Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Abundance, Distribution, and Diversity of Viruses in Alkaline, Hypersaline Mono Lake, California

  • Published:
Microbial Ecology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Mono Lake is a large (180 km2), alkaline (pH ~10), moderately hypersaline (70–85 g kg−1) lake lying at the western edge of the Great Basin. An episode of persistent chemical stratification (meromixis) was initiated in 1995 and has resulted in depletion of oxygen and accumulation of ammonia and sulfide beneath the chemocline. Although previous studies have documented high bacterial abundances and marked seasonal changes in phytoplankton abundance and community composition, there have been no previous reports on the occurrence of viruses in this unique lake. Based on the high concentrations and diversity of microbial life in this lake, we hypothesized that planktonic viruses are also abundant and diverse. To examine the abundance and distribution of viruses and bacteria, water samples were collected from four stations along 5 to 15 vertical depths at each station. Viral abundance ranged from 1 × 108 to 1 × 109 mL−1, among the highest observed in any natural aquatic system examined so far. Increases (p < 0.1) in viral densities were observed in the anoxic bottom water at multiple stations. However, regression analysis indicated that viral abundance could not be predicted by any single environmental parameter. Pulsed field gel electrophoresis revealed a diverse viral community in Mono Lake with genome sizes ranging from ~14 to >400 kb with most of the DNA in the 30 to 60 kb size range. Cluster analysis grouped the anoxic bottom-water viral community into a unique cluster differentiating it from surface and mid-water viral communities. A hybridization study using an indigenous viral isolate as a probe revealed an episodic pattern of temporal phage distribution with strong niche stratification between oxic and anoxic waters.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Adams MH (1959) Bacteriophages Interscience, New York

  2. JE Cloern BE Cole RS Oremland (1983) ArticleTitleSeasonal changes in the chemistry and biology of a meromictic lake (Big Soda Lake, Nevada, USA). Hydrobiologia 105 195–206 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaL3sXls1elsL8%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. TL Connell SB Joye LG Miller RS Oremland (1997) ArticleTitleBacterial oxidation of methyl bromide in Mono Lake, California. Environ Sci Technol 31 1489–1495 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2sXitVCqsrg%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. GL Dana PH Lenz (1986) ArticleTitleEffects of increasing salinity on an Artemina population from Mono Lake, California. Ecologia 68 428–436

    Google Scholar 

  5. AW Duckworth WD Grant BE Jones R Van Steenbergen (1996) ArticleTitlePhylogenetic diversity of soda lake alkaliphiles. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 19 181–191

    Google Scholar 

  6. JA Fuhrman (1999) ArticleTitleMarine viruses and their biogeochemical and ecological effects. Nature (London) 399 541–548 Occurrence Handle10.1038/21119 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK1MXjvFeiurk%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. N Guixa-Boixareu JI Calderon-Paz M Heldal G Bratbak C Pedros-Alio (1996) ArticleTitleViral lysis and bacterivory as prokaryotic loss factors along a salinity gradient. Aquat Microb Ecol 11 215–227

    Google Scholar 

  8. JT Hollibaugh PS Wong N Bano SK Pak EM Prager C Orrego (2001) ArticleTitleStratification of microbial assemblages in Mono Lake, California, and response to a mixing event. Hydrobiologia 466 45–60 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1014505131859 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD38XjsFaiur8%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. SB Humayoun N Bano JT Hollibaugh (2003) ArticleTitleDepth distribution of microbial diversity in mono lake, a meromictic soda lake in California. Appl Environ Microbiol 69 1030–1042 Occurrence Handle10.1128/AEM.69.2.1030-1042.2003 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3sXhtF2itr4%3D Occurrence Handle12571026

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. R Jellison JM Melack (1993) ArticleTitleAlgal photosynthetic activity and its response to meromixis in hypersaline Mono Lake, California. Limnol Oceanogr 38 818–837 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2cXit1GqtLk%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. S Jiang W Fu W Chu JA Fuhrman (2003) ArticleTitleThe vertical distribution and diversity of marine bacteriophage at a station off southern California Microb Ecol 45 399–410 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3sXksFWms70%3D Occurrence Handle12704560

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. SB Joye TL Connell LG Miller RS Oremland RS Jellison (1999) ArticleTitleOxidation of ammonia and methane in an alkaline, saline lake. Limnol Oceanogr 44 178–188 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK1MXhsV2rt74%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. PH Lenz SD Cooper JM Melack DW Windler (1986) ArticleTitleSpatial and temporal distribution patterns of three trophic levels in a saline lake. J Plankton Res 8 1051–1064

    Google Scholar 

  14. RA Lewin L Krienitz R Goericke H Takeda D Hepperle (2000) ArticleTitle Picocystis salinarum gen. et sp. nov. (Chlorophyta): A new picoplanktonic green alga. Phycologia 39 560–565

    Google Scholar 

  15. P Maranger DF Bird (1996) ArticleTitleHigh concentrations of viruses in the sediments of Lake Gilbert, Quebec. Microb Ecol 31 141–151

    Google Scholar 

  16. R Maranger DF Bird SK Juniper (1994) ArticleTitleViral and bacterial dynamics in Arctic sea ice during the spring algal bloom near Resolute, N.W.T., Canada. Mar Ecol Pro Ser 111 121–127

    Google Scholar 

  17. DT Mason (1967) ArticleTitleLimnology of Mono Lake, California. Univ Calif Publ Zool 83 1–110

    Google Scholar 

  18. JM Melack R Jellison (1998) ArticleTitleLimnological conditions in Mono Lake: Contrasting monomixis and meromixis in the 1990s. Hydrobiologia 384 21–39 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1003352511328

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. AG Murray PM Eldridge (1994) ArticleTitleMarine viral ecology: Incorporation of bacteriophage into the microbial planktonic food web paradigm. J Plankton Res 16 627–641

    Google Scholar 

  20. RT Noble JA Fuhrman (1998) ArticleTitleUse of SYBR Green I for rapid epifluorescence counts of marine viruses and bacteria. Aquat Microb Ecol 14 113–118

    Google Scholar 

  21. RS Oremland LG Miller CW Culbertson SW Robinson RL Smith D Lovley ML Whiticar GM King RP Kene N Iversen M Sargent (1993) Aspects of the biogeochemistry of methane in Mono Lake and the Mono Basin of California. RS Oremland (Eds) Biogeochemistry of Global Change. Chapman & Hall New York

    Google Scholar 

  22. RS Oremland LG Miller MJ Writicar (1987) ArticleTitleSources and flux of natural gases from Mono Lake, California. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 51 2915–2929 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0016-7037(87)90367-X Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaL1cXktFGltg%3D%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. W Reisser (1993) ArticleTitleViruses and virus-like particles of freshwater and marine eukaryotic algae: A review. Archiv Protist 143 257–265

    Google Scholar 

  24. GF Steward (2001) Fingerprinting viral assemblages by pulsed field gel electrophoresis. JH Paul (Eds) Methods in Microbiology. Academic Press New York 85–104

    Google Scholar 

  25. GF Steward JL Montiel F Azam (2000) ArticleTitleGenome size distributions indicate variability and similarities among marine viral assemblages from diverse environments. Limnol Oceanogr 45 1697–1706

    Google Scholar 

  26. MG Weinbauer MG Hofle (1998) ArticleTitleSignificance of viral lysis and flagellate grazing as factors controlling bacterioplankton production in a eutrophic lake. Appl Environ Microbiol 64 431–438 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK1cXpsVSltg%3D%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. KE Wommack RR Colwell (2000) ArticleTitleVirioplankton: Viruses in aquatic ecosystems. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 64 69–114 Occurrence Handle10.1128/MMBR.64.1.69-114.2000 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:DC%2BD3c7ntF2jsw%3D%3D Occurrence Handle10704475

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. KE Wommack RT Hill RR Colwell (1995) ArticleTitleA simple method for the concentration of viruses from natural water samples. J Microbiol Methods 22 57–67 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0167-7012(94)00064-E

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. KE Wommack J Ravel RT Hill J Chun RR Colwell (1999) ArticleTitlePopulation dynamics of Chesapeake Bay virioplankton: Total-community analysis by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Appl Environ Microbiol 65 231–240 Occurrence Handle9872784

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. KE Wommack J Ravel RT Hill RR Colwell (1999) ArticleTitleHybridization analysis of Chesapeake Bay virioplankton Appl Environ Microbiol 65 241–250 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK1MXjvVyguw%3D%3D Occurrence Handle9872785

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank the entire Mono Lake Microbial Observatory Research Team (PIs: J. Hollibaugh and S. Joye, U Georgia; J. Zehr, UC Santa Cruz) for close collaboration and providing sampling and data support for this project. Special thanks also go to Dan Dawson for providing logistic support at the Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Laboratory and Sandra Roll for providing in situ physical and chemical data. The funding for this project was provided by UC Multi-campus Research Incentive Fund 02-T-MRIF-09-0023, NSF awards DEB-01-30528, DEB-01-29174, DEB-01-29160, and MCB 99-77886, MCB-99-77901.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Environmental Analysis and Design, University of California, Irvine, CA 92696, USA

    S. Jiang, W. Chu & S. Choi

  2. Department of Oceanography, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA

    G. Steward

  3. Marine Science Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA

    R. Jellison

Authors
  1. S. Jiang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. G. Steward
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. R. Jellison
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. W. Chu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. S. Choi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to S. Jiang.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Jiang, S., Steward, G., Jellison, R. et al. Abundance, Distribution, and Diversity of Viruses in Alkaline, Hypersaline Mono Lake, California . Microb Ecol 47, 9–17 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-003-1023-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-003-1023-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation