Differences in planktonic microbial communities associated with three types of macrophyte stands in a shallow lake

Abstract

Little is known about how various substances from living and decomposing aquatic macrophytes affect the horizontal patterns of planktonic bacterial communities. Study sites were located within Lake Kolon, which is a freshwater marsh and can be characterised by open-water sites and small ponds with different macrovegetation (Phragmites australis, Nymphea alba and Utricularia vulgaris). Our aim was to reveal the impact of these macrophytes on the composition of the planktonic microbial communities using comparative analysis of environmental parameters, microscopy and pyrosequencing data. Bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequences were dominated by members of phyla Proteobacteria (36%-72%), Bacteroidetes (12%-33%) and Actinobacteria (5%-26%), but in the anoxic sample the ratio of Chlorobi (54%) was also remarkable. In the phytoplankton community, Cryptomonas sp., Dinobryon divergens, Euglena acus and chrysoflagellates had the highest proportion. Despite the similarities in most of the measured environmental parameters, the inner ponds had different bacterial and algal communities, suggesting that the presence and quality of macrophytes directly and indirectly controlled the composition of microbial plankton.

The structuring role of macrophytes on plankton community composition and bacterial metabolism in a large subtropical shallow lake

“…Our results are also in accordance with next generation sequencing data, which also reveals consistence differences in main bacterial groups among open water and macrophyte dominated sites (Mentes et al, 2018). For instance, in the submerged macrophyte Utricularia vulgaris dominated sites there was a dominance of Chlorobi, possibly related to low oxygen levels, whereas Cyanobacteria were present in expressive proportions only in open water sites (Mentes et al, 2018).…”

“…This shift occurs mostly due to the inhibition of phytoplankton growth through shading, reduced hydrodynamics, competition for nutrients, release of allelopathic substances and increased grazing, which is a consequence of the refuge from predation found by zooplankton (especially large cladocerans) inside plant beds (Scheffer et al, 1993;Scheffer & Jeppesen, 1997;Søndergaard & Moss, 1997;van Donk & van de Bund, 2002;Norlin et al, 2005;Mulderij et al, 2007; also review in Schultz & Dibble, 2012). However, while the effects of macrophytes on habitat patchiness is well recognized (Docherty et al, 2006), less is known about the impacts of this zonation on whole lake metabolism (Wetzel, 1992;Lauster et al, 2006) and patterns of plankton diversity (but see Mentes et al, 2018). Most importantly, there is a limited knowledge about how the percentage of macrophyte coverage affects the plankton composition, biomass and metabolism, despite consistent evidence of effects of macrophytes on bacterioplankton (Wu et al, 2007;Mentes et al, 2018), phytoplankton and zooplankton (Scheffer & Jeppesen, 1997) Bacteria are the major users of dissolved organic matter and therefore of central importance for carbon cycle in aquatic systems (Cole, 1999).…”

“…However, while the effects of macrophytes on habitat patchiness is well recognized (Docherty et al, 2006), less is known about the impacts of this zonation on whole lake metabolism (Wetzel, 1992;Lauster et al, 2006) and patterns of plankton diversity (but see Mentes et al, 2018). Most importantly, there is a limited knowledge about how the percentage of macrophyte coverage affects the plankton composition, biomass and metabolism, despite consistent evidence of effects of macrophytes on bacterioplankton (Wu et al, 2007;Mentes et al, 2018), phytoplankton and zooplankton (Scheffer & Jeppesen, 1997) Bacteria are the major users of dissolved organic matter and therefore of central importance for carbon cycle in aquatic systems (Cole, 1999). Their diversity and metabolism depend strongly on algal primary productivity (Kamjunke et al, 1997;del Giorgio & Cole 1998;Cotner & Biddanda, 2002).…”

Grazing pressure-induced shift in planktonic bacterial communities with the dominance of acIII-A1 actinobacterial lineage in soda pans

“…Further information about sample collection dates is given in Supplementary Table S1 . The determination of physicochemical parameters and prokaryotic cell count was performed as given in 57 . Salinity values were calculated from electric conductivity based on the equation published by 2 .…”

Comparison of planktonic and reed biofilm bacteria in different riverine water bodies of river Danube

“…In addition, phylotypes related to betI and betII lineages of Betaproteobacteria were also revealed in the water of the natural thermal Lake Hévíz (Krett et al, ). The almost entirely reed ( P. australis ) covered water of Lake Kolon (Hungary) was also dominated by typical planktonic bacteria, such as members of genera Limnohabitans and Polynucleobacter , furthermore an “unclassified Actinobacteria from the hgcl clade” (Mentes et al, ).…”