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The Benthic Exchange of O2, N2 and Dissolved Nutrients Using Small Core Incubations
Published on: August 3, 2016
Microbial nitrogen loss by coupled nitrification to denitrification and anammox in a permeable subterranean estuary
Jiapeng Wu1, Yiguo Hong2, Stephanie J Wilson3
1Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
Abstract:
The nitrogen (N) loss processes have not been well examined in subterranean estuaries (STEs) between land and sea. We utilized a 15N isotope tracer method, q-PCR, and high-throughput sequencing to reveal the activities, abundances, and community compositions of N loss communities in a STE in Gloucester Point, Virginia, US. The highest activities, abundances and diversity of denitrifiers and anammox bacteria were detected at 50-60 cm depth in the aerobic-anaerobic transition zone (AATZ) characterized by sharp redox gradients. nirS-denitrifiers and anammox bacteria were affiliated to 10 different clusters and three genera, respectively. Denitrification and anammox played equal roles with an estimated N loss of 13.15 mmol N m-3 day-1. A positive correlation between ammonia oxidizing prokaryote abundances and DO as well as NOx- suggested that nitrification produces NOx- which supports the hotspot of denitrification and anammox within the AATZ. Overall, these results highlight the roles of N loss communities in STEs.
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