Dormant bacteria in lake sediments as palaeoecological indicators

Renberg, Ingemar; Nilsson, Mats

doi:10.1007/bf00196867

Cited by 12 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…This is a phenomenon that has, for instance, been explored in diatoms or zooplankton where cells or egg banks in the sediments can be used to track effects of environmental change on lake ecosystems (Smol, ). Whereas diatoms and zooplankton species occur in sediments as fossils, it has been shown for bacteria that sediments contain both dormant cells (Renberg and Nilsson, ; Lomstein et al ., ; Wunderlin et al ., ) and slow growing vegetative cells (Parkes et al ., ; Schippers et al ., ; Lomstein et al ., ). The detection of vegetative cells in deeper sediment layers suggests that ancient bacteria, i.e.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Remnants of marine bacterial communities can be retrieved from deep sediments in lakes of marine origin

Langenheder

Comte

Zha

et al. 2016

Environ Microbiol Rep

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Some bacteria can be preserved over time in deep sediments where they persist either in dormant or slow-growing vegetative stages. Here, we hypothesized that such cells can be revived when exposed to environmental conditions similar to those before they were buried in the sediments. To test this hypothesis, we collected bacteria from sediment samples of different ages (140-8500 calibrated years before present, cal BP) from three lakes that differed in the timing of their physical isolation from the Baltic Sea following postglacial uplift. After these bacterial communities were grown in sterile water from the Baltic Sea, we determined the proportion of 16S rRNA sequence reads associated with marine habitats by extracting the environment descriptive terms of homologous sequences retrieved from public databases. We found that the proportion of reads associated with marine descriptive term was significantly higher in cultures inoculated with sediment layers formed under Baltic conditions and where salinities were expected to be similar to current levels. Moreover, a similar pattern was found in the original sediment layers. Our study, therefore, suggests that remnants of marine bacterial communities can be preserved in sediments over thousands of years and can be revived from deep sediments in lakes of marine origin.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Remnants of marine bacterial communities can be retrieved from deep sediments in lakes of marine origin

Langenheder

Comte

Zha

et al. 2016

Environ Microbiol Rep

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“…This might be the case for bacterial endospores, highly resistant cellular forms produced by certain genera belonging to the Firmicutes (Gram-positive low G?C content bacteria) (Onyenwoke et al 2004), which are able to survive in a dormant state, with little to no in situ activity, for a long period of time. The potential of dormant bacteria to be used as paleoecological indicators was evaluated by Renberg and Nilsson (1992). They concluded that it was possible to isolate dormant bacteria (Thermoactinomyces spp., Bacilli and Clostridia endospores) from sediment and, by combining the analysis of biochemical and genetic data, to infer past environmental conditions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…in archeological excavations containing plant debris deposited between 85 and 125 AD (Seaward et al 1976). Spores are commonly found in sediments and isolation and enumeration of viable cells and spores from sedimentary archives is an old technique (Renberg and Nilsson 1992). Viable endospores have been isolated from 5,800-year-old (Bartholomew and Paik 1966) and 9,000-year-old lake sediments (Renberg and Nilsson 1992).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Endospore-forming bacteria as new proxies to assess impact of eutrophication in Lake Geneva (Switzerland–France)

et al. 2013

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Measurements of chemical composition and biological parameters of sediment cores are used as proxies for changes in past environmental conditions and more recently the human impact on ecosystem health. In this study, endospore-forming bacteria are proposed as a new biological proxy for such paleoecological reconstructions. A sediment core providing a record for the past 90 years (137Cs and magnetic susceptibility dating) was retrieved from the Rhone Delta of Lake Geneva. X-ray fluorescence was analyzed at a 0.2-cm resolution, while DNA extracts, elemental geochemistry and grain size were obtained at 4-cm intervals. The total number of bacteria and endospore- forming bacteria were quantified by qPCR using the 16S rRNA gene and the endosporulation-specific spo0A gene. Furthermore, a spo0A fragment was subjected to amplicon sequencing to define OTUs (operational taxonomic units) and the phylogenetic affiliation of the endospore formers. The results showed that despite the fact that the quantity of extracted DNA decreased with the age of the sediment, the abundance of endospore-forming bacteria remained constant. However, the diversity of this group of bacteria changed significantly, reflecting the eutrophication of the lake from 1960 to 1990. The shift in community composition was linked to the dominance of anaerobic clostridia-like endospore formers. This trend has reversed in the last 10 years of the record, suggesting a recovery after perturbation. This study shows that the abundance and diversity of endospore-forming bacteria can be used as proxies to reconstruct lake history. We hereby successfully introduce a new strategy for paleoecology that could also be applied to ocean sediments and long sediment cores

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“…Midges are particularly good indicators of environmental conditions because the species respond quickly to environmental changes and are particularly sensitive to water quality, including the amount of oxygen in the water. Dormant bacteria can be useful paleoindicators for the influence of sewage and of agricultural activity upon lakes (Renberg and Nilsson 1992).…”

Section: Questions Of Scalementioning

confidence: 99%

The value of paleoecology as an aid to monitoring ecosystems and landscapes, chiefly with reference to North America

Gorham¹,

Brush²,

Graumlich³

et al. 2001

Environ. Rev.

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Paleoecological indicators are examined as to their accuracy in reconstructing past biotic communities and environmental conditions, their utility in answering important questions about such communities and conditions, and the temporal and spatial scales over which they are effective. Next, environmental problems susceptible of paleoecological analysis are considered, as are the ecosystem and landscape properties that can be inferred from such an analysis. The usefulness of paleoecology in anticipating ecological "surprises" is then discussed. Finally, a set of conclusions and recommendations is presented.Abstract: Paleoecological indicators are examined as to their accuracy in reconstructing past biotic communities and environmental conditions, their utility in answering important questions about such communities and conditions, and the temporal and spatial scales over which they are effective. Next, environmental problems susceptible of paleoecological analysis are considered, as are the ecosystem and landscape properties that can be inferred from such an analysis. The usefulness of paleoecology in anticipating ecological "surprises" is then discussed. Finally, a set of conclusions and recommendations is presented.Résumé : Les auteurs examinent les indicateurs paléoécologiques quant à leur précision pour reconstruire les communautés biotiques et les conditions environnementales du passé, quant à leur utilité pour répondre à des questions importantes sur de telles communautés et conditions, et quant aux échelles de temps et d'espace à l'intérieur desquelles elle sont fiables. Ensuite, on considère des problèmes environnementaux se prêtant à l'analyse paléoécologique, ainsi que les propriétés des écosystèmes et des paysages qu'on peut inférer à partir de telles analyses. On discute également l'utilité de la paléoécologie pour anticiper des «surprises». On présente finalement un ensemble de conclusions et de recommandations.

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Dormant bacteria in lake sediments as palaeoecological indicators

Cited by 12 publications

References 17 publications

Remnants of marine bacterial communities can be retrieved from deep sediments in lakes of marine origin

Remnants of marine bacterial communities can be retrieved from deep sediments in lakes of marine origin

Endospore-forming bacteria as new proxies to assess impact of eutrophication in Lake Geneva (Switzerland–France)

The value of paleoecology as an aid to monitoring ecosystems and landscapes, chiefly with reference to North America

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