Presenters: Ashley Rodewald
Authors: Ashley Rodewald, Danielle Patton
Faculty Advisor: Roger Gold
Institution: Southern Utah University
The microbial composition of hot springs are frequently studied because they provide insights into the ancient biological world and because each hot spring represents a potentially unique niche where novel microorganisms might be found. We sampled hot springs located in southern Utah and Nevada to explore the effects of physical and chemical factors on microbial diversity. One-liter water samples were collected from seven minimally-studied hot springs (Gandy, Meadow, Mystic, Panaca, Redhills, Saratoga, and Veyo) while also recording temperature and GPS coordinates. Microorganisms were collected by filtering the water through a 0.25 µm pore-size filter and then submitted for Illumina DNA sequencing (UConn MARS). The water was also analyzed for pH, bicarbonates, calcium, carbon dioxide, carbonate, hydroxide, magnesium, potassium, sodium, and sulfate (SUU Water Lab). The DNA sequencing results were analyzed using the Mothur bioinformatics data processing software package. Microbial diversity was measured, and operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were compared in regard to water composition and geographical location to explore similarities and differences. All the sampled hot springs exhibited a low overall microbial diversity, and each hot spring was observed to possess a unique bacterial and archaeal composition.