Characterization of the cyanobacteria and associated bacterial community from an ephemeral wetland in New Zealand.
New Zealand ephemeral wetlands are ecologically important, containing up to 12% of threatened native plant species and frequently exhibiting conspicuous cyanobacterial growth. In such environments, cyanobacteria and associated heterotrophs can influence primary production and nutrient cycling. Wetland communities, including bacteria, can be altered by increased nitrate and phosphate due to agricultural practices. We have characterized cyanobacteria from the Wairepo Kettleholes Conservation Area and their associated bacteria. Use of 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing identified several operational taxonomic units (OTUs) representing filamentous heterocystous and non-heterocystous cyanobacterial taxa. One Nostoc OTU that formed macroscopic colonies dominated the cyanobacterial community. A diverse bacterial community was associated with the Nostoc colonies, including a core microbiome of 39 OTUs. Identity of the core microbiome associated with macroscopic Nostoc colonies was not changed by the addition of nutrients. One OTU was highly represented in all Nostoc colonies (27.6%-42.6% of reads) and phylogenetic analyses identified this OTU as belonging to the genus Sphingomonas. Scanning electron microscopy showed the absence of heterotrophic bacteria within the Nostoc colony but revealed a diverse community associated with the colonies on the external surface.
Department of Botany, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Nick H
NH
Secker
Department of Botany, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Jocelyn P S
JP
Chua
Otago Genomics and Bioinformatics Facility, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Rebecca E
RE
Laurie
Otago Genomics and Bioinformatics Facility, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Les
L
McNoe
Department of Botany, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Paul L
PL
Guy
Department of Botany, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
David A
0000-0002-9266-2188
DA
Orlovich
Department of Botany, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Tina C
TC
Summerfield
D044822:Biodiversity; D000458:Cyanobacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D064307:Microbiota / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D009520:New Zealand; D010802:Phylogeny; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D053833:Wetlands
D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S

Nostoc
; 
Sphingomonas
; cyanobacteria-associated bacteria; ephemeral wetland; kettlehole; macroscopic cyanobacterial colonies; microbiome