Factors influencing bacterial dynamics along a transect from supraglacial runoff to proglacial lakes of high Arctic glaciers

• Published in: FEMS Microbiology Ecology
• Main Authors: Mindl, B, Anesio, AM, Meirer, K, Hodson, AJ, Laybourn-Parry, J, Sommaruga, R, Sattler, B
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Springer New York LLC 2007
• Subjects: Biological Sciences; Microbiology; Microbial Ecology; Antarctic; Arctic; Svalbard; Antarc*; glacier
• Online Access: http://interscience.wiley.com; https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1574-6941.2006.00262.x; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17313580; http://ecite.utas.edu.au/49031

Bacterial production in glacial runoff and aquatic habitats along ac. 500m transect from the ablation area of a Svalbard glacier (Midre Lovenbreen,791N, 121E) down to a series of proglacial lakes in its forefield were assessed. Inaddition, a series of in situ experiments were conducted to test how differentnutrient sources (glacial flour and dissolved organic matter derived from goosefaeces) and temperature affect bacterial abundance and production in theseecosystems. Bacterial abundance and production increased significantly along thistransect and reached a maximum in the proglacial lakes. Bacterial diversity profilesas assessed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis indicated that communitiesin glacial runoff were different from those in proglacial lakes. Heterotrophicbacterial production was mainly controlled by temperature and phosphoruslimitation. Addition of both glacial flour and dissolved organic matter derivedfrom goose faeces stimulated bacterial production in those lakes. The resultssuggest that glacial runoff sustains an active bacterial community which is furtherstimulated in proglacial lakes by higher temperatures and nutrient inputs frombird faeces. Thus, as in maritime temperate and Antarctic settings, bacterialcommunities developing in the recently deglaciated terrain of Svalbard receiveimportant inputs of nutrients via faunal transfers from adjacent ecosystems.