TY - JOUR
T1 - DNA-based molecular fingerprinting of eukaryotic protists and cyanobacteria contributing to sinking particle flux at the Bermuda Atlantic time-series study
AU - Amacher, Jessica
AU - Neuer, Susanne
AU - Lomas, Michael
N1 - Funding Information:
We thank the captain and crew of the Bermuda Atlantic Explorer, the chief scientists on each of the cruises and A. Burke, B. Issler, D. Bell, H. Drost, and D. Lomas for their help in sample collection and shipping. We are especially grateful to C. Baysinger for help with sample processing and analysis in the laboratory. We would like to thank F. Garcia-Pichel, M. Wojciechowski, and V. Stout, as well as two anonymous reviewers for helpful comments on earlier versions of this manuscript. We acknowledge Arizona State University (ASU) School of Life Sciences DNA laboratory for sequencing services. This work was supported by NSF BIO-OCE Grant 0752592 to S.N.
PY - 2013/9
Y1 - 2013/9
N2 - We used denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) to examine the protist and cyanobacterial communities in the euphotic zone (0-120. m) and in corresponding 150. m particle interceptor traps at the Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study (BATS) in a two-year monthly time-series from May 2008 to April 2010. Dinoflagellates were the most commonly detected taxa in both water column and trap samples throughout the time series. Diatom sequences were found only eight times in the water column, and only four times in trap material. Small-sized eukaryotic taxa, including the prasinophyte genera Ostreococcus, Micromonas, and Bathycoccus, were present in trap samples, as were the cyanobacteria Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus. Synechococcus was usually overrepresented in trap material, whereas Prochlorococcus was underrepresented compared to the water column. Both seasonal and temporal variability affected patterns of ribosomal DNA found in sediment traps. The two years of this study were quite different hydrographically, with higher storm activity and the passing of a cyclonic eddy causing unusually deep mixing in winter 2010. This was reflected in the DGGE fingerprints of the water column, which showed greater phylotype richness of eukaryotes and a lesser richness of cyanobacteria in winter of 2010 compared with the winter of 2009. Increases in eukaryotic richness could be traced to increased diversity of prasinophytes and prymnesiophytes. The decrease in cyanobacterial richness was in turn reflected in the trap composition, but the increase in eukaryotes was not, indicating a disproportionate contribution of certain taxa to sinking particle flux.
AB - We used denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) to examine the protist and cyanobacterial communities in the euphotic zone (0-120. m) and in corresponding 150. m particle interceptor traps at the Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study (BATS) in a two-year monthly time-series from May 2008 to April 2010. Dinoflagellates were the most commonly detected taxa in both water column and trap samples throughout the time series. Diatom sequences were found only eight times in the water column, and only four times in trap material. Small-sized eukaryotic taxa, including the prasinophyte genera Ostreococcus, Micromonas, and Bathycoccus, were present in trap samples, as were the cyanobacteria Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus. Synechococcus was usually overrepresented in trap material, whereas Prochlorococcus was underrepresented compared to the water column. Both seasonal and temporal variability affected patterns of ribosomal DNA found in sediment traps. The two years of this study were quite different hydrographically, with higher storm activity and the passing of a cyclonic eddy causing unusually deep mixing in winter 2010. This was reflected in the DGGE fingerprints of the water column, which showed greater phylotype richness of eukaryotes and a lesser richness of cyanobacteria in winter of 2010 compared with the winter of 2009. Increases in eukaryotic richness could be traced to increased diversity of prasinophytes and prymnesiophytes. The decrease in cyanobacterial richness was in turn reflected in the trap composition, but the increase in eukaryotes was not, indicating a disproportionate contribution of certain taxa to sinking particle flux.
KW - Cyanobacteria
KW - DNA-based fingerprinting
KW - Particle flux
KW - Protists
KW - Sargasso Sea
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U2 - 10.1016/j.dsr2.2013.01.001
DO - 10.1016/j.dsr2.2013.01.001
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84880834086
SN - 0967-0645
VL - 93
SP - 71
EP - 83
JO - Deep-Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography
JF - Deep-Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography
ER -