Bacterial community composition of New Zealand groundwater, predicted bacterial metabolic profiles and relationships to hydrochemistry and aquifer characteristics

Abstract

To address groundwater ecosystem health as part of freshwater management, it is crucial to understand microbial diversity in these ecosystems, as microbial communities mediate biogeochemical processes. However, to date, only limited information is available on groundwater ecosystems. The objectives of this study are to: undertake the first survey of New Zealand groundwater bacterial taxonomic diversity; link this diversity to metabolic potential to inform freshwater management, and investigate the use of hydrochemistry and aquifer characteristics to predict microbial taxonomy and metabolic function.