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Characterization of microbial populations in polluted marine sediments
Author(s) -
Parkes R.J.,
Taylor J.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
journal of applied bacteriology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.889
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1365-2672
pISSN - 0021-8847
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2672.1985.tb04898.x
Subject(s) - sediment , context (archaeology) , biomass (ecology) , environmental science , microbial population biology , pollutant , ecology , biology , bacteria , biochemical engineering , paleontology , genetics , engineering
Summary The sediment environment is both heterogeneous and complex, and so too are the bacterial communities which develop within it. There are no simple, universal techniques available to characterize sediment microbial communities. Each method, even ones purporting to measure the same parameter (e.g. total bacterial biomass by ATP, LPS or direct counts plus volume estimates), tends to quantify a specific aspect of the microbial community. Hence, methods used to characterize bacterial populations within sediments need to be chosen carefully and with full awareness of the principles and limitations involved. An important point which also has to be considered is that biomass estimates, which may be equatable to activity for higher organisms, do not necessarily reflect metabolic activity when applied to bacteria (Meyer‐Reil et al. 1978). A large number of techniques for quantifying microbial populations require that the basic data be multiplied by conversion factors in order to obtain information which is both understandable and comparable with other data. These factors have to be used with caution, as they are often derived from laboratory isolates which may have very different properties and compositions from sediment bacteria. Also, as bacterial types change with depth within a sediment (Fig. 4), so too may the appropriate conversion factors. In this context there is obviously a need for more basic physiological information concerning sediment bacteria. In addition, if the characterization of bacterial populations within sediments is to play an effective role in the study of the impact of pollutants on the system in general, information is needed about the variability of microbial populations in both polluted and non‐polluted sediments. With all the problems associated with quantifying bacterial activity and populations within sediments it is tempting to ask the question 'Why bother to include micro‐organisms in any pollution study? The answer is that because they are the organisms that will respond rapidly to even small environmental changes, they provide the potential for positive action to be taken before damage to the higher trophic levels becomes irreversible.