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Analysis of diurnal and vertical microbial diversity of a hypersaline microbial mat

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Abstract

Microbial mats are prokaryotic communities that provide model systems to analyze microbial diversity and ecophysiological interactions. Community diversity of microbial mat samples was assessed at 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. in a combined analysis consisting of 16S rRNA-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) profiles. The divergence index determined from PLFA and DGGE data showed that depth-related differences have a greater influence on diversity than temporal variations. Shannon and Simpson indices yielded similar values in all samples, which suggested the stable maintenance of a structurally diverse microbial community. The increased diversity observed at 3:00 p.m. between 2.5 and 4 mm can be explained mainly by diversification of anaerobic microorganisms, especially sulfate-reducing bacteria. In the afternoon sampling, the diversity index reflected a higher diversity between 4 and 5.5 mm depth, which suggested an increase in the diversity of strict anaerobes and fermenters. The results are consistent with the conclusion that hypersaline microbial mats are characterized by high degree of diversity that shifts in response to the photobiological adaptations and metabolic status of the microbial community.

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Acknowledgments

This paper is dedicated to the memory of David C. White: “Thank you for being a friend and mentor, we will always remember the wonderful times we spent together”. We thank Mercè Piqueras and Wendy Ran for useful suggestions. We are grateful to the Center for Biomarker Analysis (TN, USA) staff for advice and technical assistance. This research was supported by Spanish MCyT grant BOS2002-02944 and MEC CGL2005-04990, and by grant DE-FC02-96ER62278, from the Office of Biological and Environmental Research and the Natural and Accelerated Bioremediation Research Program. LV was recipient of a scholarship from the Spanish MECD (AP2001-0953).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    Laura Villanueva, Antoni Navarrete, Jordi Urmeneta & Ricardo Guerrero

  2. Center for Biomarker Analysis, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA

    David C. White

  3. Department of Microbiology, Morrill Science Center IV North, University of Massachusetts, 639 North Pleasant St Amherst, Boston, MA, 01003-9298, USA

    Laura Villanueva

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  1. Laura Villanueva
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Correspondence to Laura Villanueva.

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Dedicated to the memory of David C. White.

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Villanueva, L., Navarrete, A., Urmeneta, J. et al. Analysis of diurnal and vertical microbial diversity of a hypersaline microbial mat. Arch Microbiol 188, 137–146 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00203-007-0229-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00203-007-0229-6

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