title: Microbial indicator groups in acidic mining lakes.
abstract: The salt composition of 14 acidic lakes was analysed, and their microbial communities were compared by their 16S rDNA-based single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) fingerprints. The lakes were grouped into three chemically distinct types, and operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were identified in the 16S rDNA SSCP fingerprints. Discriminant analysis between these groups using a multivariate approach showed that not a single organism, but rather a set of seven OTUs (Ferromicrobium acidophilum, Bacillus pumilus, Acidophilium organovorum, Paenibacillus chibensis, Acidocella sp. and two different alpha-Proteobacteria), was found to be indicative for a given lake type. We conclude that, for these lakes, not single indicator strains but indicator groups exist that are controlled by the ionic composition of the lakes.
authors.affiliation: National Research Center for Biotechnology, Environmental Microbiology, Mascheroder Weg 1, D-38124 Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Dirk F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Wenderoth
authors.forename: Wolf-Rainer
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Abraham
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D016172:DNA Fingerprinting / Q000379:methods; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000032:analysis; D017753:Ecosystem; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000382:microbiology*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007477:Ions / Q000032:analysis; D008906:Mining; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D007477:Ions; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S