Microbial Observatory at North Temperate Lakes LTER High-resolution temporal and spatial dynamics of microbial community structure in freshwater bog lakes 2005 - 2009 original format

The North Temperate Lakes - Microbial Observatory seeks to study freshwater
microbes over long time scales (10+ years). Observing microbial communities over
multiple years using DNA sequencing allows in-depth assessment of diversity,
variability, gene content, and seasonal/annual drivers of community composition.
Combining information obtained from DNA sequencing with additional experiments, such as
investigating the biochemical properties of specific compounds, gene expression, or
nutrient concentrations, provides insight into the functions of microbial taxa. Our 16S
rRNA gene amplicon datasets were collected from bog lakes in Vilas County, WI, and from
Lake Mendota in Madison, WI. Ribosomal RNA gene amplicon sequencing of freshwater
environmental DNA was performed on samples from Crystal Bog, North Sparkling Bog, West
Sparkling Bog, Trout Bog, South Sparkling Bog, Hell’s Kitchen, and Mary Lake. These
microbial time series are valuable both for microbial ecologists seeking to understand
the properties of microbial communities and for ecologists seeking to better understand
how microbes contribute to ecosystem functioning in freshwater.