PARENT SESSION
Contributed Oral Session 118: Biogeography: Community Composition
Thursday, August 11, 8:00 AM - 11:30 AM, Meeting Room 519 B, Level 5, Palais des congrès de Montréal
Ecology of thermophilic microbes in Yellowstone National Park: Small and medium scale spatial distribution.
Mitchell, Kendra*,1, Reyesenbach, Anna-Louise2, Rodman, Ann3, Nordstrom, D. Kirk4, Shanks, W. C. Pat5, Takacs-Vesbach, Cristina1, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM2 Portland State University, Portland, OR3 Yellowstone National Park, YNP, WY4 US Geological Survey, Boulder, CO5 US Geological Survey, Denver, CO
ABSTRACT- The greater Yellowstone ecosystem (GYE) comprises the largest and most varied geothermal field in the world, making it an ideal laboratory to test factors that determine microbial diversity on varying spatial scales. We are conducting a microbial inventory of GYE thermal features that includes in-depth geochemical measurements and allows us to identify patterns of community distribution throughout the ecosystem. We built community trees based on molecular sequence data and geochemical profiles of sites separated by distances that ranged from a few meters to tens of kilometers to determine which is more influential on community structure: geochemistry of the particular system or geographical isolation. We found evidence of isolation among members of the Aquificales, a group of organisms found in thermal areas worldwide. Also, some thermal springs with similar geochemical parameters have different bacterial communities which suggests that ecological convergence may be significant in thermal environments. Finally, we have seen patterns of spatial distribution that were not expected based on current accepted means of dispersal, such as rivers connecting thermal areas. We suggest that there may be as yet unknown mechanisms controlling the spatial distribution and dispersal of thermophiles.
Key words: Microbiology, Thermal environment, Biodiversity