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Biofilm recovery in a wastewater treatment plant‐influenced stream and spatial segregation of ammonia‐oxidizing microbial populations
Author(s) -
Merbt Stephanie N.,
Auguet Jean-Christophe,
Casamayor Emilio O.,
Marti Eugènia
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
limnology and oceanography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.7
H-Index - 197
eISSN - 1939-5590
pISSN - 0024-3590
DOI - 10.4319/lo.2011.56.3.1054
Subject(s) - biofilm , environmental chemistry , ammonium , biomass (ecology) , sewage treatment , wastewater , environmental science , nitrification , chlorophyll a , moving bed biofilm reactor , biology , chemistry , nitrogen , ecology , environmental engineering , bacteria , botany , genetics , organic chemistry
We monitored the effects of wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) inputs on the recovery of stream biofilms after a large flood event that eroded most of the former biofilm communities. We monitored biomass recovery, chlorophyll a , nitrogen content, and stable isotope natural abundance ( 15 N) over 8 weeks in light‐ and dark‐exposed biofilms upstream and downstream from WWTP inputs, respectively, as well as the abundance of ammonia oxidizers by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Biomass and chlorophyll a recovered quickly (< 2 weeks), and were significantly higher for light‐ than for dark‐exposed biofilms. There was no consistent effect of WWTP inputs on these parameters, except for the biomass on dark‐exposed biofilm that was higher at the WWTP‐influenced sites. The influence of the WWTP inputs on stream‐water ammonium concentration and its isotopic 15 N signature increased as the flood receded. Biofilm 15 N downstream of WWTP increased over time, tracking the increase in 15 N‐ammonium from the WWTP waters. Bacterial and archaeal ammonia oxidizers were present within the biofilm assemblages from early stages of postflood recovery. However, spatial distribution of these two clades was clearly segregated among sites and between light‐ and dark‐exposed biofilms, probably related to ammonium availability and the development of photoautotrophic organisms.