Physicochemical Parameters Affecting the Distribution and Diversity of the Water Column Microbial Community in the High-Altitude Andean Lake System of La Brava and La Punta

Investigation of the marine bacterial community along the coastline of the Gulf of Thailand

The Gulf of Thailand provides many services to the Thai population, and human activities may influence the diversity of microorganisms in the seawater. Information of the microorganisms' profile which inhabit the coastline can be used to monitor the water quality. This study aimed to investigate the bacterial community in the waters along the coastline provinces, including Rayong, Chonburi, Prachuap Kiri Khan, and Nakhon Sri Thammarat. Seawater samples were collected at each site, and the conductivity, pH, salinity, temperature, and turbidity were measured. The samples were subjected to whole DNA extraction, 16S rRNA amplification, next-generation sequencing, and statistical analysis to identify the bacterial diversity and analyse the effects of water parameters on the bacterial community. The dominant bacterial phyla found were Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, and Cyanobacteria. Spearman rank correlation analysis revealed a high correlation of Pseudoalteromonas, the NS5 marine group, Lachnospiraceae, Marinobacterium, Mariviven, and Vibrio with the seawater parameters. The predatory bacteria Peredibacter and Halobacteriovorax were reported among these bacterial communities for the first time in the Gulf of Thailand. Interestingly, Akkermansia, a novel candidate for next-generation probiotics to improve human health, was also found in the sample from Nakhon Sri Thammarat Province. Although the rich-ness and diversity of the bacterial communities differed among sampling sites, it is a possible source of many valuable bacteria for future use.

Compositional Changes in Sediment Microbiota Are Associated with Seasonal Variation of the Water Column in High-Altitude Hyperarid Andean Lake Systems

The lacustrine systems of La Brava and La Punta, located in the Tilopozo sector in the extreme south of Salar de Atacama, are pristine high-altitude Andean lakes found along the central Andes of South America. This shallow ecosystem suffers from permanent evaporation, leading to falling water levels, causing it to recede or disappear during the dry season. This dynamic causes physicochemical changes in lakes, such as low nutrient availability, pH change, and dissolved metals, which can influence the composition of the microbial community. In this study, we used a metataxonomic approach (16S rRNA hypervariable regions V3 to V4) to characterize the sedimentary microbiota of these lakes. To understand how the water column affects and is structured in the microbiota of these lakes, we combined the analysis of the persistence of the water column through satellite images and physicochemical characterization. Our results show a significant difference in abiotic factors and microbiota composition between La Punta and La Brava lakes. In addition, microbiota analysis revealed compositional changes in the ecological disaggregation (main and isolated bodies) and antagonistic changes in the abundance of certain taxa between lakes. These findings are an invaluable resource for understanding the microbiological diversity of high Andean lakes using a multidisciplinary approach that evaluates the microbiota behavior in response to abiotic factors. IMPORTANCE In this study, we analyzed the persistence of the water column through satellite images and physicochemical characterization to investigate the composition and diversity in High Andean Lake Systems in a hyperarid environment. In addition to the persistence of the water column, this approach can be used to analyze changes in the morphology of saline accumulations and persistence of snow or ice; for example, for establishing variable plant cover over time and evaluating the microbiota associated with soils with seasonal changes in plants. This makes it an ideal approach to search for novel extremophilic microorganisms with unique properties. In our case, it was used to study microorganisms capable of resisting desiccation and water restriction for a considerable period and adapting to survive in ecological niches, such as those with high UV irradiation, extreme drought, and high salt concentration.

Seasonal fluctuation of water quality and ecogenomic phylogeny of novel potential microbial pollution indicators of Veshaw River Kashmir-Western Himalaya

Nearly a billion people, especially in underdeveloped nations, need safe drinking water. Indian studies suggest that most drinking water sources have high coliform levels, and quality assurance is required. This study was conducted in rural parts of South Kashmir in the Western Himalaya from February 2019 to January 2020. Standard river water sampling was done from upstream to downstream of the river. This study examined the detection, molecular identification, and chemical water quality of coliform-contaminated drinking water, which sums up river water pollution. Water quality varied significantly, indicating downstream contamination. Sangam (downstream) had the highest coliform count, showing 72.2600 cfu per litre in summer, while Kongwaton (upstream), near the Veshaw River, had no coliform count in winter. In summer, Sangam (downstream) had the highest water quality metrics (pH 6.847, Electrical conductivity (EC) 71.620 dS/m, Biological oxygen demand (BOD) 1.120 mg/L, and Chemical oxygen demand (COD) 24.637 mg/L) in all seasons. The lowest winter water quality metrics in Kongwaton were pH 8.947, EC 253.680 dS/m, BOD 4.963 mg/L, and COD 51.440 mg/L. Coliforms in water suggest faecal contamination. This study examines the water quality attributes of drinking water and associated factors to determine river pollution. Total DNA was collected and sequenced for 16 S rDNA and metagenomics. Universal primers were used to amplify the bacterial 16 S rRNA. Using BLAST, the amplified 16 S rRNA gene sequence was matched to the NCBI database. A metagenomic study revealed 27 species with different relative abundance. These species include Escherichia coli, E. fergusonii, E. albertii, Klebsiella grimontii, and Shigella dysenteriae. This study is thought to be the first to discriminate against E. fergusonii, E. albertii, K. grimontii, and S. dysenteriae from E. coli and to report on E. fergusonii and E. albertii, K. grimontii, and S. dysenteriae in the river Veshaw water sources in Kulgam, Western Himalaya.

Habitats modulate influencing factors shaping the spatial distribution of bacterial communities along a Tibetan Plateau riverine wetland

The Tibetan Plateau riverine wetland is very sensitive to global climate change. Understanding the mechanisms that maintain the spatial patterns of bacterial communities provides insight into the dominant biogeochemical processes within the plateau riverine wetlands. Nonetheless, the spatial distribution of bacterial communities along these wetlands has rarely been explored. We investigated the spatial patterns of bacterial community within rhizosphere soil, bulk soil, and sediment samples collected along the Yarlung Tsangpo riverine wetland (YTRW), the longest plateau riverine wetland in China. Our results indicated that the diversity of bacterial communities in all three habitats increased significantly along the YTRW. The slope of the linear relationship between distance and bacterial community diversity in sediment was steeper than those for bulk and rhizosphere soils. Furthermore, bacterial communities in all three habitats showed significant distance-decay relationships. A combination of historical factors (geographical distance and climatic factors) and contemporary environmental heterogeneity (edaphic properties) controlled spatial distributions of bacterial communities in all three habitats, although climatic factors were predominant. Climatic factors affected rhizosphere bacterial communities more than those in bulk soil and sediment. Co-occurrence network analysis revealed that the potential interactions between bacterial taxa may decrease along the YTRW. This field investigation highlighted that the climatic factors strongly influenced the spatial distribution of bacterial communities along the YTRW; however, habitat differences among rhizosphere soil, bulk soil, and sediment samples affected the relative importance of climatic factors on spatial distributions of the associated bacterial communities. These findings would improve the understanding of biogeochemical processes in these typical habitats and potential alterations provoked by climate change.

Microbial community structural response to variations in physicochemical features of different aquifers

Introduction

The community structure of groundwater microorganisms has a significant impact on groundwater quality. However, the relationships between the microbial communities and environmental variables in groundwater of different recharge and disturbance types are not fully understood.

Methods

In this study, measurements of groundwater physicochemical parameters and 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing technology were used to assess the interactions between hydrogeochemical conditions and microbial diversity in Longkou coastal aquifer (LK), Cele arid zone aquifer (CL), and Wuhan riverside hyporheic zone aquifer (WH). Redundancy analysis indicated that the primary chemical parameters affecting the microbial community composition were NO3 -, Cl-, and HCO3 -.

Results

The species and quantity of microorganisms in the river-groundwater interaction area were considerably higher than those in areas with high salinity [Shannon: WH (6.28) > LK (4.11) > CL (3.96); Chao1: WH (4,868) > CL (1510) > LK (1,222)]. Molecular ecological network analysis demonstrated that the change in microbial interactions caused by evaporation was less than that caused by seawater invasion under high-salinity conditions [(nodes, links): LK (71,192) > CL (51,198)], whereas the scale and nodes of the microbial network were greatly expanded under low-salinity conditions [(nodes, links): WH (279,694)]. Microbial community analysis revealed that distinct differences existed in the classification levels of the different dominant microorganism species in the three aquifers.

Discussion

Environmental physical and chemical conditions selected the dominant species according to microbial functions. Gallionellaceae, which is associated with iron oxidation, dominated in the arid zones, while Rhodocyclaceae, which is related to denitrification, led in the coastal zones, and Desulfurivibrio, which is related to sulfur conversion, prevailed in the hyporheic zones. Therefore, dominant local bacterial communities can be used as indicators of local environmental conditions.

A Preliminary Study of Bacterioplankton Community Structure in the Taiyangshan Wetland in Ningxia and Its Driving Factors

The Taiyangshan Wetland, a valuable wetland resource in the arid zone of central Ningxia, is critical for flood storage and drought resistance, climate regulation, and biodiversity protection. Nevertheless, the community structure and diversity of bacterioplankton in the Taiyangshan Wetland remains unclear. High-throughput sequencing was used to analyze the differences in bacterioplankton structure and major determinants in the Taiyangshan Wetland from April to October 2020. The composition and diversity of the bacterioplankton community varied significantly in different sampling periods but showed negligible differences across lake regions. Meanwhile, the relative abundances of bacterioplankton Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, Chloroflexi, Tenericutes, Epsilonbacteraeota, and Patescibacteria were significantly different in different sampling periods, while the relative abundances of Cyanobacteria in different lake regions were quite different. Network analysis revealed that the topological attributes of co-occurrence pattern networks of bacterioplankton were high, and bacterioplankton community compositions were complicated in the month of July. A mantel test revealed that the bacterioplankton community in the entire wetland was affected by water temperature, electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, salinity, total nitrogen, ammonia nitrogen, chemical oxygen demand, fluoride, and sulfate. The bacterioplankton community structure was affected by ten environmental parameters (e.g., water temperature, dissolved oxygen, salinity, and permanganate index) in April, while the bacterioplankton community was only related to 1~2 environmental parameters in July and October. The bacterioplankton community structure in Lake Region IV was related to seven environmental parameters, including dissolved oxygen, pH, total nitrogen, and chemical oxygen demand, whereas the bacterioplankton community structures in the other three lake regions were related to two environmental parameters. This study facilitates the understanding of the bacterioplankton community in wetlands in arid areas and provides references to the evaluation of aquatic ecological management of the Taiyangshan Wetland.

Study of Wetland Soils of the Salar de Atacama with Different Azonal Vegetative Formations Reveals Changes in the Microbiota Associated with Hygrophile Plant Type on the Soil Surface

Salar de Atacama is located approximately 55 km south of San Pedro de Atacama in the Antofagasta region, Chile. The high UV irradiation and salt concentration and extreme drought make Salar de Atacama an ideal site to search for novel soil microorganisms with unique properties. Here, we used a metataxonomic approach (16S rRNA V3-V4) to identify and characterize the soil microbiota associated with different surface azonal vegetation formations, including strict hygrophiles (Baccharis juncea, Juncus balticus, and Schoenoplectus americanus), transitional hygrophiles (Distichlis spicata, Lycium humile, and Tessaria absinthioides), and their various combinations. We detected compositional differences among the soil surface microbiota associated with each plant formation in the sampling area. There were changes in soil microbial phylogenetic diversity from the strict to the transitional hygrophiles. Moreover, we found alterations in the abundance of bacterial phyla and genera. Halobacteriota and Actinobacteriota might have facilitated water uptake by the transitional hygrophiles. Our findings helped to elucidate the microbiota of Salar de Atacama and associate them with the strict and transitional hygrophiles indigenous to the region. These findings could be highly relevant to future research on the symbiotic relationships between microbiota and salt-tolerant plants in the face of climate change-induced desertification. IMPORTANCE The study of the composition and diversity of the wetland soil microbiota associated with hygrophilous plants in a desert ecosystem of the high Puna in northern Chile makes it an ideal approach to search for novel extremophilic microorganisms with unique properties. These microorganisms are adapted to survive in ecological niches, such as those with high UV irradiation, extreme drought, and high salt concentration; they can be applied in various fields, such as biotechnology and astrobiology, and industries, including the pharmaceutical, food, agricultural, biofuel, cosmetic, and textile industries. These microorganisms can also be used for ecological conservation and restoration. Extreme ecosystems are a unique biological resource and biodiversity hot spots that play a crucial role in maintaining environmental sustainability. The findings could be highly relevant to future research on the symbiotic relationships between microbiota and extreme-environment-tolerant plants in the face of climate change-induced desertification.

Impact of 2nd wave of COVID-19-related lockdown on coastal water quality at Diu, western coast of India and role of total alkalinity on bacterial loads

A detailed coastal water monitoring near Diu coast, western part of India was performed from October, 2020 to May, 2021 covering the 2nd lockdown time. Average monthly fluctuation from 7 different sampling stations of total 9 physico-chemical parameters such as pH, salinity, turbidity, nitrite (NO₂), nitrate (NO₃), ammonia (NH₃), phosphate (PO₄), total alkalinity and silicate were recorded. Initially, Mann-Kendall trend test for all the 9 parameters showed non-zero trend, which may be either linear or non-linear. During 2nd lockdown period, there was a fluctuation of value for parameters like pH, salinity, nitrate, nitrite and phosphate. Average total bacterial count and differential bacterial count also gradually decreased from March, 2021 sampling. Principal component analysis (PCA) plot covering all the physico-chemical parameters as well as the differential bacterial count showed a distinct cluster of all bacterial count with total alkalinity value. Subsequently, mathematical equation was formulated between total alkalinity value and all differential bacterial count. Upto our knowledge, this is the first report where mathematical equation was formulated to obtain value of different bacterial load based on the derived total alkalinity value of the coastal water samples near Diu, India.

Multidrug-resistant epi-endophytic bacterial community in Posidonia oceanica of Mahdia coast as biomonitoring factor for antibiotic contamination

Faced with the significant disturbances, mainly of anthropogenic origin, which affect the Mediterranean coastal ecosystem, Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile has often been used to assess the state of health of this environment. The present study aims to determine the multidrug resistance patterns among isolated and identified epi-endophytic bacterial strains in P. oceanica seagrass collected from Mahdia coastal seawater (Tunisia). To investigate the bacterial community structure and diversity from coastal seawater samples from Mahdia, total DNA extraction and 16S rRNA gene amplification were performed and analyzed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). The DGGE profiles showed that some bands were specific to a given site, while other bands were found to be common to more than one sample. In the other hand, bacterial strains were isolated from 1 mL of leaves and epiphytes suspension of P. oceanica seagrass in marine agar. Forty-three isolates were obtained, seven of them were selected and identified on the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. These isolates belonged to the genus Bacillus, exhibiting 98-100% of identity with known sequences. Susceptibility patterns of these strains were studied toward commonly used antibiotics in Tunisia. All identified isolates were resistant to Aztreonam (72.1%), Ceftazidime (60.5%), Amoxicillin (56%) and Rifampicin (51.2%). S5-L13 strain had presented the highest multidrug resistance with a MAR index of 0.67.

Metagenomic analysis of bacterial communities of Wadi Namar Lake, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Wadi Namar lake is a new touristic attraction area in the south of Riyadh. Human activities around the lake may lead to changes in water quality with subsequent changes in microenvironment components including microbial diversity. The current study was designed to assess possible changes in bacterial communities of the water at Wadi Namar Lake. Therefore, water samples were collected from three different locations along the lake: L1 (no human activities, no plants), L2 (no human activity, some plants) and L3 (human activities, municipal wastes and some plants). The total DNA of the samples was extracted and subjected to 16S rDNA sequencing and metagenomic analysis; water pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS) as well as the concentration of Na⁺¹, K⁺¹, Cl⁻¹ and total N were analysed. Metagenomic analysis showed variations in relative abundance of 17 phyla, 31 families, 43 genera and 19 species of bacteria between the locations. Proteobacteria was the most abundant phylum in all locations; however, its highest abundance was in L1. Planctomycete phylum was highly abundant in L1 and L3, while its abundance in L2 was low. The phyla Acidobacteria, Candidatus Saccharibacteria, Nitrospirae and Chloroflexi were associated with high TDS, EC, K⁺¹ and Cl⁻¹ concentrations in L3; various human activities around this location had possibly affected microbial diversity. Current study results help in recognising the structure of bacterial communities at Wadi Namar Lake in relation to their surroundings for planning to environment protection and future restoration of affected ecosystems.

Environmental factors affecting the diversity of psychrophilic microbial community in the high altitude snow-fed lake Hemkund, India

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Seasonal variation among the physicochemical attributes of Hemkund Lake.

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Exploration of psychrophilic microbial diversity of high-altitude snow-fed Lake Hemkund.

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This lake is located at an altitude of 4170 m a.s.l. and is also an important tributary of Lakshman Ganga.

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Study of important physicochemical factors affecting the microbial diversity at various sampling sites.

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Importance of phychrophilic microbial diversity to the society.

The current examination incorporates the evaluation of limnological boundaries influencing the microbial diversity and its distribution in the Hemkund Lake, a high altitude aquatic body located at an elevation of 4,170 m a.s.l. in the Himalayan state Uttarakhand of India. Samples of water were collected for three continuous years (2018–2020) in three sampling attempts each year. Four water sampling sites were identified and studied across the lake during two years of the study periods. A total of nineteen physicochemical parameters of lake water were recorded. Few of the parameters were analyzed at the site whereas the leftover parameters were analyzed in the laboratory at the Department. The diversity of microorganisms was determined via morphological, biochemical, MALDI-TOF MS, and molecular approaches (16S and 18S rRNA sequencing). Environmental variables i.e., DO, BOD, total coliform, and TDS showed huge variation at site 2 among all the four water sampling sites. The water temperature of Hemkund Lake was observed from 4.9°C to 6.1°C whereas; dissolved oxygen was recorded from 6.0 to 8.2 mg.l⁻¹. The α-diversity of microorganisms in the Hemkund Lake was found to be nineteen with ten bacterial strains, four actinomycetes strains, and five fungal strains. Janthinobacterium lividum, Pseudomonas tolaasii, Pseudomonas rhodesiae, and Pseudomonas fluorescens are a few important and key species that were found in the lake water. The present study on the diversity of psychrophilic microorganisms in the high altitude Lake Hemkund could be a great reference for further research activities on comparable viewpoints in different parts of the Himalaya. This baseline information can also help the administrative officials to take necessary steps for its conservation and management.

Key Factors Governing Microbial Community in Extremely Acidic Mine Drainage (pH <3)

The microbial community of acid mine drainage (AMD) fascinates researchers by their adaption and roles in shaping the environment. Molecular surveys have recently helped to enhance the understanding of the distribution, adaption strategy, and ecological function of microbial communities in extreme AMD environments. However, the interactions between the environment and microbial community of extremely acidic AMD (pH <3) from different mining areas kept unanswered questions. Here, we measured physicochemical parameters and profiled the microbial community of AMD collected from four mining areas with different mineral types to provide a better understanding of biogeochemical processes within the extremely acidic water environment. The prominent physicochemical differences across the four mining areas were in SO₄²⁻, metal ions, and temperature, and distinct microbial diversity and community assemblages were also discovered in these areas. Mg²⁺ and SO₄²⁻ were the predominant factors determining the microbial structure and prevalence of dominant taxa in AMD. Leptospirillum, Ferroplasma, and Acidithiobacillus were abundant but showed different occurrence patterns in AMD from different mining areas. More diverse communities and functional redundancy were identified in AMD of polymetallic mining areas compared with AMD of copper mining areas. Functional prediction revealed iron, sulfur, nitrogen, and carbon metabolisms driven by microorganisms were significantly correlated with Mg²⁺ and SO₄²⁻, Ca²⁺, temperature, and Fe²⁺, which distinguish microbial communities of copper mine AMD from that of polymetallic mine AMD. In summary, microbial diversity, composition, and metabolic potential were mainly shaped by Mg²⁺ and SO₄²⁻ concentrations of AMD, suggesting that the substrate concentrations may contribute to the distinct microbiological profiles of AMD from different mining areas. These findings highlight the microbial community structure in extremely acidic AMD forming by types of minerals and the interactions of physicochemical parameters and microbiology, providing more clues of the microbial ecological function and adaptation mechanisms in the extremely acidic environment.

Salt to conserve: a review on the ecology and preservation of hypersaline ecosystems

When it comes to the investigation of key ecosystems in the world, we often omit salt from the ecological recipe. In fact, despite occupying almost half of the volume of inland waters and providing crucial services to humanity and nature, inland saline ecosystems are often overlooked in discussions regarding the preservation of global aquatic resources of our planet. As a result, our knowledge of the biological and geochemical dynamics shaping these environments remains incomplete and we are hesitant in framing effective protective strategies against the increasing natural and anthropogenic threats faced by such habitats. Hypersaline lakes, water bodies where the concentration of salt exceeds 35 g/l, occur mainly in arid and semiarid areas resulting from hydrological imbalances triggering the accumulation of salts over time. Often considered the 'exotic siblings' within the family of inland waters, these ecosystems host some of the most extremophile communities worldwide and provide essential habitats for waterbirds and many other organisms in already water-stressed regions. These systems are often highlighted as natural laboratories, ideal for addressing central ecological questions due to their relatively low complexity and simple food web structures. However, recent studies on the biogeochemical mechanisms framing hypersaline communities have challenged this archetype, arguing that newly discovered highly diverse communities are characterised by specific trophic interactions shaped by high levels of specialisation. The main goal of this review is to explore our current understanding of the ecological dynamics of hypersaline ecosystems by addressing four main research questions: (i) why are hypersaline lakes unique from a biological and geochemical perspective; (ii) which biota inhabit these ecosystems and how have they adapted to the high salt conditions; (iii) how do we protect biodiversity from increasing natural and anthropogenic threats; and (iv) which scientific tools will help us preserve hypersaline ecosystems in the future? First, we focus on the ecological characterisation of hypersaline ecosystems, illustrate hydrogeochemical dynamics regulating such environments, and outline key ecoregions supporting hypersaline systems across the globe. Second, we depict the diversity and functional aspects of key taxa found in hypersaline lakes, from microorganisms to plants, invertebrates, waterbirds and upper trophic levels. Next, we describe ecosystem services and discuss possible conservation guidelines. Finally, we outline how cutting-edge technologies can provide new insights into the study of hypersaline ecology. Overall, this review sheds further light onto these understudied ecosystems, largely unrecognised as important sources of unique biological and functional diversity. We provide perspectives for key future research avenues, and advocate that the conservation of hypersaline lakes should not be taken with 'a grain of salt'.

Short-term microbialite resurgence as indicator of ecological resilience against crises (Catamarca, Argentine Puna)

Microbialite-producing microorganisms that inhabit the Puna lakes are traditionally considered constituents of fragile microsystems, unable to resist important environmental variations. Nevertheless, this region has experienced significant climatic fluctuations during the Holocene, raising the unsolved issue on how microbialite-forming systems have been able to resist these changes. Turquesa lake, located within Quaternary Peinado lake-basin (Puna), faces a hydric crisis in the last decades, which modified their physicochemical conditions. However, there has been a rapid re-establishment of the microbialite systems once the main parameters were stabilized, which allowed the establishment of three new microbialite levels in the coast and paleo-coastline. The aim of this contribution is to report for the first time microbialite levels in Turquesa lake, providing a multiscale analysis, besides an accurate study of the physico-chemical context of the lake. This new record provided us the opportunity to demonstrate the short-term resilience capacity of these microbialite-producing microorganisms to climatic changes, offering a key approach to understand analogue processes throughout Earth history.

Subsurface and surface halophile communities of the chaotropic Salar de Uyuni

Salar de Uyuni (SdU) is the biggest athalosaline environment on Earth, holding a high percentage of the known world Li reserves. Due to its hypersalinity, temperature and humidity fluctuations, high exposure to UV radiation, and its elevated concentration of chaotropic agents like MgCl₂ , LiCl and NaBr, SdU is considered a polyextreme environment. Here, we report the prokaryotic abundance and diversity of 46 samples obtained in different seasons and geographical areas. The identified bacterial community was found to be more heterogeneous than the archaeal community, with both communities varying geographically. A seasonal difference has been detected for archaea. Salinibacter, Halonotius and Halorubrum were the most abundant genera in Salar de Uyuni. Different unclassified archaea were also detected. In addition, the diversity of two subsurface samples obtained at 20 and 80 m depth was evaluated and compared with the surface data, generating an evolutionary record of a multilayer hypersaline ecosystem.