Microbial communities of the Lemon Creek Glacier show subtle structural variation yet stable phylogenetic composition over space and time.

ABSTRACT: Glaciers are geologically important yet transient ecosystems that support diverse, biogeochemically significant microbial communities. During the melt season glaciers undergo dramatic physical, geochemical, and biological changes that exert great influence on downstream biogeochemical cycles. Thus, we sought to understand the temporal melt-season dynamics of microbial communities and associated geochemistry at the terminus of Lemon Creek Glacier (LCG) in coastal southern Alaska. Due to late season snowfall, sampling of LCG occurred in three interconnected areas: proglacial Lake Thomas, the lower glacial outflow stream, and the glacier's terminus. LCG associated microbial communities were phylogenetically diverse and varied by sampling location. However, Betaproteobacteria, Alphaproteobacte

SUBMITTER: Sheik CS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4438255 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature