Abstract
Dust storms are responsible for the transport of a large quantity of bacteria from arid regions. A severe drought in the first decade of the new millennium in Australia increased the incidence of dust transport further. The major aims of this study were to characterize the bacterial communities in aerosols and their associated source sediments using high-throughput sequencing (HTS) and to investigate the possibility of using HTS to link dust to its source, which has not been previously performed in this way. Four field campaigns were conducted at the recently evaporated saline playa Lake Gnarpurt in the Australian state of Victoria between 2008 and 2010 (3 in the austral summer, 1 in winter) to collect aerosol and sediment samples. Aerosol samples were collected on filters up to 150 m above the lake bed using a tethered helium-filled balloon. DNA was extracted from all samples using commercial kits, and the bacterial communities were examined using 454 HTS on the 16S rRNA gene. Over 200,000 sequences from 29 samples were analysed. In both sediment and aerosol samples, Salinimicrobium was the most abundant taxon; however, there was great variation and diversity across all samples. Analysis of similarities of the bacterial communities indicated that there was a significant overlap between the sediment samples and the aerosols collected above that location, showing that the bacteria in the air was derived from a subset of dust from a nearby source. The challenge remains to use bacterial profiling to link an aerosol sample to a distant source.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abed, R. M., Ramette, A., Hubner, V., De Deckker, P., & de Beer, D. (2012). Microbial diversity of eolian dust sources from saline lake sediments and biological soil crusts in arid Southern Australia. FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 80(2), 294–304. doi:10.1111/j.1574-6941.2011.01289.x.
Amann, R. I., Ludwig, W., & Schleifer, K. H. (1995). Phylogenetic identification and in situ detection of individual microbial cells without cultivation. Microbiological Reviews, 59(1), 143–169.
Ashby, M. N., Rine, J., Mongodin, E. F., Nelson, K. E., & Dimster-Denk, D. (2007). Serial analysis of rRNA genes and the unexpected dominance of rare members of microbial communities. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 73(14), 4532–4542. doi:10.1128/aem.02956-06.
Bowers, R. M., McCubbin, I. B., Hallar, A. G., & Fierer, N. (2012). Seasonal variability in airborne bacterial communities at a high-elevation site. Atmospheric Environment, 50, 41–49. doi:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2012.01.005.
Burdman, S., & Walcott, R. O. N. (2012). Acidovorax citrulli: generating basic and applied knowledge to tackle a global threat to the cucurbit industry. Molecular Plant Pathology, 13(8), 805–815. doi:10.1111/j.1364-3703.2012.00810.x.
Chakraborty, A., & Picardal, F. (2013). Induction of Nitrate-Dependent Fe(II) Oxidation by Fe(II) in Dechloromonas sp. Strain UWNR4 and Acidovorax sp. Strain 2AN. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 79(2), 748–752. doi:10.1128/aem.02709-12.
De Deckker, P., Abed, R. M. M., de Beer, D., Hinrichs, K.-U., O’Loingsigh, T., Schefuß, E., et al. (2008). Geochemical and microbiological fingerprinting of airborne dust that fell in Canberra, Australia, in October 2002. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 9, Q12Q10. doi:10.1029/2008GC002091.
De Deckker, P., Munday, C. I., Brocks, J., O’Loingsigh, T., Allison, G. E., Hope, J., et al. (2014). Characterisation of the major dust storm that traversed over eastern Australia in September 2009; a multidisciplinary approach. Aeolian Research, 15, 133–149. doi:10.1016/j.aeolia.2014.07.003.
De Deckker, P., & Williams, W. D. (1988). Physico-chemical limnology of eleven, mostly saline permanent lakes in western Victoria, Australia. Hydrobiologia, 162(3), 275–286.
DeLeon-Rodriguez, N., Lathem, T. L., Rodriguez-R, L. M., Barazesh, J. M., Anderson, B. E., Beyersdorf, A. J., et al. (2013). Microbiome of the upper troposphere: Species composition and prevalence, effects of tropical storms, and atmospheric implications. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 110(7), 2575–2580. doi:10.1073/pnas.1212089110.
Edgar, R. C., Haas, B. J., Clemente, J. C., Quince, C., & Knight, R. (2011). UCHIME improves sensitivity and speed of chimera detection. Bioinformatics, 27(16), 2194–2200. doi:10.1093/bioinformatics/btr381.
Gardan, L., Stead, D. E., Dauga, C., & Gillis, M. (2003). Acidovorax valerianellae sp. nov., a novel pathogen of lamb’s lettuce [Valerianella locusta (L.) Laterr.]. International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, 53(3), 795–800. doi:10.1099/ijs.0.02404-0.
Gardner, T., Acosta-Martinez, V., Calderón, F. J., Zobeck, T. M., Baddock, M., Van Pelt, R. S., et al. (2012). Pyrosequencing reveals bacteria carried in different wind-eroded sediments. Journal of Environmental Quality, 41(3), 744–753. doi:10.2134/jeq2011.0347.
Gonzalez-Martin, C., Teigell-Perez, N., Valladares, B., & Griffin, D. W. (2014). The global dispersion of pathogenic microorganisms by dust storms and its relevance to agriculture. Advances in Agronomy, 127, 1–41. doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-800131-8.00001-7.
Goudie, A. S. (2014). Desert dust and human health disorders. Environment International, 63, 101–113. doi:10.1016/j.envint.2013.10.011.
Griffin, D. W., Garrison, V., Herman, J. R., & Shinn, E. A. (2001). African desert dust in the Caribbean atmosphere: Microbiology and public health. Aerobiologia, 17, 203–213.
Griffin, D. W., Kellogg, C. A., Garrison, V. H., Lisle, J. T., Borden, T. C., & Shinn, E. A. (2003). Atmospheric microbiology in the northern Caribbean during African dust events. Aerobiologia, 19, 143–157.
Griffin, D. W., Kubilay, N., Koçak, M., Gray, M. A., Borden, T. C., & Shinn, E. A. (2007). Airborne desert dust and aeromicrobiology over the Turkish Mediterranean coastline. Atmospheric Environment, 41(19), 4050–4062.
Hammer, Ø., Harper, D. A. T. & Ryan, P. D. (2001). Past: paleontological statistics software package for education and data analysis. Palaeontologia Electronica, 4(1), 9
Hua, N. P., Kobayashi, F., Iwasaka, Y., Shi, G. Y., & Naganuma, T. (2007). Detailed identification of desert-originated bacteria carried by Asian dust storms to Japan. Aerobiologia, 23(4), 291–298.
Katra, I., Arotsker, L., Krasnov, H., Zaritsky, A., Kushmaro, A., & Ben-Dov, E. (2014). Richness and Diversity in Dust Stormborne Biomes at the Southeast Mediterranean. Scientific Reports, 4, 5265. doi:10.1038/srep05265.
Kellogg, C. A., Griffin, D. M., Garrison, V. H., Peak, K. K., Royall, N., Smith, R. R., et al. (2004). Characterization of aerosolized bacteria and fungi from desert dust events in Mali, West Africa. Aerobiologia, 20, 99–110.
Khalifé, M., Gwyther, J., & Aberton, J. (2005). Land use, water quality and ecological responses in Lake Colac—Trends from Australia. Management of Environmental Quality, 16(4), 362–379. doi:10.1108/14777830510601235.
Leys, J. F., Heidenreich, S. K., Strong, C. L., McTainsh, G. H., & Quigley, S. (2011). PM 10 concentrations and mass transport during “Red Dawn”—Sydney 23 September 2009. Aeolian Research, 3(3), 327–342. doi:10.1016/j.aeolia.2011.06.003.
Lim, J.-M., Jeon, C. O., Lee, S. S., Park, D.-J., Xu, L.-H., Jiang, C.-L., et al. (2008). Reclassification of Salegentibacter catena Ying et al. 2007 as Salinimicrobium catena gen. nov., comb. nov. and description of Salinimicrobium xinjiangense sp. nov., a halophilic bacterium isolated from Xinjiang province in China. International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology, 58(2), 438–442. doi:10.1099/ijs.0.65297-0.
Lim, N., Munday, C. I., Allison, G. E., O’Loingsigh, T., De Deckker, P., & Tapper, N. J. (2011). Microbiological and meteorological analysis of two Australian dust storms in April 2009. Science of the Total Environment, 412–413, 223–231. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2011.10.030.
Maki, T., Susuki, S., Kobayashi, F., Kakikawa, M., Tobo, Y., Yamada, M., et al. (2010). Phylogenetic analysis of atmospheric halotolerant bacterial communities at high altitude in an Asian dust (KOSA) arrival region, Suzu City. Science of the Total Environment, 408(20), 4556–4562. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2010.04.002.
Maki, T., Susuki, S., Kobayashi, F., Kakikawa, M., Yamada, M., Higashi, T., et al. (2008). Phylogenetic diversity and vertical distribution of a halobacterial community in the atmosphere of an Asian dust (KOSA) source region, Dunhuang City. Air Quality, Atmosphere and Health, 1(2), 81–89. doi:10.1007/s11869-008-0016-9.
Maron, P. A., Lejon, D. P. H., Carvalho, E., Bizet, K., Lemanceau, P., Ranjard, L., et al. (2005). Assessing genetic structure and diversity of airborne bacterial communities by DNA fingerprinting and 16S rDNA clone library. Atmospheric Environment, 39(20), 3687–3695.
McTainsh, G., Chan, Y. C., McGowan, H., Leys, J., & Tews, K. (2005). The 23rd October 2002 dust storm in eastern Australia: Characteristics and meteorological conditions. Atmospheric Environment, 39(7), 1227–1236. doi:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2004.10.016.
Munday, C. I., O’Loingsigh, T., Tapper, N. J., De Deckker, P., & Allison, G. E. (2013). Utilisation of Rep-PCR to track microbes in aerosols collected adjacent to their source, a saline lake in Victoria, Australia. Science of the Total Environment, 450–451, 317–325.
O’Brien, C. L., Allison, G. E., Grimpen, F., & Pavli, P. (2013). Impact of colonoscopy bowel preparation on intestinal microbiota. PLoS ONE, 8(5), e62815. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0062815.
Ohtsubo, Y., Maruyama, F., Mitsui, H., Nagata, Y., & Tsuda, M. (2012). Complete genome sequence of Acidovorax sp. strain KKS102, a polychlorinated-biphenyl degrader. Journal of Bacteriology, 194(24), 6970–6971. doi:10.1128/jb.01848-12.
Polymenakou, P. N., Mandalakis, M., Stephanou, E. G., & Tselepides, A. (2008). Particle size distribution of airborne microorganisms and pathogens during an intense African dust event in the eastern Mediterranean. Environmental Health Perspectives, 116(3), 292–296.
Quince, C., Lanzen, A., Curtis, T. P., Davenport, R. J., Hall, N., Head, I. M., et al. (2009). Accurate determination of microbial diversity from 454 pyrosequencing data. Nature Methods, 6(9), 639–641. doi:10.1038/nmeth.1361.
Schloss, P. D., & Westcott, S. L. (2011). Assessing and improving methods used in operational taxonomic unit-based approaches for 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 77(10), 3219–3226.
Schloss, P. D., Westcott, S. L., Ryabin, T., Hall, J. R., Hartmann, M., Hollister, E. B., et al. (2009). Introducing mothur: Open-source, platform-independent, community-supported software for describing and comparing microbial communities. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 75(23), 7537–7541.
Smith, D. J., Jaffe, D. A., Birmele, M. N., Griffin, D. W., Schuerger, A. C., Hee, J., et al. (2012). Free tropospheric transport of microorganisms from Asia to North America. Microbial Ecology, 64(4), 973–985. doi:10.1007/s00248-012-0088-9.
Smith, D. J., Timonen, H. J., Jaffe, D. A., Griffin, D. W., Birmele, M. N., Perry, K. D., et al. (2013). Intercontinental dispersal of bacteria and archaea by transpacific winds. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 79(4), 1134–1139. doi:10.1128/aem.03029-12.
Sogin, M. L., Morrison, H. G., Huber, J. A., Welch, D. M., Huse, S. M., Neal, P. R., et al. (2006). Microbial diversity in the deep sea and the underexplored “rare biosphere”. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 103(32), 12115–12120. doi:10.1073/pnas.0605127103.
Tanaka, T. Y., & Chiba, M. (2006). A numerical study of the contributions of dust source regions to the global dust budget. Global and Planetary Change, 52(1–4), 88–104.
Thiele, K., Smalla, K., Kropf, S., & Rabenstein, F. (2012). Detection of Acidovorax valerianellae, the causing agent of bacterial leaf spots in corn salad [Valerianella locusta (L.) Laterr.], in corn salad seeds. Letters in Applied Microbiology, 54(2), 112–118. doi:10.1111/j.1472-765X.2011.03181.x.
Timms, B. V. (1983). A study of benthic communities in some shallow saline lakes of western Victoria, Australia. Hydrobiologia, 105(1), 165–177. doi:10.1007/bf00025186.
Yamaguchi, N., Ichijo, T., Sakotani, A., Baba, T., & Nasu, M. (2012). Global dispersion of bacterial cells on Asian dust. Scientific Reports, 2, 525. doi:10.1038/srep00525.
Acknowledgments
Thanks to Darren Hocking (Monash University) for assistance in the field and the staff at the Biomolecular Research Facility (BRF) at the ANU for guidance in preparing samples. This work was funded by Australian Research Council Discovery Grant #DP0772180.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Munday, C., De Deckker, P., Tapper, N. et al. Characterizing bacterial assemblages in sediments and aerosols at a dry lake bed in Australia using high-throughput sequencing. Aerobiologia 32, 581–593 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10453-015-9407-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10453-015-9407-1