Unexpected Abundance and Diversity of Phototrophs in Mats from Morphologically Variable Microbialites in Great Salt Lake, Utah.

ABSTRACT: Microbial mat communities are associated with extensive (∼700 km²) and morphologically variable carbonate structures, termed microbialites, in the hypersaline Great Salt Lake (GSL), Utah. However, whether the composition of GSL mat communities covaries with microbialite morphology and lake environment is unknown. Moreover, the potential adaptations that allow the establishment of these extensive mat communities at high salinity (14% to 17% total salts) are poorly understood. To address these questions, microbial mats were sampled from seven locations in the south arm of GSL representing different lake environments and microbialite morphologies. Despite the morphological differences, microbialite-associated mats were taxonomically similar and were dominated by the cyanobacterium

SUBMITTER: Kanik M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7205499 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature