Biogeographical distribution and ecological ranges of benthic cyanobacteria in East Antarctic lakes

peer reviewed For the first time, the cyanobacterial diversity from microbial mats in lakes of Eastern Antarctica was investigated using microscopic and molecular approaches. The present study assessed the biogeographical distribution of cyanobacteria in Antarctica. Five samples were taken from four...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Published in:FEMS Microbiology Ecology
Main Authors: Taton, A., Grubisic, Stana, Balthasart, Pierre, Hodgson, D. A., Laybourn-Parry, J., Wilmotte, Annick
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Blackwell Publishing 2006
Subjects:
cyanobacteria
lake microbial mats
East Antarctic
morphological and molecular biodiversity
Life sciences
Microbiology
Sciences du vivant
Microbiologie
Antarctic
Four Lakes
Larsemann Hills
Rauer Islands
Vestfold
Vestfold Hills
Antarc*
Antarctica
Online Access:https://orbi.uliege.be/handle/2268/19903
https://orbi.uliege.be/bitstream/2268/19903/1/BiogeoAntarcticcyanoTatonFEMS06.pdf
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1574-6941.2006.00110.x
Description
Summary:peer reviewed For the first time, the cyanobacterial diversity from microbial mats in lakes of Eastern Antarctica was investigated using microscopic and molecular approaches. The present study assessed the biogeographical distribution of cyanobacteria in Antarctica. Five samples were taken from four lakes spanning a range of different ecological environments in Larsemann Hills, Vestfold Hills and Rauer Islands to evaluate the influence of lake characteristics on the cyanobacterial diversity. Seventeen morphospecies and 28 16S rRNA gene-based operational taxonomic units belonging to the Oscillatoriales, Nostocales and Chroococcales were identified. The internal transcribed spacer was evaluated to complement the 16S rRNA gene data and showed similar but more clear-cut tendencies. The molecular approach suggested that potential Antarctic endemic species, including a previously undiscovered diversity, are more abundant than has been estimated by morphological methods. Moreover, operational taxonomic units, also found outside Antarctica, were more widespread over the continent than potential endemics. The cyanobacterial diversity of the most saline lakes was found to differ from the others, and correlations between the sampling depth and the cyanobacterial communities can also be drawn. Comparison with database sequences illustrated the ubiquity of several cyanobacterial operational taxonomic units and their remarkable range of tolerance to harsh environmental conditions. MICROMAT

Similar Items