Characterization of microbial communities transforming and removing nitrogen in wetlands

Mustafa, A; Scholz, M

Abstract

The community structure of bacteria responsible
for transformation and removal of nitrogen species from
farmyard runoff within two different full-scale integrated
constructed wetland (ICW) systems was studied. Microbial
communities in litter and sediment components were
investigated using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis
(DGGE) and band sequencing of the 16S ribosomal
ribonucleic acid gene fragments of putative ammoniaoxidizing
bacteria and the nitrite reductase genes (nirK/S)
of putative denitrifying bacteria. Findings show that
retrieved sequences of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria communities
in litter samples were related to Nitrosomonas and
Nitrosospira, while those from sediment samples were
related to only Nitrosospira. A more diverse denitrifying
community was present in the litter compared to the
sediment samples. Non-metric multi-dimensional scaling
analysis showed that microbial communities were readily
distinguishable with respect to site and source (sediment
and litter) for the two representative example ICW systems.
A comparison of the species composition of the ammoniaoxidizing
bacteria and denitrifiers in the systems revealed
that the communities were no more similar or dissimilar
than if they had been assembled by chance.

Citation

Mustafa, A., & Scholz, M. (2011). Characterization of microbial communities transforming and removing nitrogen in wetlands. Wetlands, 31(3), 583-592. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-011-0175-6

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2011
• Deposit Date: Jan 30, 2012
• Journal: Wetlands
• Print ISSN: 0277-5212
• Publisher: Springer Verlag
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 31
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 583-592
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-011-0175-6
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13157-011-0175-6