work indicates that rapid transformation of 6:2 FTSA and 6:2 FTAB can be achieved under controlled conditions and improves the bacterial metabolism of these compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dayton M J Shaw
- Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC V2C 0C8, Canada
| | - Gabriel Munoz
- Department of Chemistry, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada; McGill University, Department of Civil Engineering, Montreal, QC H3A 0C3, Canada
| | - Eric M Bottos
- Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC V2C 0C8, Canada
| | - Sung Vo Duy
- Department of Chemistry, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Sébastien Sauvé
- Department of Chemistry, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Jinxia Liu
- McGill University, Department of Civil Engineering, Montreal, QC H3A 0C3, Canada.
| | - Jonathan D Van Hamme
- Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC V2C 0C8, Canada.
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11
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Bottos EM, Kennedy DW, Romero EB, Fansler SJ, Brown JM, Bramer LM, Chu RK, Tfaily MM, Jansson JK, Stegen JC. Dispersal limitation and thermodynamic constraints govern spatial structure of permafrost microbial communities. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2018; 94:5037918. [DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiy110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2017] [Accepted: 05/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Eric M Bottos
- Earth and Biological Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Boulevard, Richland, WA, 99352, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, 805 TRU Way, Kamloops, BC, V2C 0C8, Canada
| | - David W Kennedy
- Earth and Biological Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Boulevard, Richland, WA, 99352, USA
| | - Elvira B Romero
- Earth and Biological Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Boulevard, Richland, WA, 99352, USA
| | - Sarah J Fansler
- Earth and Biological Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Boulevard, Richland, WA, 99352, USA
| | - Joseph M Brown
- Computational Biology, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Boulevard, Richland, WA, 99352, USA
| | - Lisa M Bramer
- National Security Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Boulevard, Richland, WA, 99352, USA
| | - Rosalie K Chu
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Boulevard, Richland, WA, 99352, USA
| | - Malak M Tfaily
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Boulevard, Richland, WA, 99352, USA
| | - Janet K Jansson
- Earth and Biological Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Boulevard, Richland, WA, 99352, USA
| | - James C Stegen
- Earth and Biological Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Boulevard, Richland, WA, 99352, USA
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12
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Bottos EM, Woo AC, Zawar-Reza P, Pointing SB, Cary SC. Airborne bacterial populations above desert soils of the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica. Microb Ecol 2014; 67:120-8. [PMID: 24121801 PMCID: PMC3907674 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-013-0296-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2013] [Accepted: 09/17/2013] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Bacteria are assumed to disperse widely via aerosolized transport due to their small size and resilience. The question of microbial endemicity in isolated populations is directly related to the level of airborne exogenous inputs, yet this has proven hard to identify. The ice-free terrestrial ecosystem of Antarctica, a geographically and climatically isolated continent, was used to interrogate microbial bio-aerosols in relation to the surrounding ecology and climate. High-throughput sequencing of bacterial ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes was combined with analyses of climate patterns during an austral summer. In general terms, the aerosols were dominated by Firmicutes, whereas surrounding soils supported Actinobacteria-dominated communities. The most abundant taxa were also common to aerosols from other continents, suggesting that a distinct bio-aerosol community is widely dispersed. No evidence for significant marine input to bioaerosols was found at this maritime valley site, instead local influence was largely from nearby volcanic sources. Back trajectory analysis revealed transport of incoming regional air masses across the Antarctic Plateau, and this is envisaged as a strong selective force. It is postulated that local soil microbial dispersal occurs largely via stochastic mobilization of mineral soil particulates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric M. Bottos
- />International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, The University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, New Zealand
- />Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Anthony C. Woo
- />Sorbonne Paris Cité, Faculté de Médecine, Université Paris Descartes, Paris Descartes, 24 rue du Faubourg Saint-Jacques, 75014 Paris, France
| | - Peyman Zawar-Reza
- />International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, The University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, New Zealand
- />Department of Geography, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Stephen B. Pointing
- />International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, The University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, New Zealand
- />Institute for Applied Ecology New Zealand, School of Applied Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, Private Bag 92006, Auckland, 1142 New Zealand
| | - Stephen C. Cary
- />International Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research, The University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, New Zealand
- />Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, New Zealand
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13
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Van Hamme JD, Bottos EM, Bilbey NJ, Brewer SE. Genomic and proteomic characterization of Gordonia sp. NB4-1Y in relation to 6 : 2 fluorotelomer sulfonate biodegradation. Microbiology (Reading) 2013; 159:1618-1628. [DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.068932-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan D. Van Hamme
- Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada V2C 0C8
| | - Eric M. Bottos
- Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada V2C 0C8
| | - Nicholas J. Bilbey
- Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada V2C 0C8
| | - Sharon E. Brewer
- Department of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada V2C 0C8
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14
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Lee CK, Barbier BA, Bottos EM, McDonald IR, Cary SC. The Inter-Valley Soil Comparative Survey: the ecology of Dry Valley edaphic microbial communities. ISME J 2011; 6:1046-57. [PMID: 22170424 DOI: 10.1038/ismej.2011.170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 161] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Recent applications of molecular genetics to edaphic microbial communities of the McMurdo Dry Valleys and elsewhere have rejected a long-held belief that Antarctic soils contain extremely limited microbial diversity. The Inter-Valley Soil Comparative Survey aims to elucidate the factors shaping these unique microbial communities and their biogeography by integrating molecular genetic approaches with biogeochemical analyses. Although the microbial communities of Dry Valley soils may be complex, there is little doubt that the ecosystem's food web is relatively simple, and evidence suggests that physicochemical conditions may have the dominant role in shaping microbial communities. To examine this hypothesis, bacterial communities from representative soil samples collected in four geographically disparate Dry Valleys were analyzed using molecular genetic tools, including pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA gene PCR amplicons. Results show that the four communities are structurally and phylogenetically distinct, and possess significantly different levels of diversity. Strikingly, only 2 of 214 phylotypes were found in all four valleys, challenging a widespread assumption that the microbiota of the Dry Valleys is composed of a few cosmopolitan species. Analysis of soil geochemical properties indicated that salt content, alongside altitude and Cu(2+), was significantly correlated with differences in microbial communities. Our results indicate that the microbial ecology of Dry Valley soils is highly localized and that physicochemical factors potentially have major roles in shaping the microbiology of ice-free areas of Antarctica. These findings hint at links between Dry Valley glacial geomorphology and microbial ecology, and raise previously unrecognized issues related to environmental management of this unique ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles K Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
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15
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Abstract
The prokaryotic diversity and respiratory activity of microbial mat communities on the Markham Ice Shelf and Ward Hunt Ice Shelf in the Canadian high Arctic were analysed. All heterotrophic isolates and > 95% of bacterial 16S rRNA gene clone library sequences from both ice shelves grouped within the phyla Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria. Clone library analyses showed that the bacterial communities were diverse and varied significantly between the two ice shelves, with the Markham library having a higher estimated diversity (Chao1 = 243; 105 operational taxonomic units observed in 189 clones) than the Ward Hunt library (Chao1 = 106; 52 operational taxonomic units observed in 128 clones). Archaeal 16S rRNA gene clone libraries from both ice shelves were dominated by a single Euryarchaeota sequence, which appears to represent a novel phylotype. Analyses of community activity by radiorespiration assays detected metabolism in mat samples from both ice shelves at temperatures as low as -10 degrees C. These findings provide the first insight into the prokaryotic biodiversity of Arctic ice shelf communities and underscore the importance of these cryo-ecosystems as a rich source of microbiota that are adapted to extreme cold.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric M Bottos
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
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16
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Steven B, Niederberger TD, Bottos EM, Dyen MR, Whyte LG. Development of a sensitive radiorespiration method for detecting microbial activity at subzero temperatures. J Microbiol Methods 2007; 71:275-80. [PMID: 17942178 DOI: 10.1016/j.mimet.2007.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2007] [Accepted: 09/19/2007] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
We have developed a simple and sensitive method to detect microbial respiration at subzero temperatures. Microbial activity was detected by measuring (14)CO(2) evolved during the microbial-mediated mineralization of [1-(14)C] acetic acid or [2-(14)C] glucose in microcosm assays using modified (14)CO(2) traps. Various (14)CO(2) traps, designed to withstand freezing at subzero temperatures, were tested for their quench characteristics during liquid scintillation spectrometry and their ability to trap (14)CO(2). Solutions consisting of 1 M KOH supplemented with 20% or 30% v/v ethylene glycol did not freeze at temperatures above -20 degrees C and had a minor quenching effect on liquid scintillation spectrometry. Addition of ethylene glycol did have an effect on the efficiency of (14)CO(2) trapping, as the cumulative recovery of (14)CO(2) was reduced by 14% and 32% in the 1 M KOH+20% ethylene glycol and 1 M KOH+30% ethylene glycol solutions, respectively. Using the modified (14)CO(2) traps, microbial activity in representative Canadian high Arctic environmental samples was detected at temperatures as low as -15 degrees C. This simple method allows for sensitive, specific, and reliable detection of microbial activity occurring at subzero temperatures and is readily adaptable for studies in other cryoenvironments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blaire Steven
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, 21, 111 Lakeshore Road, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada
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