Microbial Community Structure Is Most Strongly Associated With Geographical Distance and pH in Salt Lake Sediments.

ABSTRACT: Salt lakes are globally significant microbial habitats, hosting substantial novel microbial diversity and functional capacity. Extremes of salinity and pH both pose major challenges for survival of microbial life in terrestrial and aquatic environments, and are frequently cited as primary influences on microbial diversity across a wide variety of environments. However, few studies have attempted to identify spatial and geochemical contributions to microbial community composition, functional capacity, and environmental tolerances in salt lakes, limiting exploration of novel halophilic and halotolerant microbial species and their potential biotechnological applications. Here, we collected sediment samples from 16 salt lakes at pH values that ranged from pH 4 to 9, distributed across 48,000 k

SUBMITTER: Santini TC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9221066 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature