Glacier-melt affects alpine lake microbiology

In this study we tested how sediment-associated bacterial communities in high-alpine lakes react to the decrease of glaciers and associated meltwater flows and whether the microbial approach can serve as an indicator for climate change impacts.We analysed 16 individual lakes in forefield catchments of three glaciers in the Eastern Swiss Alps on physicochemical and biological parameters. We compared lakes that are still fed by glacier meltwater with lakes that got disconnected from glacial meltwater inflow when the glacier receded, as well as mixed lake types with glacial and non-glacial water inflow.Our study suggests that the loss of glaciers will induce a change of sediment bacterial composition and their physiological processes that is unique for glacier-fed lakes in mountain and polar regions.