Open AccessShort‐term dynamics of bacterial communities in a tidally affected coastal ecosystem
Author(s) -
Rink Beate,
Martens Torben,
Fischer Doreen,
Lemke Andreas,
Grossart HansPeter,
Simon Meinhard,
Brinkhoff Thorsten
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
fems microbiology ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.377
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1574-6941
pISSN - 0168-6496
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6941.2008.00573.x
Subject(s) - roseobacter , alphaproteobacteria , gammaproteobacteria , biology , bacteroidetes , temperature gradient gel electrophoresis , betaproteobacteria , ecology , ecosystem , 16s ribosomal rna , zoology , actinobacteria , bacteria , clade , phylogenetics , biochemistry , genetics , gene
Tidal effects on the composition of free‐living (FL) and particle‐associated (PA) bacterial communities were studied in a tidal flat ecosystem in the southern North Sea. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis targeting the 16S rRNA gene and the 16S rRNA of Bacteria, Bacteroidetes, Alphaproteobacteria and the Roseobacter clade was applied. Despite strong tidal variations in the quantity and, depending on the season, also the quality of suspended matter as well as variations in bacterial activity, the bacterial community composition remained rather stable. FISH showed some variations of the community composition, but these were not related to typical tidal situations. Variations were higher during tidal cycles in May and July compared with November. Bacteroidetes, Alpha ‐ and Gammaproteobacteria constituted the majority of the bacterial communities but relative proportions of the different groups varied considerably. On particles, Betaproteobacteria were also detected to substantial proportions. The Roseobacter clade constituted up to 90% of FL but only 30% of PA Alphaproteobacteria . Banding patterns of the Bacteroidetes ‐specific amplicons, and in particular those targeting the 16S rRNA, revealed tidally induced effects, as several bands appeared or disappeared at distinct events such as slack water or resuspension. Sequencing of prominent bands revealed predominantly phylotypes reported previously from this ecosystem.