Microbial community dynamics during a harmful Chrysochromulina leadbeateri bloom in northern Norway

Abstract

A harmful algae bloom occurred in late spring 2019 across multiple, interconnected fjords and bays in northern Norway. The event was caused by the haptophyte Chrysochromulina leadbeateri and led to severe fish mortality at several salmon aquaculture facilities. This study reports on the spatial and temporal succession dynamics of the holistic marine microbiome associated with this bloom by relating all detectable 18S and 16S rRNA gene ASVs to the relative abundance of the C. leadbeateri focal taxon. A k-medoids clustering enabled inferences on how the causative focal taxon co-bloomed with diverse groups of bacteria and microeukaryotes. These co-blooming patterns showed high temporal variability and were distinct between two geographically separated time series stations during the regional harmful algae bloom. The distinct blooming patterns observed with respect to each station were poorly connected to environmental conditions suggesting that other factors, such as biological interactions, may be at least as important in shaping the dynamics of this type of harmful algae bloom. A deeper understanding of microbiome succession patterns during these rare but destructive events will help guide future efforts to forecast deviations from the natural bloom cycles of the northern Norwegian coastal marine ecosystems that are home to intensive aquaculture activities.