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In situ distribution and activity of nitrifying bacteria in freshwater sediment
Author(s) -
Altmann Dörte,
Stief Peter,
Amann Rudolf,
De Beer Dirk,
Schramm Andreas
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
environmental microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.954
H-Index - 188
eISSN - 1462-2920
pISSN - 1462-2912
DOI - 10.1046/j.1469-2920.2003.00469.x
Subject(s) - nitrospira , nitrification , biology , nitrite , nitrifying bacteria , bacteria , environmental chemistry , sediment , in situ , proteobacteria , microbiology and biotechnology , 16s ribosomal rna , ecology , nitrogen , chemistry , nitrate , paleontology , genetics , organic chemistry
Summary Nitrification was investigated in a model freshwater sediment by the combined use of microsensors and fluorescence in situ hybridization with rRNA‐targeted oligonucleotide probes. In situ nitrification activity was restricted mainly to the upper 2 mm of the sediment and coincided with the maximum abundance of nitrifying bacteria, i.e. 1.5 × 10 7 cells cm −3 for ammonia‐oxidizing Beta‐proteobacteria (AOB) and 8.6 × 10 7 cells cm −3 for Nitrospira ‐like nitrite‐oxidizing bacteria (NOB). Cell numbers of AOB decreased more rapidly with depth than numbers of NOB. For the first time, Nitrospira ‐like bacteria could be quantified and correlated with in situ nitrite oxidation rates in a sediment. Estimated cell‐specific nitrite oxidation rates were 1.2–2.7 fmol NO 2 – cell −1 h −1 .