Zohra Zahir

Abstract Natural ponds and constructed reservoirs (dugouts) provide essential water for agriculture, yet the effects of livestock disturbances on the freshwater microbial ecosystems remain underexplored. In this study, 16S rRNA gene sequencing was combined with water geochemistry analyses to examine the relative influence of livestock and geochemical variables on microbial communities in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of the North American Great Plains.

1 Introduction Microbial communities play a pivotal role in the functioning and productivity of shallow wetland ponds (De Mandal et al. 2020; Sims et al. 2013). They serve as key drivers of biogeochemical processes, including nutrient cycling, organic matter decomposition, and the transformation of heavy metals and pollutants. For example, sulfur and carbon biogeochemical cycles are highly regulated by microbial communities (Pester et al. 2012).