Microbial assemblages reflect environmental heterogeneity in alpine streams

Alpine streams are dynamic habitats harboring substantial biodiversity across small spatial extents. The diversity of alpine stream biota is largely reflective of environmental heterogeneity stemming from varying hydrological sources. Globally, alpine stream diversity is under threat as meltwater so...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Global change biology 2019-08, Vol.25 (8), p.2576-2590
Main Authors: Hotaling, Scott, Foley, Mary E., Zeglin, Lydia H., Finn, Debra S., Tronstad, Lusha M., Giersch, J. Joseph, Muhlfeld, Clint C., Weisrock, David W.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alpine environments
Archaea
Bacteria
Biodiversity
Biodiversity loss
Biofilms
Biota
Climate change
Ecosystems
Environmental changes
Gene sequencing
Glacial drift
Glacial streams
Glacier National Park
Glaciers
glacier‐fed streams
Glaciohydrology
Grand Teton National Park
Groundwater
Habitats
Headwaters
Heterogeneity
Hydrology
Ice
icy seeps
Macroinvertebrates
Meltwater
microbial biogeography
Microhabitat
Microhabitats
Microorganisms
Rivers
rock glacier biology
Rocky Mountains
rRNA 16S
Seepage
Seepages
Stability
Stream biota
Streams
Water springs
Water temperature
Zoobenthos
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Summary:Alpine streams are dynamic habitats harboring substantial biodiversity across small spatial extents. The diversity of alpine stream biota is largely reflective of environmental heterogeneity stemming from varying hydrological sources. Globally, alpine stream diversity is under threat as meltwater sources recede and stream conditions become increasingly homogeneous. Much attention has been devoted to macroinvertebrate diversity in alpine headwaters, yet to fully understand the breadth of climate change threats, a more thorough accounting of microbial diversity is needed. We characterized microbial diversity (specifically Bacteria and Archaea) of 13 streams in two disjunct Rocky Mountain subranges through 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Our study encompassed the spectrum of alpine stream sources (glaciers, snowfields, subterranean ice, and groundwater) and three microhabitats (ice, biofilms, and streamwater). We observed no difference in regional (γ) diversity between subranges but substantial differences in diversity among (β) stream types and microhabitats. Within‐stream (α) diversity was highest in groundwater‐fed springs, lowest in glacier‐fed streams, and positively correlated with water temperature for both streamwater and biofilm assemblages. We identified an underappreciated alpine stream type—the icy seep—that are fed by subterranean ice, exhibit cold temperatures (summer mean
ISSN:1354-1013
1365-2486
DOI:10.1111/gcb.14683