Changes in the Bacterioplankton Community of Oligotrophic Lake Stechlin (Northeastern Germany) After Humic Matter Addition
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Vol. 55: 155–168, 2009 AQUATIC MICROBIAL ECOLOGY Printed May 2009 doi: 10.3354/ame01288 Aquat Microb Ecol Published online April 23, 2009 Changes in the bacterioplankton community of oligotrophic Lake Stechlin (northeastern Germany) after humic matter addition Kristine Michelle L. Hutalle-Schmelzer1, 2, Hans-Peter Grossart1,* 1Department of Limnology of Stratified Lakes, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Alte Fischerhütte 2, 16775 Stechlin, Germany 2Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, University of Santo Tomas, España St., 1008 Manila, Philippines ABSTRACT: In an effort to better understand the dynamics of members of the bacterioplankton com- munity in relation to humic matter (HM) addition, and to provide insight into the ecology of common and persistent as well as transient freshwater bacteria, we designed a study with a batch and a dilu- tion approach. We used single vs. repeated HM additions in incubations with bacterial communities from the epilimnion (0–10 m) and hypolimnion (40 m) of oligotrophic Lake Stechlin (northeastern Germany). Molecular methods were applied for detailed phylogenetic characterization of bacterial community composition (BCC) every 2 wk over 8 wk of incubation at in situ temperature. Whereas no significant differences in the development of BCC in batch vs. dilution cultures were observed, the BCC of epilimnic and hypolimnic samples greatly differed. This indicates that HM addition led to the establishment of a highly specific but different BCC depending on the source community in combi- nation with the respective in situ temperature. Further, DGGE banding patterns revealed a high vari- ability in the BCC of epilimnic and hypolimnic samples. Betaproteobacteria were consistently present and specific Alphaproteobacteria, such as members of the Roseisalinus group, Bacteroidetes, and Deltaproteobacteria were enriched only after HM addition. Other phylogenetic groups, including Actinobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria, were only sporadically present. Our approach resulted in the cultivation of a variety of bacteria such as Lysobacter, Methylobacterium, Pseudomonas, Rhodopila, and Variovorax species. The addition of HM selected for specific HM-degrading bacterial phylotypes, which are found at different depths even in the clear waters of Lake Stechlin. KEY WORDS: Humic matter · Bacterioplankton community · Lake Stechlin · DGGE · CARD-FISH Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisher INTRODUCTION strates or nutrients is still rudimentary (Pernthaler & Amann 2005). To aid in the analysis of effects of nutri- In freshwater systems, highly diverse bacterial popu- ent loading on the most abundant and metabolically lations allow for rapid and efficient adaptation to active bacterial groups, combinations of molecular changes in substrate availability (Crump et al. 2003). techniques and improved isolation approaches have Such associated changes in substrate availability indi- recently been used (Hahn 2003, Hahn et al. 2003). For cate the ecological role of major phylotypes in the bac- example, DNA fingerprint methods such as DGGE, terioplankton community (Lindström 2000), as well as coupled with sequencing of individual 16S rRNA their resistance to changes in environmental con- gene fragments (bands), have often been used with ditions (Pearce et al. 2005). Our current understanding catalyzed reporter deposition–fluorescence in situ of the relationship between growth of individual bac- hybridization (CARD–FISH) to rapidly determine the terial populations and availability of particular sub- dominant bacterial members including those linked to *Email: [email protected] © Inter-Research 2009 · www.int-res.com 156 Aquat Microb Ecol 55: 155–168, 2009 substrate availability in aquatic environments (Crump Brandenburg, close to the Mecklenburg Lake District et al. 2003, Castle & Kirchman 2004, Gich et al. 2005, (53° 10’ N, 13° 02’ E). It was formed by the melting of Pearce et al. 2005, Grossart et al. 2008). Furthermore, dead ice after the glaciations ca. 12 000 yr ago. The to link the structure and function of freshwater bacterio- lake has a maximum depth of 69.5 m and an area of plankton, molecular techniques are combined with 4.3 km2, with hypolimnetic oxygen saturation levels of improved isolation techniques to isolate dominant and up to 60%. significant microorganisms (Hahn et al. 2004). Experimental design. The present study is based on In most freshwater systems, the concentration and 2 experimental approaches (batch and dilution cul- quality of the organic matter source, i.e. humic matter tures), each using 2 bacterial community sources (epil- (HM), vary greatly in time and space (Sachse et al. imnion: 0–10 m; hypolimnion: 40 m) incubated at in 2001), and recent studies have shown that Actinobac- situ temperatures. HM extracted from nearby humic teria and Betaproteobacteria are generally the major Lake Grosse Fuchskuhle (FUKU) was added to dupli- groups of common freshwater bacterial phylotypes cate water samples (1 l) from oligotrophic Lake Stech- (Zwart et al. 2002) that respond differently to a sudden lin (Fig. 1). For batch cultures, only a single addition of pulse of humic matter (Burkert et al. 2003). In addition, HM into the water at the beginning of the experiment drastic shifts in bacterioplankton community composi- was performed. For dilution cultures, the bacterio- tion (BCC) may occur after such sudden pulses (Crump plankton was introduced into fresh HM via repeated et al. 2003). dilution every 2 wk over 8 wk of incubation. DGGE Interestingly, certain phylotypes have unique persis- analyses of BCC were performed at 2 wk intervals. tence patterns (Haukka et al. 2005), and dominant bac- Bacterial isolates were obtained and sequences teria that have a better ability to utilize allochthonous acquired from isolates and DGGE bands were phylo- substances are being found, such as Betaproteobacte- genetically characterized. ria (Burkert et al. 2003). Although changes in BCC can Sample collection. Water samples from Lake Stech- be dramatic even between years (Newton et al. 2006), lin were taken in early spring (March 2005) from 0–10 the extent of this variation and the dynamics of differ- (epilimnion, pooled) and 40 m (hypolimnion) depths ent members of the community are still unclear. and filtered through 0.8 µm Nucleopore filters (Sarto- Thus, we designed a study using a batch and a dilu- rius) to remove large organisms such as algae and bac- tion approach to provide insight into the ecology of terivores. common and persistent as well as transient freshwater Preliminary testing of the effects of incubation and bacteria of oligotrophic Lake Stechlin (northeastern HM addition. A preliminary experiment was con- Germany) after single vs. repeated HM additions. Fur- ducted to test whether the applied incubation condi- ther, we used different bacterial source communities tions (batch culture) would lead to a pronounced shift (epilimnion: 0–10 m; hypolimnion: 40 m), and incu- in BCC compared to the initial lake water sample after bated bacteria at their respective in situ temperatures. 18 d. Additionally, we tested whether HM addition Individual members of the community were phyloge- alone had the potential to substantially change BCC netically characterized to reveal detailed changes in after 18 d of incubation. The exact incubation condi- BCC. Following HM addition, there were marked tions are given below. As indicated in Fig. A1 in the changes in BCC depending on the bacterial source appendix, our incubation conditions did not substan- community in combination with the respective in situ tially affect BCC. On the other hand, a pronounced temperature. shift in BCC occurred 18 d after HM addition as com- pared to the initial sample (T0 without and with HM) and the 18 d sample without HM. This indicates that MATERIALS AND METHODS addition of HM did not change the initial BCC and that our experimental approach is suitable for studying the Study site. Lake Stechlin is one of the clearest lakes effects on BCC following HM addition. in northern Germany and is classified as a dimictic Establishment and maintenance of batch and dilu- oligotrophic lake (Casper 1985) with low anthro- tion cultures. We added sterile-filtered natural HM pogenic impact. Since this lake has been continuously (RO-isolate from FUKU; 50 mg l–1 final conc.), sterile studied for almost 50 yr, it has considerable ecological trace mineral salts, and nutrients to 1 l lake water sam- significance and serves as a reference lake e.g. for ples in 2 l sterile bottles. The RO-isolate of HM was the European Water Framework Directive (http:// derived from the epilimnic water of FUKU via reverse ec.europa.eu/environment/water/water-framework/ osmosis as prepared by Sachse et al. (2001). The trace index_ en.html). mineral salts and nutrients were: 75.0 mg MgSO4 · The lake is situated in a forest mainly composed of 7H2O, 43.0 mg Ca(NO3)2 · 4H2O, 16.0 mg NaHCO3, beech and pine trees and lies at the northern border of 5.0 mg KCl, 3.7 mg K2HPO4 · 3H2O, 4.4 mg Na2EDTA, Hutalle-Schmelzer & Grossart: Humic matter and bacterioplankton communities 157 Sampling at 2 wk intervals rescence microscopy after staining with DAPI (0.2 mg Batch 100 ml–1). Numbers of Actinobacteria, Alphapro- culture teobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, and Eubacteria were determined using an improved protocol for CARD– 1 l FISH (Sekar et al. 2003). Briefly, 10 ml from each cul- ture were collected on Nucleopore