Marine Vertebrates Impact the Bacterial Community Composition and Food Webs of Antarctic Microbial Mats.

ABSTRACT: The biological activity of marine vertebrates represents an input of nutrients for Antarctic terrestrial biota, with relevant consequences for the entire ecosystem. Even though microbial mats assemble most of the biological diversity of the non-marine Antarctica, the effects of the local macrofauna on these microecosystems remain understudied. Using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, ¹³C and ¹⁵N stable isotopes, and by characterizing the P and N-derived nutrient levels, we evaluated the effects of penguins and other marine vertebrates on four microbial mats located along the Antarctic Peninsula. Our results show that P concentrations, C/N and N/P ratios, and δ¹⁵N values of "penguin-impacted" microbial mats were significantly higher than values obtained for "macrofau

SUBMITTER: Almela P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9023888 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature