Distinct ecological niches and community dynamics: understanding free-living and particle-attached bacterial communities in an oligotrophic deep lake

• Published in: Applied and environmental microbiology 2024-07, Vol.90 (7), p.e0071424
• Main Authors: Xie, Guijuan, Sun, Chuanbo, Luo, Wenlei, Gong, Yi, Tang, Xiangming
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bacteria - classification; Bacteria - genetics; Bacteria - isolation & purification; China; Ecosystem; Environmental Microbiology; Lakes - microbiology; Microbiota; Seasons
• ISSN: 0099-2240; 1098-5336; 1098-5336
• DOI: 10.1128/aem.00714-24

Oligotrophic deep-water lakes are unique and sensitive ecosystems with limited nutrient availability. Understanding bacterial communities within these lakes is crucial for assessing ecosystem health, biogeochemical cycling, and responses to environmental changes. In this study, we investigated the seasonal and vertical dynamics of both free-living (FL) and particle-attached (PA) bacteria in Lake Fuxian, a typical oligotrophic deep freshwater lake in southeast China. Our findings revealed distinct seasonal and vertical dynamics of FL and PA bacterial communities, driven by similar physiochemical environmental factors. PA bacteria exhibited higher α- and β-diversity and were enriched with Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Firmicutes, Patescibacteria, Planctomycetota, and Verrucomicrobiota, while FL bacteria were enriched with Actinobacteria and Bacteroidota. FL bacteria showed enrichment in putative functions related to chemoheterotrophy and aerobic anoxygenic photosynthesis, whereas the PA fraction was enriched with intracellular parasites (mainly contributed by Rickettsiales, Chlamydiales, and Legionellales) and nitrogen metabolism functions. Deterministic processes predominantly shaped the assembly of both FL and PA bacterial communities, with stochastic processes playing a greater role in the FL fraction. Network analysis revealed extensive species interactions, with a higher proportion of positively correlated edges in the PA network, indicating mutualistic or cooperative interactions. , Comamonadaceae, and were identified as keystone taxa in the PA network, underscoring potential cooperation between autotrophic and heterotrophic bacteria in organic particle microhabitats. Overall, the disparities in bacterial diversity, community composition, putative function, and network characteristics between FL and PA fractions highlight their adaptation to distinct ecological niches within these unique lake ecosystems.IMPORTANCEUnderstanding the diversity of microbial communities, their assembly mechanisms, and their responses to environmental changes is fundamental to the study of aquatic microbial ecology. Oligotrophic deep-water lakes are fragile ecosystems with limited nutrient resources, rendering them highly susceptible to environmental fluctuations. Examining different bacterial types within these lakes offers valuable insights into the intricate mechanisms governing community dynamics and adaptation strategies across various scales. In our investigation of o