Intrahabitat Differences in Bacterial Communities Associated with<i>Corbicula fluminea</i>in the Large Shallow Eutrophic Lake Taihu
Zifan Zhao, Zhendu Mao, Peng Xing, Ye Tao, Qinglong L. Wu
Abstract
is an important benthic clam in freshwater ecosystems due to its high population densities and high filtering efficiency for particulate organic matter. While the associated microbiota is believed to be vital for host living, our knowledge about the compositions, sources, and potential functions is still lacking. We found that C. fluminea offers a unique ecological niche for specific lake bacteria. We also observed high intrahabitat variation in the associated bacterial communities. Such variations were driven mainly by local environments, followed by host selection pressure. While the local microbes served as a source of the clam-associated bacteria, host selection resulted in enrichments of bacterial taxa with the potential for assisting the host in organic matter digestion. These results significantly advance our current understanding of the origins and ecological roles of the microbiota associated with a keynote clam in freshwater ecosystems.