Microbial communities in glacial lakes of Glacier National Park, MT, USA

Glaciers are retreating, altering alpine ecosystems and creating new proglacial lakes. Compared to lakes fed by snowpack, glacial lakes are often enriched in nutrients and suspended solids that decrease light penetration. However, the microorganisms and biogeochemical conditions within these newly formed lakes are not well characterized. We describe the microbial communities in 14 glacial lakes in Glacier National Park, MT, USA using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and measurements of nutrient concentrations, water clarity, and other environmental properties. Microbial communities were distinct between lakes, including those connected to the same glacier, indicating the importance of site-specific biogeochemical and physical dynamics on these systems. Microbial community composition correlated with lake age (formation before or after the Little Ice Age) and conductivity but not with whether a lake was connected to a contemporaneous glacier > 0.1 km2. Heterotrophic lineages found in other glacial systems were abundant and widespread, while cyanobacteria only reached appreciable abundances in shallow lakes where light reached the benthos. Relative abundances of ammonia and nitrite oxidizers correlated with concentrations of nitrate and nitrite, suggesting nitrification may help control nitrogen forms and concentrations in glacial lakes. We show that as glaciers recede, unique glacial lake microbial communities will be formed and lost with them.