Dataset Information

Interactions between snow chemistry, mercury inputs and microbial population dynamics in an Arctic snowpack.

ABSTRACT: We investigated the interactions between snowpack chemistry, mercury (Hg) contamination and microbial community structure and function in Arctic snow. Snowpack chemistry (inorganic and organic ions) including mercury (Hg) speciation was studied in samples collected during a two-month field study in a high Arctic site, Svalbard, Norway (79 °N). Shifts in microbial community structure were determined by using a 16S rRNA gene phylogenetic microarray. We linked snowpack and meltwater chemistry to changes in microbial community structure by using co-inertia analyses (CIA) and explored changes in community function due to Hg contamination by q-PCR quantification of Hg-resistance genes in metagenomic samples. Based on the CIA, chemical and microbial data were linked (p = 0.006) with bioavailable Hg (BioHg) and methylmercury (MeHg) contributing significantly to the ordination of samples. Mercury was shown to influence community function with increases in merA gene copy numbers at low BioHg levels. Our results show that snowpacks can be considered as dynamic habitats with microbial and chemical components responding rapidly to environmental changes.

SUBMITTER: Larose C

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3839931 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Interactions between snow chemistry, mercury inputs and microbial population dynamics in an Arctic snowpack.

Larose Catherine C Prestat Emmanuel E Cecillon Sébastien S Berger Sibel S Malandain Cédric C Lyon Delina D Ferrari Christophe C Schneider Dominique D Dommergue Aurélien A Vogel Timothy M TM

PloS one 20131125 11

We investigated the interactions between snowpack chemistry, mercury (Hg) contamination and microbial community structure and function in Arctic snow. Snowpack chemistry (inorganic and organic ions) including mercury (Hg) speciation was studied in samples collected during a two-month field study in a high Arctic site, Svalbard, Norway (79 °N). Shifts in microbial community structure were determined by using a 16S rRNA gene phylogenetic microarray. We linked snowpack and meltwater chemistry to ch ...[more]

PMID: 24282515

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Dataset Information

Interactions between snow chemistry, mercury inputs and microbial population dynamics in an Arctic snowpack.

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Interactions between snow chemistry, mercury inputs and microbial population dynamics in an Arctic snowpack.

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