Composition and Concentration of the Biogenic Components of the Aerosols Collected over Vasyugan Marshes and Karakan Pine Forest at Altitudes from 500 to 7000 m

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare the concentration of total protein, as well as the composition and abundance of culturable microorganisms in atmospheric aerosols collected over the Vasyugan marshes and the Karakan pine forest during a flight in September 2018 at altitudes from 500 to 7000 m. The determined concentrations of total protein in Karakan samples were on average much less than those for the same area in September of other years. The concentration and composition of microorganisms in aerosol samples were determined by cultural methods and isolate genotyping. Altitude dependences of concentrations of total protein and culturable microorganisms were revealed. A rather stable altitude profile of culturable microorganism concentration was found over the Vasyugan marshes. No microorganisms were found at altitudes 4000 and 5500 m over the Karakan pine forest. Non-spore-bearing and spore-forming bacteria, as well as molds and yeast-like fungi, were isolated from aerosol samples. A high concentration of cosmopolitan psychrotolerant yeast Aureobasidium, capable of causing severe mycoses, and opportunistic bacteria Acinetobacter were found. A great similarity of composition and an atypically high abundance of non-spore-bearing bacteria and psychrotolerant yeast-like fungi were revealed in samples taken at altitudes of 1000 and 500 m in both studied regions, which may be a consequence of large-scale horizontal transport of layers of atmospheric air contaminated with microorganisms.

Keywords

• atmospheric aerosol
• culturable microorganisms
• biodiversity
• Vasyugan marshes
• Karakan pine forest