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Microbial Community Colonization Process Unveiled through eDNA-PFU Technology in Mesocosm Ecosystems
Siyu Gu1,2, Peng Zhang1,3, Shuai Luo1,4
1Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China.
Microorganisms
|October 28, 2023
Summary
The eDNA-PFU method effectively monitors aquatic microbial communities, showing similar diversity trends to traditional eDNA but with distinct community structures and colonization dynamics between bacteria and eukaryotes.
Area of Science:
- Environmental microbiology
- Aquatic ecology
- Molecular ecology
Background:
- Microbial communities are vital for aquatic ecosystem health and monitoring.
- The polyurethane foam unit (PFU) method is a key environmental monitoring tool.
- The enhanced environmental DNA-Polyurethane Foam Unit (eDNA-PFU) method offers improved efficiency and standardization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate microbial community colonization within PFUs using eDNA-PFU technology.
- To compare microbial communities captured by eDNA-PFU with water environmental DNA (eDNA) samples.
- To analyze the dynamics and interrelationships of microbial colonization in PFUs.
Main Methods:
- Ten-day monitoring and sequencing of microbial communities in PFUs and water samples.
- Utilized eDNA-PFU technology for microbial community analysis.
- Employed Molecular Ecological Networks (MEN) to study microbial interrelationships.
Main Results:
- eDNA-PFU detected 99.95% of species identified by eDNA, with 1065 genera found versus 1059 in eDNA.
- Similar diversity index trends were observed for bacteria and eukaryotes over time, but relative abundance differed.
- Microbial colonization dynamics revealed four clusters with varying speeds, and distinct colonization rates between bacteria and eukaryotes were noted.
- Molecular Ecological Networks indicated a more modular and unique microbial community structure within PFUs compared to the surrounding aquatic environment.
Conclusions:
- The eDNA-PFU method provides a comprehensive approach to studying microbial colonization and community structure in aquatic ecosystems.
- This study offers foundational data and reference standards for applying eDNA-PFU in aquatic ecosystem monitoring.
- Findings highlight the distinct microbial community assembly within PFUs, differentiating it from the bulk water environment.
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