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A Flow-through Exposure System for Evaluating Suspended Sediments Effects on Aquatic Life
Published on: January 9, 2017
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Micro food web networks on suspended sediment
Thu Ha Nguyen1, Fiona H M Tang1, Federico Maggi1
1Laboratory for Advanced Environmental Engineering Research, School of Civil Engineering, The University of Sydney, Bld. J05, 2006 Sydney, NSW, Australia.
The Science of the Total Environment
|September 8, 2018
Summary
Aquatic aggregates form from mineral and microbial interactions. A new model, BFLOC2, predicts aggregate size and settling velocity, revealing that microbial processes influence aggregate dynamics differently than mineral factors alone.
Area of Science:
- * Aquatic microbiology
- * Biogeochemistry
- * Environmental fluid dynamics
Background:
- * Suspended aggregates in aquatic ecosystems are influenced by both hydrodynamic mineral interactions and microbial food webs.
- * Understanding these complex interactions is crucial for predicting aggregate behavior and fate in aquatic environments.
Purpose of the Study:
- * To introduce and validate a microbiological-physical model (BFLOC2) for predicting aquatic aggregate geometry and settling velocity.
- * To investigate the combined effects of hydrodynamic and biological processes on aggregate formation and dynamics.
- * To explore how mineral and microbial components interact to influence aggregate characteristics.
Main Methods:
- * Development and calibration of the BFLOC2 model, incorporating mineral dynamics and microbial food web interactions (bacteria, flagellates, ciliates).
- * Model calibration against data from pure mineral systems (aggregate size, fractal dimension) and pure microbial systems (attached cell abundance).
- * Validation of the calibrated BFLOC2 model using biomineral aggregate experiments across varying nutrient concentrations.
Main Results:
- * BFLOC2 successfully predicts aggregate size, capacity dimension, and biomass fraction under diverse environmental conditions.
- * Biomineral aggregates exhibit maximum size at intermediate shear rates due to microbial activity, contrasting with mineral aggregates.
- * Settling velocity is determined by aggregate size, capacity dimension, and biomass fraction, with microbial dynamics playing a significant role.
Conclusions:
- * Microbial food web interactions and cell motility are key drivers of aggregate-attached cell abundance and overall aggregate dynamics.
- * The BFLOC2 model provides a robust framework for understanding the interplay between physical and biological factors in aquatic aggregate formation.
- * Optimal environmental conditions for aggregate size, biomass, and settling velocity vary, highlighting the complexity of aquatic ecosystems.
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