16Sr RNA Sequenced Biofilm Forming Bacterial Diversity Mapping Using GIS in a Tropical Freshwater Lake

Geospatial mapping of various bioresources is essential for management and planning, as it includes information, conservation, utilization, hazard indication, remote sensing, policy-making etc. Bioresources, especially crops and other faunal and floral resources, are being mapped using geo-information software (Geographic Information System/GIS) and made available to the public through different online applications or sites. However, the diversity of biofilm forming bacteria (BFB) in freshwater ecosystems still needs to be explored for identification and GIS mapping. To bridge this knowledge gap and create a digital GIS map, a BFB screening was undertaken at Vellayani Lake, a freshwater ecosystem and drinking water source near Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala. Screening of bacterial isolates using different standard identification protocols, including 16SrRNA sequencing, characterized the BFB bacterial isolates distribution along the lake. The screened bacterial isolates were grouped into weak, medium and strong BFB isolates, characterizing their gram-staining properties. Molecular identification of the strong BFB isolates revealed the presence of 20 bacterial species belonging to 9 different genera viz, Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Enterobacter, Elizabethkingia, Chromobacterium, Aeromonas, Chitinophagaceae, Micrococcus and Acinetobacter. All the isolates were mapped using Arc GIS software along the Vellayani Lake system to extract a GIS spatial map. Monitoring the sanitary conditions of the ecosystems using microbiological inventories, supported by GIS, is significant for public health and resource utilization.