Nitrogen loading affects microbes, nitrifiers and denitrifiers attached to submerged macrophyte in constructed
Liying Yan1, Songhe Zhang1, Da Lin1
1Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China.
The Science of the Total Environment
|December 7, 2017
Summary
Nitrogen loading boosts wetland biofilms on submerged plants, enhancing total nitrogen removal. This highlights the crucial role of the macrophyte-biofilm system in wetland ecosystems.
Area of Science:
- Wetland Ecology
- Microbial Ecology
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Submerged macrophytes and biofilms are key wetland components.
- Limited understanding of microbial changes in macrophyte biofilms under nitrogen loading.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate microbial, algal, nitrifier, and denitrifier changes in biofilms.
- Assess these changes on artificial plants (AP) and specific macrophytes (PM, VN, HV) under varying total nitrogen (TN) concentrations.
Main Methods:
- Biofilm analysis on artificial and natural submerged plants.
- Exposure to varied total nitrogen (TN) concentrations.
- Measurement of microbial gene abundance (amoA, nirK, nirS, napA, narG, cnorB) and water parameters (DO, pH).
Main Results:
- Nitrogen addition increased biofilm biomass, altered water DO and pH.
- Epiphytic algal density varied by plant species (AP>PM>VN>HV).
- Nitrogen loading significantly increased abundance of key microbial genes involved in nitrogen cycling.
Conclusions:
- Nitrogen loading stimulates macrophyte-biofilm growth and enhances total nitrogen removal.
- Synergistic interactions between submerged macrophytes and biofilms are crucial for wetland nitrogen removal.
- The submerged macrophyte-biofilm system plays a vital ecological role in wetland nitrogen cycling.
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