Temporal variability of bacterial communities in cryoconite on an Alpine glacier
Roberto Azzoni, University of Milano (IT)
Cryoconite holes, i.e. small ponds that form on glacier surface, are considered the most biologically active environments on glaciers. In this study, we investigated the temporal variation of bacterial communities in cryoconite holes on the Forni Glacier (Ortles-Cevedale group, Stelvio National Park) by high throughput DNA sequencing. We found a significant temporal change of bacterial communities along the ablation season, with autotrophic Cyanobacteria populations dominating after snowmelt, and heterotrophic Sphingobacteriales populations increasing in abundance later in the season.