Erfðamengi, vistfræði og þróun grunnvatnsmarflóarinnar Crangonyx islandicus - verkefnislok
Fréttatilkynning verkefnisstjórans
The results provides information about a poorly known ecosystem and species diversity in Icelandic groundwater and the connectivity of the groundwater systems within Iceland.
The study revealed novel insights into the ecology and
evolution of the groundwater amphipod Crangonyx islandicus, endemic to Iceland.
Previous work provided evidence that the amphipod had survived glacial periods
of Ice Age in distinct subglacial refugia in Iceland and thus to an existence
of unexplored ecosystem in the groundwater of lavafields. Analysis of genomic
patterns, obtained with RadSeq, showed contradicting results for different
markers, which can be explained by historic admixture of genetic lineages and
effects of natural selection. Analysis of environmental DNA in the amphipod
groundwater habitat and of DNA from the amphipods underscore the low species
diversity in this resource scarce environment, along with the occurrence of
bacteria, archaea and ciliates in and on the amphipods. DNA of chemoautotrophic
bacteria were found in the amphipods, which may present the food source or
symbiotic bacteria. Phylogenetic analysis of the ciliates indicate the
occurence of exuviatic cilates, which feed on the amphipod exoskeletons. Work
on the diversity patterns of the different groundwater systems, a part of one
PhD thesis and an analysis of the C. islandicus transcriptome is still ongoing.
Heiti
verkefnis: Erfðamengi, vistfræði og þróun grunnvatnsmarflóarinnar Crangonyx
islandicus
Enskt heiti: Ecology, evolution and genome of the groundwater amphipod Crangonyx
islandicus
Verkefnisstjóri: Snæbjörn Pálsson, Háskóla Íslands
Tegund styrks: Verkefnisstyrkur
Styrkár: 2013-2015
Fjárhæð styrks: 19,96 millj. kr. alls
Tilvísunarnúmer Rannís: 13024405
The results provides information about a poorly known
ecosystem and species diversity in Icelandic groundwater and the connectivity
of the groundwater systems within Iceland. As groundwater is the main source of
drinking water for humans in Iceland this knowledge is important and can form a
baseline for further monitoring of the quality and conservation of this natural
resource. In addition, a knowledge of the natural history of the unique, endemic
groundwater amphipod Crangonyx islandicus, is obtained. The project also
results in training of graduate students and implementations of new
methodological skills.
Projects output:
No papers of this project have yet been published, one manuscript has been submitted and second will be submitted in early 2017. Four other manuscripts have been planned based on the results obtained. Parts of the work have been presented at conferences both in Iceland and abroad.
Manuscripts:
1. Eme David, Westfall Kristen M., Kristjánsson Bjarni K, Pálsson Snæbjörn. Contrasting phylogeographic histories using mitochondrial DNA and RADSeq data of a groundwater amphipod (Crangonyx islandicus) that survived Ice age in Iceland. To be submitted to Molecular Ecology in January 2017.
2. Guðmundsdóttir Ragnhildur, Etienne Kornobis Etienne, Kristjánsson Bjarni K, Pálsson Snæbjörn. Ciliate epibionts on the groundwater amphipod Crangonyx islandicus (Amphipoda: Crangonyctidae. Submitted to Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.
The results of the eDNA analysis will be
summarised in three articles:
3. Methodological study. Comparison of sampling microbiological diversity using glass beads and by water samples.
4. Comparison of the microbiota of the groundwater springs and from the groundwater amphipods.
5. Microbiological diversity in Icelandic groundwater springs with respect to location and environmental factors.
6. The transcriptome of Crangonys islandicus.
- Manuscripts 2, 3, 4 and 5 will be a part of Ragnhildur Guðmundsdóttur PhD thesis, defense in 2018.
- A knowledge has been obtained on RadSeq analyses, which is and has been used in number of ongoing studies at the Institute of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland.
- An experience has been acquired in eDNA analysis at Institute of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, which is currently used in two PhD projects.
The work contributed to one manuscript by Eme et al. (coauthored by the PI) on groundwater species and implications of cryptic species, which has been accepted by minor revison by the journal Ecography.
