Microbial communities occurring in three types of supraglacial habitats--cryoconite holes, medial moraines, and supraglacial kames--at several glaciers in the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard were investigated. Abundance, biovolume, and community structure were evaluated by using epifluorescence microscopy and culturing methods. Particular emphasis was laid on distinctions in the chemical and physical properties of the supraglacial habitats and their relation to the microbial communities, and quantitative multivariate analyses were used to assess potential relationships. Varying pH (4.8 in cryoconite; 8.5 in a moraine) and texture (the proportion of coarse fraction 2% of dry weight in cryoconite; 99% dw in a kame) were found, and rather low concentrations of organic matter (0.3% of dry weight in a kame; 22% dw in cryoconite) and nutrients (nitrogen up to 0.4% dw, phosphorus up to 0.8% dw) were determined in the samples. In cryoconite sediment, the highest numbers of bacteria, cyanobacteria, and algae were found, whereas relatively low microbial abundances were recorded in moraines and kames. Cyanobacterial cells were significantly more abundant than microalgal ones in cryoconite and supraglacial kames. Different species of the cyanobacterial genus Leptolyngbya were by far the most represented in all samples, and cyanobacteria of the genera Phormidium and Nostoc prevailed in cultures isolated from cryoconite samples. These species are considered opportunistic organisms with wide ecological valency and strong colonizing potential rather than glacial specialists. Statistical analyses suggest that fine sediment with higher water content is the most suitable condition for bacteria, cyanobacteria, and algae. Also, a positive impact of lower pH on microbial growth was found. The fate of a microbial cell deposited on the glacier surface seems therefore predetermined by the physical and chemical factors such as texture of sediment and water content rather than spatial factors or the origin of sediment.

• MeSH
• ekosystém MeSH
• Eukaryota růst a vývoj   MeSH
• geologické sedimenty mikrobiologie   MeSH
• ledový příkrov mikrobiologie   MeSH
• mikrobiologie životního prostředí MeSH
• sinice růst a vývoj   MeSH
• zeměpis MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Svalbard MeSH

Microbial community composition (cyanobacteria and eukaryotic microalgae abundance and diversity, bacterial abundance, and soil respiration) was studied in subglacial and periglacial habitats on five glaciers near Ny-Alesund, Svalbard (79 degrees N). Soil microbial communities from nonvegetated sites (subglacial, recently deglaciated, and cryoconite sediments) and sites with plant cover (deglaciated some hundreds of years ago) were analyzed. Physicochemical analyses (pH, texture, water content, organic matter, total C and N content) were also performed on the samples. In total, 57 taxa of 23 genera of cyanobacteriaand algae were identified. Algae from the class Chlorophyceae (25 species) and cyanobacteria (23 species) were richest in biodiversity. The numbers of identified species in single habitat types were 23 in subglacial, 39 inbarren, 22 in cryoconite, and 24 in vegetated soils. The highest cyanobacterial and algal biovolume and cell numbers, respectively, were present in cryoconite (13x10(4) microm3 mg-1 soil and 508 cells per mg of soil), followed by barren (5.7x10(4) and 188), vegetated (2.6x10(4) and 120), and subglacial (0.1x10(4) and 5) soils. Cyanobacteria prevailed in all soil samples. Algae (mainly green algae) were present only as accessory organisms. The density of bacteria showed a slightly different trend to that of the cyanobacterial and algal assemblages. The highest number of bacteria was present in vegetated (mean: 13,722x10(8) cells per mg of soil dry wt.), followed by cryoconite (3802x10(8)), barren (654x10(8)), and subglacial (78x10(8)) soils. Response of cyanobacteria and algae to physical parameters showed that soil texture and water content are important for biomass development. In addition, it is shown that nitrogen and water content are the main factors affecting bacterial abundance and overall soil respiration. Redundancy analysis (RDA) with forward selection was used to create a model explaining variability in cyanobacterial, algal, and bacterial abundance. Cryoconites accounted for most of the variation in cyanobacteria and algae biovolume, followed by barren soils. Oscillatoriales, desmids, and green coccoid algae preferred cryoconites, whereas Nostocales and Chroococcales occurred mostly in barren soils. From the data obtained, it is evident that of the studied habitats cryoconite sediments are the most suitable ones for the development of microbial assemblages. Although subglacial sediments do not provide as good conditions as cryoconites, they support the survival of microbial communities. Both mentioned habitats are potential sources for the microbial recolonization of freshly deglaciated soil after the glacier retreat.

• MeSH
• Chlorophyta izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• ekosystém MeSH
• Eukaryota klasifikace   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• led MeSH
• počet mikrobiálních kolonií MeSH
• půda analýza   MeSH
• půdní mikrobiologie * MeSH
• sinice klasifikace   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• srovnávací studie MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Arktida MeSH
• Názvy látek
• led MeSH
• půda MeSH