Coupled cryoconite ecosystem structure-function relationships are revealed by comparing bacterial communities in alpine and Arctic glaciers

Arwyn Edwards, Luis A.J. Mur, Susan E. Girdwood, Alexandre M. Anesio, Marek Stibal, Sara M.E. Rassner, Katherina Hell, Justin A. Pachebat, Barbara Post, Jennifer S. Bussell, Simon J.S. Cameron, Gareth Wyn Griffith, Andrew J. Hodson, Birgit Sattler

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskriftArtikelForskningpeer review

85 Citationer (Scopus)

Resumé

Cryoconite holes are known as foci of microbial diversity and activity on polar glacier surfaces, but are virtually unexplored microbial habitats in alpine regions. In addition, whether cryoconite community structure reflects ecosystem functionality is poorly understood. Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism and Fourier transform infrared metabolite fingerprinting of cryoconite from glaciers in Austria, Greenland and Svalbard demonstrated cryoconite bacterial communities are closely correlated with cognate metabolite fingerprints. The influence of bacterial-associated fatty acids and polysaccharides was inferred, underlining the importance of bacterial community structure in the properties of cryoconite. Thus, combined application of T-RFLP and FT-IR metabolite fingerprinting promises high throughput, and hence, rapid assessment of community structure-function relationships. Pyrosequencing revealed Proteobacteria were particularly abundant, with Cyanobacteria likely acting as ecosystem engineers in both alpine and Arctic cryoconite communities. However, despite these generalities, significant differences in bacterial community structures, compositions and metabolomes are found between alpine and Arctic cryoconite habitats, reflecting the impact of local and regional conditions on the challenges of thriving in glacial ecosystems.

OriginalsprogEngelsk
Sider (fra-til)222-237
Antal sider16
TidsskriftFEMS Microbiology Ecology
Vol/bind89
Udgave nummer2
DOI
StatusUdgivet - aug. 2014

Programområde

  • Programområde 2: Vandressourcer

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