Microeukaryotic Communities of the Long-Term Ice-Covered Freshwater Lakes in the Subarctic Region of Yakutia, Russia

Abstract

Currently, microeukaryotic communities of the freshwater arctic and subarctic ecosystems are poorly studied. Still, these are of considerable interest due to the species biogeography and autecology as well as global climate change. Here, we used high-throughput 18S rRNA amplicon sequencing to study the microeukaryotic communities of the large subarctic freshwater lakes Labynkyr and Vorota in Yakutia, Russia, during the end of the ice cover period, from April to June. By applying the statistical methods, we coupled the microeukaryotic community structure profiles with available discrete factor variables and hydrophysical, hydrochemical, and environmental parameters. The sub-ice layer and the water column communities were differentiated due to the temporal change in environmental conditions, particularly temperature regime and electric conductivity. Additionally, the community composition of unicellular eukaryotes in lakes Labynkyr and Vorota was changing due to seasonal environmental factors, with these alterations having similar patterns in both sites. We suggest the community developed in the sub-ice layer in April serves as a primer for summer freshwater microeukaryotes. Our results extend the current knowledge on the community composition and seasonal succession of unicellular eukaryotes within subarctic freshwater ecosystems.

Keywords

• subarctic freshwater lakes
• unicellular eukaryotes
• seasonal changes
• water column
• sub-ice layer
• high-throughput 18S rRNA amplicon sequencing