Aquatic ecosystems at risk for occurrence of pathogenic bacteria

• Pathogenic bacteria occur naturally in aquatic systems. Co-existence of bacteria and protozoa has led to development of predation resistance strategies, which is suggested to serve as a driver for evolution of pathogenic bacteria. However, the ecological mechanisms for selection for different types of predation resistant and pathogenic bacteria are poorly known. To disentangle effects from nutrient availability and protozoan predation pressure on the occurrence of varying predation resistant bacterial genera, an enrichment-dilution experiment was performed where an aquatic bacterial community was exposed to protozoa. Operational taxonomical units, specific for three predation resistant bacterial genera were identified; Pseudomonas, Rickettsia and Mycobacterium. These genera are also known to harbor species that are potentially pathogenic to mammals. Rickettsia and Mycobacterium were promoted where protozoa were abundant and the predation pressure high, while Pseudomonas dominated the bacterial community at the highest nutrient level where the predation pressure on bacteria were low. Our study thus indicates that waters of all nutrient states can harbor pathogenic bacteria, but that bacteria with different ecological strategies occur depending on nutrient level and perturbation. The generative model approach presented here provide a possibility to integrate environmental data in prediction models of pathogens in complex environments.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi -- Ekologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences -- Ecology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Protozoa resistant bacteria

predation pressure

aquatic bacterial pathogens

risk assessment

microcosm experiment

Publikations- och innehållstyp

vet (ämneskategori)

ovr (ämneskategori)