Bacterial community diversity of Rattlesnake spring ourflow channel

The purpose of this study was to characterize the microbial community of a sulfidic spring along a 14 m transect down the center of the outflow channel. The sulfide concentration decreases downstream towards the end of the outflow channel, while the pH and dissolved oxygen concentration increase downstream towards the end of the outflow channel. Biological mat and sediment samples were taken at the spring orifice(0 m), 1.6 m downstream from the orifice (the locations where a thick, white microbial mat becomes the dominant biological feature in the outflow channel), 5.5 m downstream from the orifice (the point where the thick, white microbial mat begins to breaks up), 9.5 m downstream from the orifice (the locations where no white mats grow in the outflow channel), and 14 m downstream from the orifice (the last practical sampling point). Sampling of each of the above locations occurred in July and October 2010.