BioProject

Sediment samples were taken from four sites in the Western English Channel as part of the Plymouth Marine Laboratory Benthic Survey. More...

Sediment samples were taken from four sites in the Western English Channel as part of the Plymouth Marine Laboratory Benthic Survey. The four sites were chosen due to their contrasting combinations of depth, sediment type and level of exposure. Jennycliff (50° 20.91 N, 04° 07.71 W) and Cawsand (50° 19.81 N, 04° 11.50 W) represent shallow habitats (approximately 10 m deep), are sheltered from the prevailing south westerly winds but have different sediments types (Jennycliff is coarse silt whereas Cawsand is very fine sand). Rame Head (50° 17.75 N, 04° 16.00 W) and L4 (50° 13.30 N, 04° 11.40 W) are exposed sites with a depth of approximately 50 m, again with contrasting sediment type, Rame Head being medium silt and L4 fine sand. Samples used in this study were taken approximately bimonthly from July 2009 to May 2010. However, samples could not be taken at L4 in November 2009 due to adverse weather conditions at this site. DNA was extracted and bacterial and archaeal abundance, diversity and community composition assessed using both quantitative PCR and 454 pyrosequencing of the V4-V5 region of archaeal 16S rRNA genes. DNA libraries were prepared for sequencing using the Roche emPCR Method Manual Lib-L MV and the Roche Sequencing Method Manual for the GS FLX Titanium Series at PML. Picotitre plates were used with an 8 lane gasket. Less...