Morgan Gilboe
Pronouns: she/her
Research Mentor(s): Erik Kiledal
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Earth and Environmental Sciences / LSA
Program:
Authors: Morgan Gilboe, Anders Kiledal, Gregory Dick
Session: Session 5: 2:40 pm – 3:30 pm
Poster: 29
Abstract
Harmful algal blooms (HABs), primarily composed of the cyanobacteria Microcystis, are a perennial component of the Lake Erie ecosystem. Within these Microcystis blooms is an assortment of other bacteria, including heterotrophic bacterial species known to interact with Microcystis. These bacteria act as helpers to Microcystis, reducing environmental stress through the consumption of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), which has been shown to enable the promoted growth of toxic strains of Microcystis. We are only just beginning to understand the full interactions between these blooms and all the bacteria that reside within them, and the potential implications for bloom severity and toxicity. To further expand the collection of bacterial isolates available for laboratory study, heterotrophic bacteria were isolated from samples of the 2023 summer bloom in Western Lake Erie. We used several strategies to identify and characterize these cultures, including sequencing the 16S rRNA gene, Gram staining, and catalase assays. From this analysis, new strains were identified and added to the lab’s repository of Lake Erie heterotrophs. The identification of these new strains will continue to broaden the overall understanding of heterotrophic bacteria in Lake Erie, and enable future research on the potential interactions between Microcystis and associated heterotrophic bacteria, including the impact on Microcystis toxicity.
