Population ecology of nitrifiers in a stream receiving geothermal inputs of ammonium

Journal Article · Fri Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1983 · Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5579354

Cooper, A B

The distribution, activity, and generic diversity of nitrifying bacteria in a stream receiving geothermal inputs of ammonium were studied. The high estimated rates of benthic nitrate flux (33 to 75 mg of N m/sup -2/ h/sup -1/) were a result of the activity of nitrifiers located in the sediment. Nitrifying potentials and ammonium oxidizer most probable numbers in the sediments were at least one order of magnitude higher than those in the waters. Nitrifiers in the oxyenated surface (0 to 2 cm) sediments were limited by suboptimal temperature, pH, and substrate level. Nitrifiers in deep (nonsurface) oxgyenated sediments did not contribute significantly to the changes measured in the levels of inorganic nitrogen species in the overlying waters and presumably derived their ammonium supply for ammonification within the sediment. Ammonium-oxidizing isolates obtained by a most-probable number nonenrichment procedure were species of either Nitrosospira or Nitrosomonas, whereas all those obtained by an enrichment procedure (i.e., selective culture) were Nitrosomonas spp. The efficiency of the most-probable-number method for enumerating ammonium oxidizers was calculated to be between 0.05 and 2.0%, suggesting that measurements of nitrifying potentials provide a better estimate of nitrifying populations.

• Research Organization: Ministry of Works and Development, Hamilton, New Zealand
• OSTI ID: 5579354
• Journal Information: Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States), Journal Name: Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States) Vol. 45:4; ISSN AEMID
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
150600 -- Geothermal Energy-- Environmental Aspects
520200* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
550700 -- Microbiology
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS
BACTERIA
BIOSYNTHESIS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
ECOLOGY
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FLUIDS
GEOTHERMAL FIELDS
GEOTHERMAL FLUIDS
MICROORGANISMS
NITRATES
NITRIFICATION
NITRITES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POPULATION DYNAMICS
SEDIMENTS
STREAMS
SURFACE WATERS
SYNTHESIS