Microbial eukaryote plankton communities of high-mountain lakes from three continents exhibit strong biogeographic patterns.

ABSTRACT: Microbial eukaryotes hold a key role in aquatic ecosystem functioning. Yet, their diversity in freshwater lakes, particularly in high-mountain lakes, is relatively unknown compared with the marine environment. Low nutrient availability, low water temperature and high ultraviolet radiation make most high-mountain lakes extremely challenging habitats for life and require specific molecular and physiological adaptations. We therefore expected that these ecosystems support a plankton diversity that differs notably from other freshwater lakes. In addition, we hypothesized that the communities under study exhibit geographic structuring. Our rationale was that geographic dispersal of small-sized eukaryotes in high-mountain lakes over continental distances seems difficult. We analysed hypervariabl

SUBMITTER: Filker S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4976798 | biostudies-literature | 2016 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature