Yeasts from high-altitude lakes: influence of UV radiation

Mountain lakes located at a high elevation are typically exposed to high UV radiation (UVR). Little is known about the ecology and diversity of yeasts inhabiting these extreme environments. We studied yeast occurrence (with special emphasis on those producing carotenoid pigments) at five high-altitude (>1400 m a.s.l.) water bodies located in the Nahuel Huapi National Park (Bariloche, Argentina). Isolates were identified using a polyphasic approach. Production of photoprotective compounds (carotenoids and mycosporines) by yeast isolates, and UVB resistance of selected species were studied. All water samples contained viable yeast cells in variable numbers, generally ranging from 49 to 209 cells L⁻¹. A total of 24 yeast species was found; at least four represented novel species. Carotenogenic yeasts prevailed in lakes with low water conductivity and higher transparency and chlorophyll a levels. Apparently, the ability to produce photoprotective compounds in yeasts was related to the transparency of mountain lake waters, and strains from more transparent waters developed increased UVB resistance. Our results indicate that UVR is an important environmental factor affecting the yeast community structure in aquatic habitats.     

Variations in the periphytic community structure and dynamics of Lake Nahuel Huapi (Patagonia,Argentina)

Little is known about periphyton community in Patagonia and the influence that urban development has on a particular water body. Lake Nahuel Huapi is located in a National Park with little industrial or agricultural activity in the basin, but it is influenced by urban discharges from San Carlos de Bariloche, a town of 80000 inhabitants located on its south shore. Variations in structure and dynamics of the periphyton community in Lake Nahuel Huapi were studied during 1 year, to examine the influence of urban discharges on this community. Periphyton samples were collected on the shoreline of the lake and evaluated for biomass (as chlorophyll a concentration) and cell density of the main algal groups, at sites with and without urban influence. Results indicated the major influence of pollution from urban sources on periphyton at the most impacted sites, as well as the effect of different local events at each site (degree of contamination, type of coast, wind exposure, etc.). Higher biomass and cell densities at contaminated sites were evident, but the variation of main algal groups through the year was similar in all the sites. Periphyton in Lake Nahuel Huapi proved to be an important bioindicator of urban impacts on this water body.     

Trace elements as fingerprint of lake of provenance and of species of some native and exotic fish of northern Patagonian lakes

A survey of trace element contents in fish muscle and liver was performed in different lakes of two northern Patagonian national parks: Nahuel Huapi and Los Alerces national parks. The aim of the work was to obtain the first set of reference data on elements that are not liable to be disturbed by human activities and to identify compositional patterns related to the species and site of collection. The species studied are native creole perch and velvet catfish and exotic brown trout, rainbow trout, and brook trout. The elements analyzed are Br, Cs, Fe, Rb, Se, Na, and Zn. Trace elements in muscle of brown trout, rainbow trout, and creole perch showed statistical patterns that allow one to identify the national park of origin, as well as which of the lakes (Traful, Espejo Chico, or the Nahuel Huapi-Moreno system) of the Nahuel Huapi National Park from which they come. Contents in the liver provide similar but less clear patterns than contents in muscle; however, in some particular cases, they provide additional information. Trace element contents in muscle are also good indicators of the species collected within a lake.     

Heavy metal and other trace elements in native mussel Diplodon chilensis from Nothern Patagonia Lakes, Argentina

Native mussels, Diplodon chilensis, were sampled from four lakes in Nahuel Huapi National Park, Northern Patagonia, Argentina in order to evaluate heavy-metal distribution in the region and to assess the contribution of this compartment of the trophic web to their circulation in the food chain. The concentration of potential pollutants Ag, As, Cr, Hg, Sb, and Se, and other nine elements of interest (Ba, Br, Ca, Co, Cs, Fe, Na, Sr, and Zn) were determined in Diplodon chilensis pooled samples. Digestive glands were analyzed separately from soft tissues. Geological tracers Sc, Ta, Th, and rare earth elements were also determined in order to discriminate lithophile contributions. Elemental concentrations of Ba, Br, Fe, Sr, Se, and Zn in total soft tissues samples do not show significant differences among sampling sites. Arsenic and Cr contents in total soft tissues and digestive gland pooled samples are higher in sampling points close to zones with human settlements. Silver contents in samples collected in Lake Nahuel Huapi were higher than in the other lakes studied, and up to 50-fold higher than the sample collected in Lake Traful, considered as the reference. Mercury highest concentration values measured in total soft tissues pooled samples from lakes Nahuel Huapi and Moreno were found to be similar to those observed in other reported Hg contamination situations, and they are three to five times higher than those of the reference samples collected in Lake Traful.     

First Record of Podonominae Larvae Living Phoretically on the Shells of the Water Snail Chilina dombeyana (Diptera: Chironomidae / Gastropoda: Lymnaeidae)

Larvae of Podonomus albinervis Edwards, 1931 were found phoretic on Gastropoda Chilina dombeyana (Bruigière, 1789) on the shores of Lake Nahuel Huapi, in Bariloche, Argentina. Larvae were attached with mucus and some had developed a tube made of detritus on the spire of the snail shell. Adults and pupae with associated larval exuviae were found, which helped to identify the species. Approximately 10% of the snail individuals examined on the shores of the lake had chironomid larvae on their shells. Laboratory observations showed that the midge larvae leave the snail shell when the snail leaves the water, thus demonstrating the phoretic relationship. The high density of both snails and Chironomidae in the littoral habitats of the lake may explain this phoretic relationship.     

Biodiversity of cold-adapted yeasts from glacial meltwater rivers in Patagonia, Argentina

The occurrence of culturable yeasts in glacial meltwater from the Frías, Casta?o Overo and Río Manso glaciers, located on Mount Tronador in the Nahuel Huapi National Park (Northwestern Patagonia, Argentina) is presented. Subsurface water samples were filtered for colony counting and yeast isolation. The total yeast count ranged between 6 and 360 CFU L(-1). Physiologic and molecular methods were employed to identify 86 yeast isolates. In agreement with yeast diversity data from studies for Antarctic and Alpine glaciers, the genera Cryptococcus, Leucosporidiella, Dioszegia, Rhodotorula, Rhodosporidium, Mrakia, Sporobolomyces, Udeniomyces and Candida were found. Cryptococcus and Leucosporidiella accounted for 50% and 20% of the total number of strains, respectively. Among 21 identified yeast species, Cryptococcus sp. 1 and Leucosporidiella fragaria were the most frequent. The typically psychrophilic Mrakia yeast strain and three new yeast species, yet to be described, were also isolated. All yeast strains were able to grow at 5, 10, and 15 degrees C. Among yeast strains expressing extracellular enzymatic activity, higher proteolytic and lipolytic activities were obtained at 4 degrees C than at 20 degrees C.     

The relationship between fish assemblages and the helminth communities of a prey fish, in a group of small shallow lakes

Galaxias maculatus (small puyen) is an abundant native fish distributed in lakes and rivers of the Patagonia, and it is the frequent prey of other fishes, fish-eating birds, and mammals. Previous studies have shown that it is parasitized by 33 metazoan species and that the richness and composition of the parasite communities vary between lakes. The aim of the present work was to analyze the relationship between the composition of fish assemblages and the helminth component community structure of G. maculatus . Ten environmentally similar, small, shallow lakes, belonging to the Nahuel Huapi Lake basin, were chosen because of the differences in the native fish assemblages. Parasite community structure in G. maculatus varied according to the fish assemblage of each lake. The presence of the piscivorous fish Percichthys trucha regularly produced variations in the composition and richness at the component and infracommunity levels, as well as the percentage of autogenic parasite species in G. maculatus .     

Yeast communities associated with the bulk-soil, rhizosphere and ectomycorrhizosphere of a Nothofagus pumilio forest in northwestern Patagonia, Argentina

Soil microorganisms play an important role in soil quality and they interact closely with vegetation. Little is known about yeast diversity and function in forest soil ecosystems and their interactions with other biotic soil components, particularly in the mycorrhizosphere. We studied the diversity of yeasts inhabiting the bulk-soil, rhizosphere and ectomycorrhizosphere of a Nothofagus pumilio forest in Nahuel Huapi National Park (Bariloche, Argentina). Ectomycorrhizal infection was observed in all N. pumilio trees studied. A total of 126 yeast isolates were obtained, including 18 known and three possibly new species. Basidiomycetous yeasts were predominant in all soil fractions, and the most frequently isolated species was Cryptococcus podzolicus. Diversity indices and multivariate analyses were used to study and compare yeast communities in the bulk-soil, rhizosphere and ectomycorrhizosphere. Yeasts able to ferment glucose were found associated with the rhizosphere. Many of the recovered yeast species were associated with lignocelluloses compound degradation, which suggest that yeast plays an important role as a decomposer in these forest soils. Each soil fraction has a distinct yeast assemblage related to their physiologic capacities and soil nutrient availability.     

Mixotrophic ciliates in an Andean lake: dependence on light and prey of an Ophrydium naumanni population

1. Planktonic ciliates were examined during a spring–summer period (November 1998–April 1999) in the ultraoligotrophic Lake Moreno Oeste (41°5' S and 71°33' W, 758 m a.s.l), which belongs to the Nahuel Huapi System (Patagonia, Argentina). The lake is deep ( Z _max=90 m) and warm monomictic.
2. Sampling was performed at a mid-lake station, where vertical profiles of temperature and light were measured in situ , and samples for bacteria and ciliates enumeration were taken throughout the water column.
3. The peritrich Ophrydium naumanni , a freshwater pelagic ciliate with endosymbiotic Chlorella , was the dominant ciliate in the lake.
4.  Ophrydium naumanni and autotrophic picoplankton exhibit a clear coincidence in their vertical distribution ( P  < 0.05), preferring levels at or near the 1% of surface photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) irradiance. Both may have the same light requirements, or the coincidence may reflect a trophic relationship.
5. Dependence on light and prey by O. naumanni were studied using field experiments, in which we analysed ciliate grazing on bacteria, and in laboratory experiments, in which we compared particle uptake under dark and light conditions.
6.  Ophrydium naumanni was able to ingest particles [latex microspheres and fluorescently labelled bacteria (FLB)] in field and laboratory experiment, indicating that it has the potential to affect bacteria population of Lake Moreno Oeste.
7. Ciliate particle ingestion was observed to be dependent on light availability because under dark conditions, the ingestion was lowered ( P  < 0.05).     

Cladocera paleocommunity to disentangle the impact of anthropogenic and climatic stressors on a deep subalpine lake ecosystem (Lake Iseo,Italy)

In big lakes with strong anthropogenic pressure, it is usually difficult to disentangle the impacts of climate variability from those driven by eutrophication. The present work aimed at the reconstruction of change in the species distribution and density of subfossil Cladocera in Lake Iseo (Italy) in relation to climate and anthropogenic pressure. We related subfossil Cladocera species composition and density in an 80-cm sediment core collected in the pelagic zone of Lake Iseo to long-term temperature trends and phosphorus concentration inferred by diatoms frustules. The Cladocera remains detected in Lake Iseo sediment reflected the species composition and density of modern pelagic Cladocera assemblages. Cladocera rapidly respond to environmental change, and that climate change combined with eutrophication can induce changes in community composition and species density. At the beginning of twentieth century, when global warming was not yet so accentuated, the nutrient increase in water resulted as the principal driver in determining the long-term development of plankton communities and pelagic food web structure. Moreover, catchment-related processes may decisively affect both species composition and density of the lake planktonic communities due to the decrease of lake water transparency induced by input of inorganic material from the catchment area to the lake. The paleolimnological investigation, through the combined study of biotic and abiotic factor, allowed clarifying the synergic effects of the most important drivers of change in lake ecosystems, suggesting that climatic factors should be considered with nutrient availability as determinant element in controlling the temporal development of plankton communities and pelagic food web structure.

     

Dioecy in Fitzroya cupressoides (Molina) I.M. Johnst. and Pilgerodendron uviferum (D. Don.) Florin (Cupressaceae)

The aim of this study was to determine the dioecious or monoecious condition of Fitzroya cupressoides and Pilgerodendron uviferum. The study area lies west of the Nahuel Huapi National Park in northern Patagonia (Argentina), where these species form mixed stands. One hundred individuals of each species were studied over three successive years. The nature and position in the crown of their reproductive organs were recorded. Results showed that both species are dioecious. This feature has been confirmed on trees of these species growing in other sites within their natural distribution area in Argentina and Chile.     

Infections by helminth parasites in "puyenes", Galaxias maculatus (Galaxiidae, Salmoniformes), from Southern Argentina with special reference to Tylodelphys barilochensis (Digenea, Platyhelminthes).

The occurrence of Tylodelphys barilochensis, Acanthostomoides apophalliformis, Contracaecum sp. and Camallanus corderoi infecting Galaxias maculatus ("puyenes") was quantified for the first time in Lake Nahuel Huapi, southern Argentina. T. barilochensis was recorded in this lake for the first time. The role of G. maculatus population in transmission of parasites to the salmonids is more important for Contracaecum sp. (prevalence 14-34%) and A. apophalliformis (prevalence 30-54%) than for C. corderoi (prevalence 6-8%). The absence of Diphyllobothrium spp. in samples shows that the G. maculatus population does not play any role in the life cycles of these important zoonotic parasites. The sex of the host had no effect on T. barilochensis abundance. Statistical differences in T. barilochensis abundance between "puyenes" of the same size class between sampling stations and positive correlation between prevalence of infected snails and T. barilochensis abundance in fish suggest that different stocks have been sampled. Factors influencing T. barilochensis abundance are discussed.     

Diurnal dynamics of the vertical distribution of zooplankton in an oligotrophic lake

The diurnal dynamics of the vertical distribution of zooplankton was studied in an oligotrophic lake with a high water transparency. Those sedentary species which occupy the upper water layers in waterbodies with low water transparency shift to a border between epy- and metalimnion and stay there during most of the day in Koskovskoye Lake, which has a high water transparency. Active diurnal vertical migrations are characteristic of large organisms. Increased water transparency weakly affects large zooplankters that occupy metalimnial layers in mesotrophic waterbodies. The relationship between the zooplankton’s vertical distribution and the distribution of phytoplankton and fish is analyzed.     

Quantifying rotifer species richness in temperate lakes

1. Biodiversity assessments of lakes depend on the ability to identify the complement of species present, although the degree of sampling required is often uncertain. We utilise long‐term data to predict rotifer species richness in three habitats in three Polish lakes using rarefaction sampling methods. 2. Richness in littoral and psammon habitats did not saturate, even with up to 130 samples. Highest richness was observed in psammon habitat (119 species) in Lake Mikolajskie, followed by littoral habitat in Lakes ?uknajno (114 species) and Kuc (110 species). Littoral habitats in Lakes ?uknajno (56%) and Kuc (51%) had the most species not shared with other habitats in the same lake. 3. Species richness (Chao2) estimates ranged between 44 for pelagic and 135 for psammon habitat in Lake Mikolajskie, to 100 for psammon and 137 for littoral habitat in Lake Kuc, and 65 for pelagic and 162 for littoral habitat in Lake ?uknajno. Whole lake estimates were 167, 205 and 171 species, respectively, for these lakes, higher than the 150 to 160 species predicted by Dumont and Segers (Hydrobiologia, 1996, 341 , 125). 4. Using standardised sampling, richness was significantly higher in littoral than either pelagic or psammon habitats. Contrasts of standardised rarefaction curves revealed that richness in Lakes Kuc and Mikolajskie was described as well by littoral‐only or psammon‐only samples, respectively, as by those randomly drawn from across all habitats in the lake. 5. Species richness estimates for Lake Mikolajskie were highest in summer, followed by autumn and spring. Interannual estimates differed by up to 427%, nearly an order of magnitude greater than maximal seasonal variation of 70%. 6. Results indicate that much higher sampling intensity is required to establish species richness than is presently carried out in most lakes. Because many species can be detected only with very intensive sampling, conservation programmes must consider sampling intensity when designing studies.     

Rapid changes in fish community structure and habitat distribution following the precipitation of lake phosphorus with aluminium

1. Fish community structure and habitat distribution of the abundant species roach, perch and ruffe were studied in Lake Nordborg (Denmark) before (August 2006) and after (August 2007) aluminium treatment to reduce internal phosphorus loading. 2. Rapid changes in fish community structure, abundance and habitat distribution occurred following a decline in in‐lake phosphorus concentrations from 280 to 37 μg P L^?1 and an increase in Secchi depth transparency from 1.1 to 1.9 m (August). The proportion of perch in overnight gill net catches increased, whilst roach decreased, and the average weight of all key species increased. 3. The habitat distribution of perch and roach changed from a high proportion in the upper pelagic and littoral zones in 2006, towards enhanced proportions in the deeper pelagic and profundal zone in 2007. The abundance of large‐bodied zooplankton increased and the abundance of benthic invertebrates decreased in the same period, suggesting that the habitat shift was not induced by food limitation. 4. Ruffe shifted from the littoral and upper profundal zones towards the deep profundal zone, likely reflecting an increased predation risk in the littoral zone and better oxygen conditions in the deep profundal. 5. Our results indicate that enhanced risk of predation in the upper pelagic and the littoral zones and perhaps improved oxygen concentrations in the deeper profundal zone at decreasing turbidity are responsible for the observed habitat shift. The results indicate that fish respond rapidly to changes in nutrient state, both in terms of community structure and habitat use.     

高邮湖沉水植物分布格局及其与水环境因子的关系

2016年对高邮湖沉水植物分布进行了采样调查, 并应用冗余分析法对沉水植物分布格局及其与主要环境因子的关系进行了研究。结果表明, 高邮湖现有沉水植物种类分布稀少, 其中春夏季菹草(Potamogeton crispus)是高邮湖沉水植物中绝对优势种, 其分布几乎遍及全湖, 穗状狐尾藻(Myriophyllum spicatum)和篦齿眼子菜(Potamogeton pectinatus)仅在个别点位少量分布。不同季节湖泊氮含量均可维持在Ⅲ类水标准, 而磷含量严重超标。相关分析发现, 沉水植物分布和透明度呈正相关, 与总磷、氨氮浓度显著负相关。Monte Carlo检验结果表明, 总磷和透明度是影响高邮湖沉水植物分布的主要环境因子。实验结果为进一步探讨高邮湖沉水植物资源的利用和保护提供依据。     

Increase in photosynthetic efficiency as a strategy of planktonic organisms exploiting deep lake layers

1. The photosynthetic efficiencies of the mixotrophic ciliate Ophrydium naumanni and the autotrophic dinoflagellate Gymnodinium paradoxum were investigated using laboratory and field experiments in Lake Moreno Oeste (41°5′S and 71°33′W, 758 m a.s.l.), in the Nahuel Huapi System (North Patagonia, Argentina). 2. The effect of different underwater light intensities on net primary production (NPP) was assessed during one summer. Additionally, laboratory experiments were carried out to obtain photosynthesis‐irradiance response curves for each species. 3. Ophrydium naumanni and G. paradoxum dominated the metalimnetic (30 m depth) deep chlorophyll maximum (DCM) in the lake. 4. Despite these deep higher abundances, the cell‐specific production of both species was higher at 10 m than at 30 m (DCM) depth. In addition, at 5 m depth, NPP was reduced by PAR + UV‐A radiation. 5. Both species exhibited a positive NPP at very low irradiance but the mixotrophic ciliate was more efficient in exploiting the DCM irradiance level both in situ and at comparable light intensities in laboratory experiments. Light acclimatised O. naumanni showed a higher NPP at lower irradiances and photoinhibition at medium and high irradiances. 6. Under the strong wind‐driven turbulence commonly found in Patagonian lakes, organisms cannot select their position in the epilimnetic water column and will be dragged to potentially harmful UV radiation levels. Thus, metalimnetic DCM colonisation by these two species represents a tradeoff between higher survival and lower cell‐specific NPP.     

Patterns in Benthic Biodiversity Link Lake Trophic Status to Structure and Potential Function of Three Large,Deep Lakes

Relative to their scarcity, large, deep lakes support a large proportion of the world’s freshwater species. This biodiversity is threatened by human development and is in need of conservation. Direct comparison of biodiversity is the basis of biological monitoring for conservation but is difficult to conduct between large, insular ecosystems. The objective of our study was to conduct such a comparison of benthic biodiversity between three of the world’s largest lakes: Lake Tahoe, USA; Lake Hövsgöl, Mongolia; and Crater Lake, USA. We examined biodiversity of common benthic organism, the non-biting midges (Chironomidae) and determined lake trophic status using chironomid-based lake typology, tested whether community structure was similar between the three lakes despite geographic distance; and tested whether chironomid diversity would show significant variation within and between lakes. Typology analysis indicated that Lake Hövsgöl was ultra-oligotrophic, Crater Lake was oligotrophic, and Lake Tahoe was borderline oligotrophic/mesotrophic. These results were similar to traditional pelagic measures of lake trophic status for Lake Hövsgöl and Crater Lake but differed for Lake Tahoe, which has been designated as ultra-oligotrophic by traditional pelagic measures such as transparency found in the literature. Analysis of similarity showed that Lake Tahoe and Lake Hövsgöl chironomid communities were more similar to each other than either was to Crater Lake communities. Diversity varied between the three lakes and spatially within each lake. This research shows that chironomid communities from these large lakes were sensitive to trophic conditions. Chironomid communities were similar between the deep environments of Lake Hövsgöl and Lake Tahoe, indicating that chironomid communities from these lakes may be useful in comparing trophic state changes in large lakes. Spatial variation in Lake Tahoe’s diversity is indicative of differential response of chironomid communities to nutrient enrichment which may be an indication of changes in trophic state within and across habitats.     

Development and application of monoclonal antibodies for in situ detection of indigenous bacterial strains in aquatic ecosystems.

Strain-specific monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) were developed for three different bacterial isolates obtained from a freshwater environment (Lake Plusssee) in the spring of 1990. The three isolates, which were identified by molecular methods, were as follows: Cytophaga johnsonae PX62, Comamonas acidovorans PX54, and Aeromonas hydrophila PU7718. These strains represented three species that were detected in high abundance during a set of mesocosm experiments in Lake Plusssee by the direct analysis of low-molecular-weight RNAs from bacterioplankton. We developed one MAb each for the bacterial isolates PX54 and PU7718 that did not show any cross-reactivity with other bacterial strains by immunofluorescence microscopy. Each MAb recognized the general lipopolysaccharide fraction of the homologous strain. These MAbs were tested successfully for their ability to be used for the in situ detection and counting of bacteria in lake water by immunofluorescence microscopy. During the spring of 1993, A. hydrophila PU7718 showed a depth distribution in Lake Plusssee with a pronounced maximum abundance at 6 m, whereas Comamonas acidovorans PX54 showed a depth distribution with a maximum abundance at the surface. The application of these MAbs to the freshwater samples enabled us to determine the cell morphologies and microhabitats of these strains within their natural environment. The presence of as many as 8,000 cells of these strains per ml in their original habitats 3 years after their initial isolation demonstrated the persistence of individual strains of heterotrophic bacteria over long time spans in pelagic habitats.     

Efficiency of a Rapid Assessment of the Diversity of Ground Beetles and Ants, in Natural and Disturbed Habitats of the Nahuel Huapi Region (NW Patagonia, Argentina)

We use sample-based rarefaction curves to evaluate the efficiency of a rapid species richness assay of ground beetles and ants captured in pitfall traps in the Nahuel Huapi National Park (NW Patagonia, Argentina). We ask whether ant species richness patterns show some concordance with those of beetles, and use several extrapolation indices for estimating the expected number of species at a regional scale. A total of 342 pitfall traps were spread in groups, at an intensity of 9 traps/100 m², with two collection stations, at each of 19 sites representative of burned and unburned habitats in the forest, scrub and steppe, along a west-to-east transect of 63 km long. The high regional habitat heterogeneity along the west-to-east gradient is paralleled by a turnover of beetle and ant species, although different families of Coleoptera show idiosyncratic responses across habitat types. Spatial stratification of sampling over three major habitats along with the inclusion of burned and unburned environments may improve sampling efficiency. The observed and extrapolated species richness suggests that we captured a high proportion of the total number of species of beetles and ants known for the region. However, trends in species richness of ants may not indicate similar trends in beetles. Ants and beetles cannot be used as surrogate taxa for the analysis of species richness patterns. Instead, both taxa should be considered as focal as they may offer complementary information for the analysis of the effect of disturbance and regional habitat heterogeneity on species diversity patterns at a regional scale.