The Arctic in the twenty-first century: changing biogeochemical linkages across a paraglacial landscape of Greenland

The Kangerlussuaq area of southwest Greenland encompasses diverse ecological, geomorphic, and climate gradients that function over a range of spatial and temporal scales. Ecosystems range from the microbial communities on the ice sheet and moisture-stressed terrestrial vegetation (and their associated herbivores) to freshwater and oligosaline lakes. These ecosystems are linked by a dynamic glacio-fluvial-aeolian geomorphic system that transports water, geological material, organic carbon and nutrients from the glacier surface to adjacent terrestrial and aquatic systems. This paraglacial system is now subject to substantial change because of rapid regional warming since 2000. Here, we describe changes in the eco- and geomorphic systems at a range of timescales and explore rapid future change in the links that integrate these systems. We highlight the importance of cross-system subsidies at the landscape scale and, importantly, how these might change in the near future as the Arctic is expected to continue to warm

Effects of phosphorus loading on interactions of algae and bacteria: reinvestigation of the 'phytoplankton-bacteria paradox' in a continuous cultivation system

The effect of different phosphorus loads (LP) on the phosphorus (P) and carbon (C) content (biomass) of algae and bacteria was assessed in continuous culture. We tested if a mixed freshwater microbial assemblage co-cultured with a phytoflagellate (Cryptomonas phaseolus) would comply with the ‘phytoplankton–bacteria paradox’ (sensu Bratbak & Thingstad 1985). This hypothesis states that the ratio of bacterial to algal abundance changes to the benefit of bacteria with decreasing LP. However, the phenomenon was originally investigated by simultaneously altering LP and microbial growth rates, and it is unclear to which extent it can be assigned to either parameter. Therefore, we set up 3 chemostat systems in triplicate at equal dilution rates, but with daily LP of 21, 41 or 62 µg l–1 d–1 (corresponding to 50, 100 and 150 µg P l–1). Higher LP led to a 5-fold increase in total algal abundance and biomass but to less than a doubling of these parameters in the bacterial assemblage. Total biomass ratios of bacteria to algae changed from 0.18 to 0.06 with increasing LP, while the bacteria–algae total phosphorus ratios decreased from 0.80 to 0.17. The cellular C:P ratio of algae remained similar at all P concentrations, whereas the molar C:P ratios of bacterial cells significantly increased at higher LP (from 44 to 73). An enrichment experiment with the 50 µg P l–1 treatment demonstrated that bacteria at the lowest LP were co-limited by P and C, and that increased P stimulated mainly the algal fraction. The phytoplankton–bacteria paradox at the level of a mixed microbial assemblage is thus characterised by the following aspects: (1) bacteria profit from their high affinity to P and are better competitors at lower LP; (2) although algae compete with bacteria for P, P-limited algae release extracellular C that stimulates growth of their bacterial competitors; (3) when bacteria depend on algae as their sole source of organic C, this provides a feedback mechanism by which algae limit the abundance of their competitors at higher LP; (4) large oscillations in the bacteria–algae ratios at the lowest LP point to a greater instability of this interaction with stronger P competition. However, bacteria were not able to outcompete C. phaseolus, as algae were their only C source

Analyza degradacnich procesu civky rele ZT 520 220.

Analysis of degradation processes under loadAvailable from STL Prague, CZ / NTK - National Technical LibrarySIGLECZCzech Republi

Factors infuencing bacterial dynamics along a transect from supraglacial runoff to proglacial lakes of a high Arctic glacieri

Bacterial production in glacial runoff and aquatic habitats along a c. 500m transect from the ablation area of a Svalbard glacier (Midre Lov´enbreen, 791N, 121E) down to a series of proglacial lakes in its forefield were assessed. In addition, a series of in situ experiments were conducted to test how different nutrient sources (glacial flour and dissolved organic matter derived from goose faeces) and temperature affect bacterial abundance and production in these ecosystems. Bacterial abundance and production increased significantly along this transect and reached a maximum in the proglacial lakes. Bacterial diversity profiles as assessed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis indicated that communities in glacial runoff were different from those in proglacial lakes. Heterotrophic bacterial production was mainly controlled by temperature and phosphorus limitation. Addition of both glacial flour and dissolved organic matter derived from goose faeces stimulated bacterial production in those lakes. The results suggest that glacial runoff sustains an active bacterial community which is further stimulated in proglacial lakes by higher temperatures and nutrient inputs from bird faeces. Thus, as in maritime temperate and Antarctic settings, bacterial communities developing in the recently deglaciated terrain of Svalbard receive important inputs of nutrients via faunal transfers from adjacent ecosystems

Uvolneni laboratore H7. Projekt zpusobu a vyvolanych uprav.

Available from STL Prague, CZ / NTK - National Technical LibrarySIGLECZCzech Republi

Evaluating the performance of water purification in a vegetated groundwater recharge basin maintained by short-term pulsed infiltration events.

Infiltration of surface water constitutes an important pillar in artificial groundwater recharge. However, insufficient transformation of organic carbon and nutrients, as well as clogging of sediments often cause major problems. The attenuation efficiency of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), nutrients and pathogens versus the risk of bioclogging for intermittent recharge were studied in an infiltration basin covered with different kinds of macrovegetation. The quality and concentration of organic carbon, major nutrients, as well as bacterial biomass, activity and diversity in the surface water, the porewater, and the sediment matrix were monitored over one recharge period. Additionally, the numbers of viral particles and Escherichia coli were assessed. Our study showed a fast establishment of high microbial activity. DOC and nutrients have sustainably been reduced within 1.2 m of sediment passage. Numbers of E. coli, which were high in the topmost centimetres of sediment porewater, dropped below the detection limit. Reed cover was found to be advantageous over bushes and trees, since it supported higher microbial activities along with a good infiltration and purification performance. Short-term infiltration periods of several days followed by a break of similar time were found suitable for providing high recharge rates, and good water purification without the risk of bioclogging

Viral dynamics in cryoconite holes on a high Arctic glacier (Svalbard)

Viruses are an abundant and dynamic constituent of microbial communities in aquatic ecosystems. In this study we characterized the abundance of viruses associated first with the bottom sediment and overlying water of cryoconite holes and second with shallow ice cores of two different glaciers in Svalbard. Viral abundances were ca. 10–100 times lower than the average for marine and freshwater ecosystems in temperate regions. Virus to bacterium ratios (VBR) (average > 10, range between 0.7 and 74 in the water and ice samples) and a strong positive correlation between viral and bacterial abundance (r = 0.93, p < 0.01, N = 57) indicate that viruses most probably play an important role in controlling bacterial mortality and hence biogeochemical cycling on glaciers. Samples taken along a transect from the glacier ablation area to proglacial ponds in its forefield showed that viral abundance increased in response to a higher host availability, which in turn probably resulted from an increase in temperature and higher mineral levels in the ponds. In a transplantation experiment, viruses from cryoconite holes were incubated with a bacterial community from a proglacial lake. Results from the transplantation experiment showed that viruses from cryoconite holes were able to infect bacteria from proglacial lakes and thus influence biogeochemical cycles across different glacial ecosystems. Our data therefore suggest that viruses in cryoconite holes may be able to infect a broad range of bacterial species