Abstract
Marian Cove is experiencing some of the most rapid environmental changes in the Antarctic region; however, little is known about the response of bacterial communities to these changes. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the spatial variation of physical–biogeochemical–bacterial community features in the Marian Cove surface waters and the environmental parameters governing the spatial variation in the bacterial community composition during the summer of 2018. The Marian Cove surface waters are largely composed of two different characteristics of water masses: relatively low-temperature, -salinity, and -nutrient surface glacier water (named SGW) and relatively high-temperature, -salinity, and -nutrient surface Maxwell Bay water (named SMBW). The SGW bacterial communities were dominated by unclassified Cryomorphaceae, Sedimenticola, and Salibacter genera, while the SMBW bacterial communities were dominated by Sulfitobacter, Arcobacter, and Odoribacter genera. Spatial variations in bacterial community composition were mainly attributed to physical and biogeochemical characteristics, suggesting that the bacterial community composition of the Marian Cove surface waters is mainly determined by environmental characteristics. These findings provide a foundation to improve the understanding of bacterial community variations in response to a rapidly changing Marian Cove in the Antarctic.
Highlights
Antarctic regions have played an important role in regulating the earth’s climate system, on a glacial–interglacial timescale and during the Anthropocene era [1,2]
Marian Cove, which is located between Weaver and Barton Peninsulas (Figure 1), is one of the regions of the western Antarctic Peninsula where rapid environmental changes have occurred
We investigated physical–biogeochemical properties and bacterial community composition observed during the summer of 2018 in the Marian Cove surface waters
Summary
Antarctic regions have played an important role in regulating the earth’s climate system, on a glacial–interglacial timescale and during the Anthropocene era [1,2]. In spite of harsh environmental conditions, such as low temperatures and extreme seasonal variations, the Antarctic aquatic ecosystem has shown active and diverse microbial communities [3], driving biogeochemical cycles and supporting higher trophic levels. Antarctic regions have been undergoing rapid warming at alarming rates [4], which is a serious threat to ice-based polar ecosystems. The water temperature of the western Antarctic Peninsula has risen by about 2 ◦ C since 1950, which has had a significant effect on the reduction of the total icy area of the peninsula [5,6]. Marian Cove, which is located between Weaver and Barton Peninsulas (Figure 1), is one of the regions of the western Antarctic Peninsula where rapid environmental changes have occurred.
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