Jellyfish modulate bacterial dynamic and community structure

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 7; no. 6; p. e39274
• Main Authors: Tinta, Tinkara, Kogovšek, Tjaša, Malej, Alenka, Turk, Valentina
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 20-06-2012; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Acids; Alphaproteobacteria - classification; Alphaproteobacteria - genetics; Alphaproteobacteria - growth & development; Ammonium; Analysis; Animals; Aurelia aurita; Bacteria; Bacteria - classification; Bacteria - genetics; Bacteria - growth & development; Bioavailability; Biochemical composition; Biodegradation; Biology; Biomass; Carcasses; Coastal ecology; Coastal waters; Coastal zone; Community composition; Community structure; Decomposition; Ecology; Ecosystem biology; Ecosystems; Environmental impact; Environmental monitoring; Enzymes; Flavobacterium - classification; Flavobacterium - genetics; Flavobacterium - growth & development; Gammaproteobacteria - classification; Gammaproteobacteria - genetics; Gammaproteobacteria - growth & development; Gel electrophoresis; Gene amplification; Genetic analysis; Marine biology; Methods; Molecular Sequence Data; Nightlight jellyfish; Nutrient concentrations; Nutrient dynamics; Nutrient release; Nutrients; Organic matter; Outbreaks; Plankton; Polymerase chain reaction; Population biology; Population dynamics; Predators; Protein synthesis; Proteins; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics; rRNA 16S; Scyphozoa; Scyphozoa - microbiology; Species; Studies; Taxa; Vibrionaceae - classification; Vibrionaceae - genetics; Vibrionaceae - growth & development; Mediterranean Sea
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0039274

Jellyfish blooms have increased in coastal areas around the world and the outbreaks have become longer and more frequent over the past few decades. The Mediterranean Sea is among the heavily affected regions and the common bloom-forming taxa are scyphozoans Aurelia aurita s.l., Pelagia noctiluca, and Rhizostoma pulmo. Jellyfish have few natural predators, therefore their carcasses at the termination of a bloom represent an organic-rich substrate that supports rapid bacterial growth, and may have a large impact on the surrounding environment. The focus of this study was to explore whether jellyfish substrate have an impact on bacterial community phylotype selection. We conducted in situ jellyfish-enrichment experiment with three different jellyfish species. Bacterial dynamic together with nutrients were monitored to assess decaying jellyfish-bacteria dynamics. Our results show that jellyfish biomass is characterized by protein rich organic matter, which is highly bioavailable to 'jellyfish-associated' and 'free-living' bacteria, and triggers rapid shifts in bacterial population dynamics and composition. Based on 16S rRNA clone libraries and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis, we observed a rapid shift in community composition from unculturable Alphaproteobacteria to culturable species of Gammaproteobacteria and Flavobacteria. The results of sequence analyses of bacterial isolates and of total bacterial community determined by culture independent genetic analysis showed the dominance of the Pseudoalteromonadaceae and the Vibrionaceae families. Elevated levels of dissolved proteins, dissolved organic and inorganic nutrient release, bacterial abundance and carbon production as well as ammonium concentrations characterized the degradation process. The biochemical composition of jellyfish species may influence changes in the amount of accumulated dissolved organic and inorganic nutrients. Our results can contribute insights into possible changes in bacterial population dynamics and nutrient pathways following jellyfish blooms which have important implications for ecology of coastal waters.