title: Microbial Community Profile and Water Quality in a Protected Area of the Caatinga Biome.
abstract: The Caatinga is a semi-arid biome in northeast Brazil. The Paraguaçú River is located in the Caatinga biome, and part of its course is protected by the National Park of Chapada Diamantina (PNCD). In this study we evaluated the effect of PNCD protection on the water quality and microbial community diversity of this river by analyzing water samples obtained from points located inside and outside the PNCD in both wet and dry seasons. Results of water quality analysis showed higher levels of silicate, ammonia, particulate organic carbon, and nitrite in samples from the unprotected area compared with those from protected areas. Pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA genes revealed that Burkholderiales was abundant in samples from all three sites during both seasons and was represented primarily by the genus Polynucleobacter and members of the Comamonadaceae family (e.g., genus Limnohabitans). During the dry season, the unprotected area showed a higher abundance of Flavobacterium sp. and Arthrobacter sp., which are frequently associated with the presence and/or degradation of arsenic and pesticide compounds. In addition, genes that appear to be related to agricultural impacts on the environment, as well as those involved in arsenic and cadmium resistance, copper homeostasis, and propanediol utilization, were detected in the unprotected areas by metagenomic sequencing. Although PNCD protection improves water quality, agricultural activities around the park may affect water quality within the park and may account for the presence of bacteria capable of pesticide degradation and assimilation, evidencing possible anthropogenic impacts on the Caatinga.
authors.affiliation: Cellular Biology Department, Universidade de Brasília (UnB), Brasília, DF, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fabyano Alvares Cardoso
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.affiliation: Cellular Biology Department, Universidade de Brasília (UnB), Brasília, DF, Brazil.
authors.forename: Elisa Caldeira Pires
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Catão
authors.affiliation: Genomic Sciences and Biotechnology, Universidade Católica de Brasília (UCB), Brasília DF, Brazil.
authors.forename: Renata Henrique
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Santana
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biology, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Anderson de Souza
authors.initials: Ade S
authors.lastname: Cabral
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biology, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rodolfo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Paranhos
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Environmental Sciences, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense (UENF), Campos dos Goytacazes, Brazil.
authors.forename: Thiago Pessanha
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Rangel
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Environmental Sciences, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense (UENF), Campos dos Goytacazes, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carlos Eduardo
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: de Rezende
authors.affiliation: Computational Science Research Center, San Diego State University (SDSU), San Diego, California, United States of America.|Department of Computer Science, San Diego State University (SDSU), San Diego, California, United States of America.
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biology, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cristiane C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biology, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fabiano L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.affiliation: Cellular Biology Department, Universidade de Brasília (UnB), Brasília, DF, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ricardo Henrique
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Kruger
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D000641:Ammonia / Q000032:analysis; D001173:Arthrobacter / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D001938:Brazil; D042521:Burkholderiaceae / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D002244:Carbon / Q000032:analysis; D042621:Comamonadaceae / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D017753:Ecosystem; D005417:Flavobacterium / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D059014:High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; D054892:Metagenome; D059013:Microbial Consortia / Q000502:physiology; D009573:Nitrites / Q000032:analysis; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis; D010802:Phylogeny; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics*; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology*; D012621:Seasons; D017640:Silicates / Q000032:analysis; D060753:Water Quality
chemical_list: D009573:Nitrites; D052638:Particulate Matter; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D017640:Silicates; D002244:Carbon; D000641:Ammonia