Isolation of Picocyanobacteria (Order <i>Synechococcales</i>) and Occurrence of Cyanotoxins (Anatoxin-a) in Saline Microhabitats at Martha’s Vineyard, MA

Abstract

We have used serial filtration to isolate picocyanobacteria from brackish and marine microhabitats for analysis. We used 16s metabarcoding to confirm the picocyanobacteria as members of the Order Synechococcales, Genus Cyanobium 6307 (Upper Chilmark Pond) and differing abundances of Cyanobium 6307 and Synechococcus 9902 (Chilmark Pond, Edgartown Great Pond, Tisbury Great Pond and Tashmoo Pond). The proportion and composition of (pico)cyanobacteria in water samples were influenced by the salinity concentrations at various sites, as evidenced by fluorometry and 16s metabarcoding analysis. The cyanobacterial neurotoxin anatoxin-a was present in the picocyanobacterial samples from all studied sites. Additional analyses using fluorometry and 16s metabarcoding described members of the Order Nostocales, including a halotolerant population of Dolichospermum sp., Sphaerospermopsis spp. and Nodularia spp. in Upper Chilmark Pond. We were able to establish a positive linear correlation between cyanobacterial biomass (phycocyanin) and anatoxin-a concentrations using samples taken from Upper Chilmark Pond.