Microbiota dispersion in the Uyuni salt flat (Bolivia) as determined by community structure analyses

• Published in: International microbiology 2019-09, Vol.22 (3), p.325-336
• Main Authors: Pérez-Fernández, Cesar A., Iriarte, Mercedes, Rivera-Pérez, Jessica, Tremblay, Raymond L., Toranzos, Gary A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied Microbiology; Archaea - classification; Archaea - genetics; Bacteria; Bacteria - classification; Bacteria - genetics; Biodiversity; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biota; Bolivia; Cluster Analysis; Community structure; Deoxyribonucleic acid; Dispersion; DNA; DNA, Archaeal - chemistry; DNA, Archaeal - genetics; DNA, Bacterial - chemistry; DNA, Bacterial - genetics; DNA, Ribosomal - chemistry; DNA, Ribosomal - genetics; Eukaryotic Microbiology; Flats (landforms); Gene sequencing; Halophilic bacteria; Life Sciences; Medical Microbiology; Metagenomics; Microbial activity; Microbial Ecology; Microbiology; Microbiota; Microorganisms; Mineralization; Nucleotide sequence; Nutrients; Organic matter; Original Article; Phylogeny; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics; rRNA 16S; Salt flats; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Soil analysis; Soil Microbiology; Soil structure; Terrestrial ecosystems; Terrestrial environments; Volcanoes
• ISSN: 1139-6709; 1618-1905
• DOI: 10.1007/s10123-018-00052-2

Soil microbial communities are an important component of biological diversity and terrestrial ecosystems which is responsible for processes such as decomposition, mineralization of nutrients, and accumulation of organic matter. One of the factors that provide information on the mechanisms regulating biodiversity is spatial scaling. We characterized the microbial communities using 16S rRNA gene sequences from DNA isolated from halite at various locations and correlated these to geographic distance in the Uyuni salt flat (Bolivia). Sequences from each site were analyzed to determine any spatial patterns of diversity, as well as to describe the microbial communities. Results suggest that different taxa are able to disperse over Uyuni’s surface crust regardless of distance. As expected, ubiquitous taxa included members of Halobacteriaceae such as Haloarcula , Halorubrum , Halorhabdus , Halolamina , and halophilic bacteria Salinibacter , Halorhodospira , and unclassified members of the Gammaproteobacteria. Archaeal communities were homogeneous across the salt flat. In contrast, bacterial communities present strong local variations which could be attributed to external factors. Likely sources for these variations are the Rio Grande river influent in the south shore and the Tunupa volcano influencing the northern area.