Aquatic Macrophytes Are Associated With Variation in Biogeochemistry and Bacterial Assemblages of Mountain Lakes.

ABSTRACT: In aquatic systems, microbes likely play critical roles in biogeochemical cycling and ecosystem processes, but much remains to be learned regarding microbial biogeography and ecology. The microbial ecology of mountain lakes is particularly understudied. We hypothesized that microbial distribution among lakes is shaped, in part, by aquatic plant communities and the biogeochemistry of the lake. Specifically, we investigated the associations of yellow water lilies (Nuphar polysepala) with the biogeochemistry and microbial assemblages within mountain lakes at two scales: within a single lake and among lakes within a mountain range. We first compared the biogeochemistry of lakes without water lilies to those colonized to varying degrees by water lilies. Lakes with >10% of the surface occ

SUBMITTER: DeWolf EI 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8828945 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature