Cyanobacteria in lakes on Yungui Plateau, China are assembled via niche processes driven by water physicochemical property, lake morphology and watershed land-use.
Plateau lakes are important ecosystems with diverse ecological functions. Cyanobacteria play a key role in plateau lakes as primary producers. However, they are threatening when dense blooms occur. Identifying cyanobacteiral biogeography and the mechanism of assembly processes shaping the distribution of cyanobacteria in plateau lakes is critical for understanding cyanobacterial ecology and applying it to lake management. In the present study, the biogeographic pattern and importance of neutral and niche processes in assembly of cyanobacteria in 21 lakes on Yungui Plateau, China were examined. Results showed that cyanobacteria exhibit unique biogeographic pattern, and most of them have a narrow habitat preference in plateau lakes. They were assembled via niche processes driven by water physicochemical property, lake morphology and watershed land-use, which explained 62.4% of the biological variation. Neutral processes were not at play. Water physicochemical property (key variables - dissolved oxygen, salinity, trophic status and pH) was the most dominant driver shaping its unique biogeographic pattern. Watershed land-use especially urban land, water body and agricultural land also exhibited a strong impact on cyanobacterial distribution, followed by lake morphology. As most of the cyanobacteiral genus detected in these plateau lakes were potential toxin-producers, this study indicated that in order to protect waters from toxic-bloom in the future, reducing nutrient loading and land-use practices are two practical approaches in plateau lake management.
State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
Jingqiu
J
Liao
Yunnan Key Laboratory of Pollution Process and Management of Plateau Lake - Watershed, Kunming, 650034, China.
Lei
L
Zhao
State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
Xiaofeng
X
Cao
Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China.
Jinhua
J
Sun
State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
Zhe
Z
Gao
State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
Jie
J
Wang
State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
Dalin
D
Jiang
State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
Hao
H
Fan
State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
Yi
Y
Huang
D044822:Biodiversity; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002681:China; D000458:Cyanobacteria / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D060106:Lakes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000379:methods*; D014871:Water Microbiology
D004269:DNA, Bacterial