Diversity of cyanobacterial phylotypes in a Mediterranean drinking water reservoir (Marathonas, Greece)

Abstract

The structure of the cyanobacterial community in a large drinking water reservoir (Marathonas, Greece) was investigated in October 2007 and September 2008. Cyanobacteria-specific primers were used for the PCR amplification of cyanobacterial 16S rDNAs from three water column sites and the water collection tank. In total, 199 clones were sequenced representing 52 unique cyanobacterial, including chloroplast-related, and 11 non-cyanobacterial phylotypes. All cyanobacterial phylotypes belonged to the order Chroococcales. Cluster analysis showed that the cyanobacterial communities in 2007 in the three water column sites showed high similarity between the stations and low diversity (H = 1.17 - 1.44), due to the occurring common phylotypes, while all sites in 2008 had very low similarities between them and higher diversity (H = 1.56 - 2.40). Some of the most abundant phylotypes were closely related (>98%) to members of the genus Gloeocapsa and a potentially toxin-producing strain of Microcystis aeruginosa. The non-cyanobacterial phylotypes were either unaffiliated or belonged to the Verrucomicrobia, and were related with sequences originating from lake water habitats.