Bacteria in Lake Mendota Show Seasonal Evolution Patterns Over 20 Years
A groundbreaking study reveals how bacterial species adapt to seasonal changes and respond to climate extremes, offering insights into microbial ecology and evolution.
- Researchers analyzed 20 years of water samples from Wisconsin's Lake Mendota, creating the longest metagenome time series from a natural environment to date.
- Bacteria in the lake exhibit rapid seasonal genetic adaptations, with species resetting to near-original genetic states annually despite evolutionary pressures.
- A 2012 extreme weather event caused lasting genetic shifts in bacterial nitrogen metabolism, highlighting the impact of abrupt environmental changes.
- The findings suggest that microbes adapt to both gradual climate shifts and sudden extreme events, with potential implications for ecosystems facing climate change.
- The study utilized advanced computational resources to reconstruct over 30,000 bacterial genomes, providing unprecedented insights into microbial evolution in dynamic conditions.
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