Genetic variance in the composition of two functional groups (diazotrophs and cyanobacteria) from a hypersaline microbial mat.

ABSTRACT: Examination of variation in ecological communities can lead to an understanding of the forces that structure communities, the consequences of change at the ecosystem level, and the relevant scales involved. This study details spatial and seasonal variability in the composition of nitrogen-fixing and cyanobacterial (i.e., oxygenic photosynthetic) functional groups of a benthic, hypersaline microbial mat from Salt Pond, San Salvador Island, Bahamas. This system shows extreme annual variability in the salinity of the overlying water and the extent of water coverage. Analysis of molecular variance and F(ST) tests of genetic differentiation of nifH and cyanobacterial 16S rRNA gene clone libraries allowed for changes at multiple taxonomic levels (i.e., above, below, and at the species level) to

SUBMITTER: Yannarell AC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1392921 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature