Microbial community diversity in hot springs of the Baikal rift zone

Abstract

The taxonomic diversity of the microbial community of the Baikal rift zone hot springs has been studied. The hot springs were characterized by different temperature (from 34 to 77 C), hydrogen sulfide concentration(from 0.02 to 12.75 mg/L), and silica (from 89 to 144 mg/L). pH values varied from 8.1 to 9.7. The dominance of distinct phyla was revealed depending on the spring water temperature. Microbial communities in bacterial mat developing at higher temperatures (53 - 58 C) were similar by taxonomic composition. The community at 34-51 C was very different from the high-temperature regions. Nitrospirae Deinococcus-Thermus dominated in the microbial mats community with temperature 65 C, but phyla Atribacteria, Nitrospirae, Chloroflexi prevailed in at 53-65 C. Proteobacteria and Cyanobacteria dominated at temperatures 34-51 C.