The influence of diel cycles on the bacterial community composition of two boreal lakes : A case study in Jämtland

Abstract: In the Boreal region, the length of day and night varies extremely over the year and organisms are exposed to different diel (24 h) fluctuations of light and temperature. Among them are pelagic populations of bacteria that are ubiquitous in freshwater ecosystems. The structure of prokaryotic assemblages in lakes is regulated by both abiotic and biotic parameters known to have diel patterns; yet, knowledge on changes of the active bacterial community composition (aBCC) over diel cycles is limited, especially at short temporal scales. Here, measurements of physicochemical parameters, nutrient levels and chlorophyll a concentrations, characterization of the carbon pool and 16S rRNA sequencing were used to elucidate the aBCC in a peat bog and the oligotrophic lake Klocka in Jämtland county, Sweden. I show that the activity of bacterioplankton communities remained relatively stable at 6-h intervals and did not follow any diel patterns during an uneven light regime period in June. However, the activity of peat bog communities changed in a cyclic pattern over three diel cycles during an even light period in September, whereas diel changes did not substantially differentiate between sampling periods and among depths in Klocka. The results of the thesis provide valuable insights into the importance of diel cycles in bacterial diversity and community dynamics in lentic habitats.