Air-dispersed microorganisms on different freshwater colonization habitats

In this study, we attempted to mimic aeolian ecosystems where any inputs to water bodies are airborne, to examine how filters posed by water characteristics, such as the trophic state (i.e. nutrient concentrations) and salinity, can influence the establishment and growth of airborne microcolonizers of a common air source. Specifically, we aimed to investigate the colonization, establishment, and growth potential of air-dispersed microorganisms in open freshwater experimental containers, containing organism-free sterilized water from different water bodies, representing different trophic gradients.