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Characterization of the cyanobacteria and associated bacterial community from an ephemeral wetland in New Zealand
Author(s) -
Secker Nick H.,
Chua Jocelyn P. S.,
Laurie Rebecca E.,
McNoe Les,
Guy Paul L.,
Orlovich David A.,
Summerfield Tina C.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of phycology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.85
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1529-8817
pISSN - 0022-3646
DOI - 10.1111/jpy.12434
Subject(s) - biology , nostoc , cyanobacteria , operational taxonomic unit , botany , ecology , stenotrophomonas , bacteria , 16s ribosomal rna , genetics
New Zealand ephemeral wetlands are ecologically important, containing up to 12% of threatened native plant species and frequently exhibiting conspicuous cyanobacterial growth. In such environments, cyanobacteria and associated heterotrophs can influence primary production and nutrient cycling. Wetland communities, including bacteria, can be altered by increased nitrate and phosphate due to agricultural practices. We have characterized cyanobacteria from the Wairepo Kettleholes Conservation Area and their associated bacteria. Use of 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing identified several operational taxonomic units ( OTU s) representing filamentous heterocystous and non‐heterocystous cyanobacterial taxa. One Nostoc OTU that formed macroscopic colonies dominated the cyanobacterial community. A diverse bacterial community was associated with the Nostoc colonies, including a core microbiome of 39 OTU s. Identity of the core microbiome associated with macroscopic Nostoc colonies was not changed by the addition of nutrients. One OTU was highly represented in all Nostoc colonies (27.6%–42.6% of reads) and phylogenetic analyses identified this OTU as belonging to the genus Sphingomonas . Scanning electron microscopy showed the absence of heterotrophic bacteria within the Nostoc colony but revealed a diverse community associated with the colonies on the external surface.