Characteristics of bacterial communities in aquatic ecosystems near the Collins glacial (Fildes Peninsula, Antarctica)

[Display omitted] •Periglacial lakes and coves shared some taxa, but periglacial lakes have higher a-diversity.•β-diversity was mainly contributed by turnover.•Indicator species identified in coves were predicted more involved in S cycle.•Bacterial communities in coves were enriched in N and S cycle genes.•Co-occurrence network in periglacial lakes was more complex and stable. Bacteria are vital for maintaining ecosystem function in the rapidly changing environment, but limited data was reported regarding the characteristics of bacterial communities along the regional-scale in aquatic ecosystems on the Fildes Peninsula (Antarctica), where vulnerable aquatic habitats have been affected by the dramatic retreat of the Collins glacier. This study revealed differences and hidden connections of bacterial communities in two aquatic ecosystems (periglacial lakes and coves) near Collins glacier using amplicon sequencing. The results showed periglacial lakes and coves harbored 568 and 388 unique OTUs, respectively, but also shared 199 common OTUs, which meant there existed some linkages connections between the two ecosystems. Compared to periglacial lakes, communities in coves exhibited decreased richness and Shannon index (P