Microbial diversity and community structure across environmental gradients in Bransfield Strait, Western Antarctic Peninsula.

ABSTRACT: The Southern Ocean is currently subject to intense investigations, mainly related to its importance for global biogeochemical cycles and its alarming rate of warming in response to climate change. Microbes play an essential role in the functioning of this ecosystem and are the main drivers of the biogeochemical cycling of elements. Yet, the diversity and abundance of microorganisms in this system remain poorly studied, in particular with regards to changes along environmental gradients. Here, we used amplicon sequencing of 16S rRNA gene tags using primers covering both Bacteria and Archaea to assess the composition and diversity of the microbial communities from four sampling depths (surface, the maximum and minimum of the oxygen concentration, and near the seafloor) at 10 oceanographic st

SUBMITTER: Signori CN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4267279 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature