Cultivable microbial diversity in an acidic temperate lake, Lake Phelps, NC

Abstract

Despite the immense benefit of freshwater habitats to the day to day activities of humans, their biological diversity remains understudied. Microbial diversity and community structure is critical to the study of ecological processes in these habitats. The naturally acidic oligotrophic lake, Lake Phelps, NC, was studied within the context of understanding sediment dwelling meiofauna using the cultivable microbial communities at three sites in the water column and sediment. Twenty-six bacterial isolates were cultivated, biochemically tested and sequenced. DNA sequence analyses of the 16S ribosomal subunit revealed 26 taxa representing three phyla (12 Proteobacteria, 12 Firmicutes, and 2 Bacteroidetes), four classes (12 Bacilli, 6 β-proteobacteria, 4 γ-proteobacteria, and 2 Flavobacteria), and six bacterial orders (12 Bacillales, 6 Neisseriales, 2 Burkholderiales, 4 Enterobacteriales, and 2 Flavobacteriales). Bacterial communities at the three sampling sites were distinct and this may be because of site-specific features. The lake is believed to have been formed from the fusion of two Carolina bays with differing geochemical factors contributing to unique microenvironments. Current studies are in progress to examine associated meiofauna within each microbial community.