Sampling a gradient of red snow algae bloom density reveals novel connections between microbial communities and environmental features

Snow algae blooms and associated microbial communities play large roles in snow ecosystem processes. Patterns and mechanisms underpinning snow algae bloom spatial distribution and associated microbial community assembly dynamics are poorly understood. Here we examine associations of microbial communities and environmental measures between/within snow algae blooms. Snows from the Cascade Mountains and the Rocky Mountains (USA) were collected from medial (M), peripheral (P), and adjacent (A) zones of red snow algae blooms. Medial snow shows increased levels of pollen, lower oxidation–reduction potential, decreased algal and increased bacterial richness, and increased levels of potassium when compared to A and P within the same bloom. Between the Cascade and Rocky Mountains, fungal communities are distinct but bacterial and algal communities show little differentiation. A weighted OTU co-expression analysis (WOCNA) explores OTU modules and their differential correlation with environmental features, suggesting certain subcommunities may be altered by ecological patterns. Individual OTU interaction networks (fungi and bacteria) show high levels of connectivity compared to networks based on the red snow alga Sanguina nivaloides, which underscores associative differences between algal dominated networks and other taxa.