Abstract:

This dataset contains relative abundances (%) of terminal restriction fragments of the ammonia monooxygenase genes (amoA) from ammonia-oxidizing betaproteobacteria (AOB). Data are from sediments collected from 12 marshes in Terrebonne Bay (TB), western Barataria Bay (WB), and Port Sulfur in eastern Barataria Bay (PS), LA. In each region, we sampled two 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. All sites were samples in May, July, and September 2013, with an additional sampling date in March 2013 at the TB sites.

Suggested Citation:

Bernhard, Anne. 2016. Community composition of ammonia oxidizing bacteria in Louisiana salt marshes three years after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (2013). Distributed by: Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative Information and Data Cooperative (GRIIDC), Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/N7SF2T4H

Publications:

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 betaproteobacterial 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, PS for Port Sulfur) Site - four sites within each region 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 AOB# - represents the different TRFs (terminal restriction fragments) detected and their relative abundance (%) TB 1 29.29297 -90.604939 TB 2 29.2915 -90.602824 TB3 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 PS 3A 29.4608 -89.8750 PS 5 29.4508 -89.7500 PS 6 29.4458 -89.8761 PS 7 29.4742 -89.8564

Methods:

Community composition was measured using TRFLP analysis of the betaproteobacterial amoA genes using primers amoA-1F and amoA-2RTC. Each TRF represents a population of AOB.

Instruments:

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

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