Periphyton diversity in two different Antarctic lakes assessed using metabarcoding

• DOI: 10.1017/s0954102021000316
• Publication Date: 2021-09-20T07:32:39Z
• Authors: Paulo E.A.S. Câmara; Láuren M.D. De Souza; Otávio Henrique B...; Peter Convey; Eduardo T. Amorim; Micheline Carvalh...; Luiz Henrique Rosa
• Keywords: Periphyton; Shetland; Diversity index

Abstract Antarctic lakes have generally simple periphyton communities when compared with those of lower latitudes. To date, assessment microbial diversity in Antarctica has relied heavily on traditional direct observation and cultivation methods. In this study, sterilized cotton baits were left submerged for two years King George Island Deception Island, South Shetland Islands (Maritime Antarctic), followed by metabarcoding using high-throughput sequencing. DNA sequences 44 taxa belonging to four kingdoms seven phyla found. Thirty-six detected Hennequin Lake 20 Soto Island. However, no significant difference species composition was between the assemblages (Shannon index). Our data suggest that provides a suitable method biodiversity oligotrophic lakes.