Taxon interactions control the distributions of cryoconite bacteria colonizing a High Arctic ice cap

Gokul, Jarishma K.; Hodson, Andy; Sætnan, Eli; Irvine‐Fynn, Tristram; Westall, Philippa J.; Detheridge, Andrew; Takeuchi, Nozomu; Bussell, Jennifer; Mur, Luis A. J.; Edwards, Arwyn

doi:10.1111/mec.13715

Cited by 71 publications

(67 citation statements)

References 74 publications

(106 reference statements)

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“…We also found significant effects of environmental conditions at each hole on the structure of bacterial communities. These results are consistent with those from previous investigations of bacterial communities of cryoconite on Arctic glaciers (Edwards et al ., ; Gokul et al ., ). However, environmental conditions explained a lower fraction of variance than month.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Temporal variability of bacterial communities in cryoconite on an alpine glacier

Franzetti

Navarra

Tagliaferri

et al. 2017

Environ Microbiol Rep

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Cryoconite holes, that is, small ponds that form on glacier surface, are considered the most biologically active environments on glaciers. Bacterial communities in these environments have been extensively studied, but often through snapshot studies based on the assumption of a general stability of community structure. In this study, the temporal variation of bacterial communities in cryoconite holes on the Forni Glacier (Italian Alps) was investigated by high throughput DNA sequencing. A temporal change of bacterial communities was observed with autotrophic Cyanobacteria populations dominating communities after snowmelt, and heterotrophic Sphingobacteriales populations increasing in abundance later in the season. Bacterial communities also varied according to hole depth and area, amount of organic matter in the cryoconite and oxygen concentration. However, variation in environmental features explained a lower fraction of the variation in bacterial communities than temporal variation. Temporal change along ablation season seems therefore more important than local environmental conditions in shaping bacterial communities of cryoconite of the Forni Glacier. These findings challenge the assumption that bacterial communities of cryoconite holes are stable.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Temporal variability of bacterial communities in cryoconite on an alpine glacier

Franzetti

Navarra

Tagliaferri

et al. 2017

Environ Microbiol Rep

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“… Physical, chemical and biological conditions in ice-covered cryoconite holes form a unique combination among the surface waters on Earth and ice covered biotic and abiotic interactions may form astrobiological analogues (e.g., Vincent and Howard-Williams 2000; Tranter et al 2004;Doran et al 2010).  Cooperating consortium of microorganisms like in cryoconite granules may reflect true survival response of organisms to extreme environments -organisms cooperate and compete with each other in cryoconites (e.g., Cook et al 2016;Gokul et al 2016;Lutz et al 2016).  They are exposed to dynamic changese.g., freezing, the flushing of sediments, inter-hole water-sediment mixing as well as variation in pollution, radionuclides and heavy metals content (e.g., Mueller et al 2001;Łokas et al 2016;Zawierucha et al 2016b).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“… Cryoconite holes biota form clear truncated food web -easy understanding of ecological relations in icy areas (e.g., Hodson et al 2008;Vonnahme et al 2015;Zawierucha et al 2016a).  There is evidence that they can easily disperse from glacier to glacier (abilities to settle new areas) (e.g., Dabert et al 2015;Gokul et al 2016;Shain et al 2016). …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Moreover, microorganisms in cryoconites cooperate, form different relations and control each other (e.g. Takeuchi et al 2001;Vonnahme et al 2015;Gokul et al 2016). So far, astrobiological studies have been conducted on a single strains of prokaryotes or microinvertebrates (e.g., Johnson et al 2011) but never on a consortium of microorganisms like cryoconite granules.…”

Section: Cryoconite Consortiamentioning

confidence: 99%

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Applicability of cryoconite consortia of microorganisms and glacier-dwelling animals in astrobiological studies

Zawierucha¹,

Ostrowska²,

Kolicka³

2017

Contemporary Trends in Geoscience

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For several years it has been of interest to astrobiologists to focus on Earth's glaciers as a habitat that can be similar to glaciers on other moons and planets. Microorganisms on glaciers form consortia -cryoconite granules (cryoconites). They are granular/spherical mineral particles connected with archaea, cyanobacteria, heterotrophic bacteria, algae, fungi, and micro animals (mainly Tardigrada and Rotifera). Cryophilic organisms inhabiting glaciers have been studied in different aspects: from taxonomy, ecology and biogeography, to searching of biotechnological potentials and physiological strategies to survive in extreme glacial habitats. However, they have never been used in astrobiological experiments. The main aim of this paper is brief review of literature and supporting assumptions that cryoconite granules and microinvertebrates on glaciers, are promising models in astrobiology for looking for analogies and survival strategies in terms of icy planets and moons. So far, astrobiological research have been conducted on single strains of prokaryotes or microinvertebrates but never on a consortium of them. Due to the hypothetical similarity of glaciers on the Earth to those on other planets these cryoconites consortia of microorganisms and glacier microinvertebrates may be applied in astrobiological experiments instead of the limno-terrestrial ones used currently. Those consortia and animals have qualities to use them in such studies and they may be the key to understanding how organisms are able to survive, reproduce and remain active at low temperatures.

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“…Cryoconite holes are regarded as biodiversity hotspots on glaciers, constituting dynamic ecosystems with high primary production and organism assemblages adapted to such extreme conditions (e.g., Anesio and Laybourn-Parry 2012; Cook et al 2015b;Zawierucha et al 2015). The number of ecological studies on glacier ecosystems has increased in the last decade by surveys on the distribution of organisms in cryoconite holes (e.g., Uetake et al 2010), biocryomorphological interactions (Cook et al 2015a(Cook et al , 2016, the darkening of glaciers affected by algal blooming (e.g., Lutz et al 2014), the interaction between organisms in cryoconite holes (e.g., Gokul et al 2016), and even the biotechnological potential of cryoconite hole inhabitants (Singh et al 2014). Surprisingly, data on the biggest organisms in glacial ecosystems, micro-animals, are scarce and mainly restricted to taxonomical snapshots (Dastych et al 2003;Zawierucha et al 2016a).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Snapshot of micro-animals and associated biotic and abiotic environmental variables on the edge of the south-west Greenland ice sheet

et al. 2017

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Microinvertebrates play a role as top consumers on glaciers. In this study we tested what kind of cryoconite material the animals inhabit (mud vs granules) on the edge of the Greenland ice sheet (GrIS) in the south-west. We also tested the links between the densities of micro-fauna in cryoconite material and selected biotic (algae, cyanobacteria, bacterial abundances) and abiotic (water depth, pH, ion content, radionuclides) factors. We collected 33 cryoconite samples. Tardigrada and Rotifera were found in 18 and 61% of samples, respectively. Invertebrates in this study were considerably less frequent and less abundant in comparison with High Arctic glaciers. The highest density of tardigrades and rotifers constituted 53 and 118 ind./ml, respectively. Generalized linear models showed no relationship between the densities of fauna and biotic and abiotic factors. The densities of animals were significantly higher in granules than in mud. The difference in the densities of animals between granules and mud reflects a simple mechanistic removal of invertebrates from the sediment during its erosion by flushing which leads to mud formation. These processes may influence a random distribution of micro-fauna without clear ecological interactions with biotic and abiotic variables at the edge of the GrIS.

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Taxon interactions control the distributions of cryoconite bacteria colonizing a High Arctic ice cap

Cited by 71 publications

References 74 publications

Temporal variability of bacterial communities in cryoconite on an alpine glacier

Temporal variability of bacterial communities in cryoconite on an alpine glacier

Applicability of cryoconite consortia of microorganisms and glacier-dwelling animals in astrobiological studies

Snapshot of micro-animals and associated biotic and abiotic environmental variables on the edge of the south-west Greenland ice sheet

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