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SFS Annual Meeting

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VARIATION IN STREAM MICROBIOME ACROSS THE KANSAS PRECIPITATION AND LAND USE GRADIENTS

Across Kansas, there is a large precipitation gradient, with less precipitation in the west (510 mm/yr) than in the east (1010 mm/yr). Thus, more western streams are likely to be intermittent whereas eastern streams flow perennially. Embedded within this precipitation gradient is also variation in land-use, ranging from native prairie to row-crop agriculture. Both terrestrial-aquatic connectivity (e.g., via precipitation) and land-use affect stream water microbiome and water quality. We measured the bacterioplankton community and chloroplast abundance in streams across these gradients, expecting to see greater community turnover and decrease in diversity from low- to high-order streams in more arid watersheds, due to longer water residence time in streams with less precipitation. Preliminary findings showed change in microbial community composition from second- to eighth-order waters, with a precipitation region interaction. Chloroplasts, Cyanobacteria and Planctomycetes had higher relative abundance downstream. In drier watersheds, low-order streams had more Bacteroidetes, while mesic low-order streams had more Verrucomicrobia. The different microbes in lower order streams may reflect differential inputs of soil microorganisms, which have a higher potential to be leached into smaller streams. Weak patterns with land-use exist; more work is needed to resolve relationships.

Janaye Hanschu (Primary Presenter/Author), University of Kansas, janayeh@ku.edu;