Effects of petroleum pollution on epiphytic salt marsh N{sub 2}-fixing communities
- Univ. of North Carolina, Morehead City, NC (United States). Inst. of Marine Sciences
Increasing human activity in and around coastal waters of the US had led to elevations in both acute and chronic petroleum pollution. Petroleum inputs may have significant effects on Spartina altemiflora marshes, which are widespread on the east coast of the US and play an integral role in coastal nutrient cycling and trophodynamics. Because productivity and decomposition are often N limited in these systems, N{sub 2}-fixation may be an important source of erogenous N. Epiphytic N{sub 2}-fixing cyanobacterial communities occur on Spartina stems throughout coastal salt marshes. Short-term (3 hour) incubations of standing dead Spartina stems in creek water amended with weathered diesel fuel led to a reduction in N{sub 2}-fixation rates relative to natural rates. Lower level diesel fuel additions (between 0.33% and 0.0167% v/v) had either no significant effect or led to increases in acetylene reduction rates. Reduction of epiphytic N{sub 2}-fixation on Spartina stems by acute petroleum pollution could have several implications for salt marsh functioning including, reduction in prey for resident macrofauna and magnification of N limitation in the system. The fact that N{sub 2}-fixation is not completely inhibited, even at high levels of petroleum pollution, should be considered when formulating remedial strategies for petroleum spills in salt marshes. Removal of Spartina by burning or cutting may be counter-productive in that it eliminates an important functional component of the microbial community that may facilitate pollution assimilation. Efforts are currently underway to assess the effect of chronic petroleum pollution on this N{sub 2}-fixing community.
- OSTI ID:
- 455293
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-961149-; TRN: 97:012041
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 17. annual meeting of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry: partnerships for the environment - science, education, and policy, Washington, DC (United States), 17-21 Nov 1996; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of SETAC 17. annual meeting -- Abstract book. Partnerships for the environment: Science, education, and policy; PB: 378 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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