Abstract:

This dataset contains relative abundances (%) of terminal restriction fragments of the ammonia monooxygenase genes (amoA) from ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA). Data are from sediments collected from 13 marshes in Terrebonne Bay (TB), western Barataria Bay (WB), and eastern Barataria Bay (EB), LA. In TB and EB, we sampled two oiled marshes and two unoiled marshes, and in WB we sampled three oiled marshes and two unoiled marshes. At each marsh, we collected 5-cm deep soil cores along a 20-m transect from the marsh edge and collecting soil samples every 5 m. Marshes in TB were sampled approximately monthly from May to September 2012, and the WB and EB marshes were sampled in July and September 2012.

Suggested Citation:

Bernhard, Anne. 2016. Community composition of archaeal ammonia oxidizers in Louisiana salt marshes two years after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Distributed by: GRIIDC, Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/N7WH2MXZ

Publications:

Bernhard, A. E., Sheffer, R., Giblin, A. E., Marton, J. M., & Roberts, B. J. (2016). Population Dynamics and Community Composition of Ammonia Oxidizers in Salt Marshes after the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. Frontiers in Microbiology, 7. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2016.00854

Bernhard, A. E., Chelsky, A., Giblin, A. E., & Roberts, B. J. (2019). Influence of Local and Regional Drivers on Spatial and Temporal Variation of Ammonia‐Oxidizing Communities in Gulf of Mexico Salt Marshes. Environmental Microbiology Reports. doi:10.1111/1758-2229.12802

Purpose:

This dataset was developed as part of a research project investigating the effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on salt marsh biogeochemistry and microbial ecology. This particular project was directed to determine: 1) if there was a significant impact on community composition of ammonia-oxidizing archaeal communities; and 2) if there were spatial (regional, within marsh) or temporal patterns in their distribution.

Data Parameters and Units:

Region- identifies the region (TB for Terrebonne Bay, WB for western Barataria Bay, EB for eastern Barataria Bay), Site - four sites within each region, except for WB where there are 5, Plot number - four plots at each site that are increasing distance from marsh edge (1 = 5 m, 2 = 10 m, 3 = 15 m, 4 = 20 m), oil status- oiled indicates sites that received Macondo oil, AOA# - represents the different TRFs (terminal restriction fragments) detected and their relative abundance (%). Sampling site Latitude (decimal degrees) Longitude (decimal degrees): TB 1 29.29297 -90.604939, TB 2 29.2915 -90.602824, TB 3 29.304486 -90.565818, TB 4 29.2964 -90.549793, WB 1 29.288949 -90.042667, WB 2 29.265837 -90.024864,, WB 3 29.2801 -89.975833, WB 4 29.276533 -89.97535, WB 5 29.302883 -89.9707917, EB 1 29.491204 -89.911325,, EB 2 29.491325 -89.907681, EB 3 29.462317 -89.872867, EB 4 29.453856 -89.866346

Methods:

Community composition was measured using TRFLP analysis of the archaeal amoA genes. Each TRF represents a populations of AOA.

Instruments:

Samples were analyzed at the Cornell University Life Sciences Core Laboratories Center using an Applied Biosystems 3730xl DNA Analyzer.

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