Short address: www.syke.fi/projects/midas-aqua
Background
Freshwater ecosystems support disproportionate levels of biodiversity compared to their spatial coverage, and are often referred to as hot spots of biodiversity. In particular, losses in phytoplankton and other microbial biodiversity may have detrimental consequences on aquatic primary production, elemental cycles, and sustainability of ecosystems.
Objectives of MiDAS project are
- describe the previously unseen hidden biodiversity of aquatic microbes in lakes
- increase understanding of the responses of aquatic microbial biodiversity to increasing allochthonous dissolved organic carbon (DOC) input, referred as browning
- study changes in diversity of taxon-specific bacteria associated with phytoplankton.
MiDAS will combine a novel high throughput 16S/18S rRNA gene targeting primer-free molecular sequencing approach, traditional light microscopy, and comprehensive microscopy-based phytoplankton datasets. The project will perform field studies as well as mesocosm and laboratory experiments. MiDAS will provide new insight into characterization of hidden/true aquatic microbial diversity, including eukaryotic phytoplankton, prokaryotic cyanobacteria and heterotrophic bacteria. Our results will also increase the understanding how browning affects the biodiversity in lakes.
Publications
Antão L, Weigel B, Strona G, Hällfors M, Kaarlejärvi E, Dallas T, Opedal Ø, Heliölä J, Huitu O, Korpimäki E, Kuussaari M, Lehikoinen A, Leinonen R, Lindén A, Merilä P, Pietiäinen H, Pöyry J, Salemaa M, Tonteri T, Vuorio K, Ovaskainen O, Saastamoinen M, Vanhatalo J, Roslin T, Laine A-L (2022): Shifting climatic imprints reshuffle northern communities. Science Climate Change 12: 587–592. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-022-01381-x
Salmi, P., Mäki, A., Mikkonen, A., Puupponen, V.-M., Vuorio, K., Tiirola, M. (2021): Comparison of epifluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry in counting freshwater picophytoplankton. Boreal Environmental Research 26: 17–27.
Taipale, S., Kuoppamäki, K., Strandberg, U., Peltomaa, E., Vuorio, K. (2020): Lake restoration influence nutritional quality of algae and (consequently) Daphnia biomass. Hydrobiologia 847: 4539-4557.
Vuorio, K., Järvinen, M., Kotamäki, N. (2020): Phoshorus thresholds for bloom-forming cyanobacterial taxa in northern European lakes. Hydrobiologia 847: 4389-4400. DOI: 10.1007/s10750-019-04161-5
Vuorio, K., Mäki, A., Salmi, P., Aalto, S., Tiirola, M. (2019): Consistency of targeted metatranscriptomics and morphological characterization of phytoplankton communities. Submitted to Frontiers in Microbiology 11: 96. DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00096
Taipale, S., Vuorio, K., Aalto, S., Peltomaa, E., Tiirola, M. (2019): Eutrophication reduces the nutritional value of phytoplankton in boreal lakes. Enviromental Research 179: 156-166. DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.108836
Vuorio, K., Kanninen, A., Mitikka, S., Sarkkinen, M., Hämäläinen, H. (2018): Invasion of Finnish inland waters by the alien moss animal Pectinatella magnifica Leidy, 1851 and associated potential risks. Management of Biological Invasions 1: 1-10. DOI: 10.3391/mbi.2018.9.1.01
More information
Kristiina Vuorio, Finnish Environment Institute, SYKE, firstname.surename(at)ymparisto.fi
Marko Järvinen, Finnish Environment Institute, SYKE, firstname.surename(at)ymparisto.fi