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Long-Term Characterization of Free-Living and Particle-Associated Bacterial Communities in Lake Tiefwaren Reveals Distinct Seasonal Patterns

  • Microbiology of Aquatic Systems
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Abstract

Seasonal changes in environmental conditions have a strong impact on microbial community structure and dynamics in aquatic habitats. To better elucidate the response of bacterial communities to environmental changes, we have measured a large variety of limnetic variables and investigated bacterial community composition (BCC) and dynamics over seven consecutive years between 2003 and 2009 in mesotrophic Lake Tiefwaren (NE Germany). We separated between free-living (FL, >0.2, <5.0 μm) and particle-associated (PA, >5.0 μm) bacteria to account for different bacterial lifestyles and to obtain a higher resolution of the microbial diversity. Changes in BCC were studied by DGGE based on PCR-amplified 16S rRNA gene fragments. Sequencing of DGGE bands revealed that ca. 70 % of all FL bacteria belonged to the Actinobacteria, whereas PA bacteria were dominated by Cyanobacteria (43 %). FL communities were generally less diverse and rather stable over time compared to their PA counterpart. Annual changes in reoccurring seasonal patterns of dominant freshwater bacteria were supported by statistical analyses, which revealed several significant correlations between DGGE profiles and various environmental variables, e.g. temperature and nutrients. Overall, FL bacteria were generally less affected by environmental changes than members of the PA fraction. Close association of PA bacteria with phytoplankton and zooplankton suggests a tight coupling of PA bacteria to organisms of higher trophic levels. Our results indicate substantial differences in bacterial lifestyle of pelagic freshwater bacteria, which are reflected by contrasting seasonal dynamics and relationships to a number of environmental variables.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Elke Mach and Johanna Dalchow as well as Michael Sachtleben and Roman Degebrodt for the technical assistance during sampling and for measurements of various limnetic parameters. Rainer Koschel and the Department ‘Limnology of Stratified Lakes’ of the IGB provided data on water chemistry. Lothar Krienitz and Peter Kasprzak are acknowledged for providing data on phytoplankton and zooplankton biomasses. Lake restoration and monitoring were financed by the Environmental Ministry of the German Federal State of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and the city of Waren (Müritz). This study was financially supported by a grant of the German Research Foundation (DFG; GR 1540/12-1) and by the Leibniz Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department Limnology of Stratified Lakes, Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Alte Fischerhütte 2, 16775, Stechlin, Germany

    Stefan Rösel, Martin Allgaier & Hans-Peter Grossart

  2. Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, Potsdam University, Am Neuen Palais 10, 14469, Potsdam, Germany

    Hans-Peter Grossart

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  1. Stefan Rösel
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  2. Martin Allgaier
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Correspondence to Hans-Peter Grossart.

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Figure S1

A) Concentrations of total phosphorus (TP) and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP). Treatments for lake restoration are indicated by blue and grey bars. B) Primary production (PP, μg C L-1 d-1). C) Bacterial protein production (BPP, μg L-1 d-1) in Lake Tiefwaren from 2003 to 2009., BPP of total bacterial community (BPP total, black line) and of PA bacteria (BPP particle, blue line), standard deviation of replicates <15 % (not shown). (DOC 100 kb)

Figure S2

A) Total bacterial cell counts (× 106 mL-1). B) Bacterial abundances. percentages of Bacteria (EUB, red), Actinobacteria (HGC, blue) and acI-subcluster of Actinobacteria (acI, green) of total cell counts, error bars: standard deviation. (DOC 86 kb)

Figure S3

Maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree of the obtained 16S rRNA gene sequences. (DOC 2645 kb)

Figure S4

Nonmetric multi-dimensional scaling (NMS) plot for environmental variables of Lake Tiefwaren. Data of physicochemical and biological parameters were normalised and resemblance was calculated using the Euclidean distance algorithm. Seasons are indicated by different colour-coded symbols according to seasonal clusters (spring, summer, autumn, winter). (DOC 395 kb)

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Rösel, S., Allgaier, M. & Grossart, HP. Long-Term Characterization of Free-Living and Particle-Associated Bacterial Communities in Lake Tiefwaren Reveals Distinct Seasonal Patterns. Microb Ecol 64, 571–583 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-012-0049-3

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