Sedimentary DNA records long‐term changes in a lake bacterial community in response to varying nutrient availability

A study on Esthwaite Water in the English Lake District reveals that sedimentary DNA (sedDNA) can effectively track long-term changes in lake bacterial communities, particularly in response to nutrient enrichment. The research found that cyanobacterial richness in sediments closely mirrored historical pelagic records, while other bacterial groups like Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes increased during recent decades, contrasting with declines in Chloroflexi and Firmicutes. Despite restoration efforts since the 1970s, the bacterial community has not fully recovered from past eutrophication. This study demonstrates sedDNA's potential for paleolimnological reconstructions but highlights the need for better understanding of DNA preservation and degradation processes.

Thorpe, A. C., Anderson, A., Goodall, T., Thackeray, S. J., Maberly, S. C., Bendle, J. A., Gweon, H. S., & Read, D. S. (2022). Sedimentary DNA records long‐term changes in a lake bacterial community in response to varying nutrient availability. Environmental DNA, 4(6), 1340–1355. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/edn3.344