Effect of Water Chemistry and Hydrodynamics on Nitrogen Transformation Activity and Microbial Community Functional Potential in Hyporheic Zone Sediment Columns

Journal Article · Tue Apr 11 04:00:00 EDT 2017 · Environmental Science and Technology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6b05018· OSTI ID:1415086

Liu, Yuanyuan ^[1]; Liu, Chongxuan ^[2]; Nelson, William C. ^[3]; Shi, Liang ^[4]; Xu, Fen ^[4]; Liu, Yunde ^[4]; Yan, Ailan ^[5]; Zhong, Lirong ^[3]; Thompson, Christopher ^[3]; Fredrickson, James K. ^[3]; Zachara, John M. ^[3]

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1. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States; School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
2. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States; School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangzhou 518055, China
3. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
4. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States; School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China
5. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States; Institute of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China

Nitrogen (N) transformation in hyporheic zone (HZ) is an important component in N-cycling in ecosystems. A column study was conducted to investigate N transformation in a HZ sediment with a focus on how characteristic HZ properties including water chemistry, fluid residence time, and dynamic groundwater and surface water exchange affect on N transformation. Metagenomic and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analyses were performed to evaluate the dynamic changes in microbial community structure and its function in response to N transformation. The results indicated that N transformation in the HZ sediment was collectively controlled by microbial community functions including: denitrification, dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA), nitrification, and anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox). However, the spatial distribution of the microbial community functions and associated biogeochemical reaction rates and products changed quickly in response to experimental perturbation, and was influenced by various factors including water chemistry (dissolved O2 and N species), desorption of sediment associated organic carbon, ion exchange reactions of NH4+, and fluid residence time. The results of this study implied that the microbial community in the HZ would exhibit strong function zonation along N and O gradients, which in turn would control the rates and products of N transformation.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER) (SC-23)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 1415086
• Report Number(s): PNNL-SA-121316; KP1702030
• Journal Information: Environmental Science and Technology, Journal Name: Environmental Science and Technology Journal Issue: 9 Vol. 51; ISSN 0013-936X
• Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
58 GEOSCIENCES