Bottom-up versus top-down control of hypo- and epilimnion free-living bacterial community structures in two neighboring freshwater lakes.

ABSTRACT: Bacterioplankton plays a central role in the microbial functioning of lacustrine ecosystems; however, factors that constrain its structural variation are still poorly understood. Here we evaluated the driving forces exerted by a large set of environmental and biological parameters on the temporal and spatial dynamics of free-living bacterial community structures (BCS) in two neighboring perialpine lakes, Lake Bourget and Lake Annecy, which differ in trophic status. We analyzed monthly data from a 1-year sampling period at two depths situated in the epi- and hypolimnia for each lake. Overall, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) revealed significant differences in the BCS in the two lakes, characterized by a higher number of bands in the oligotrophic ecosystem (i.e., Lake Annecy).

SUBMITTER: Berdjeb L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3127590 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature