Algal and bacterial activities in acidic (pH 3) strip mine lakes

Journal Article · Tue Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1987 · Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6006312

Gyure, R A; Konopka, A; Brooks, A; Doemel, W

Reservoir 29 and Lake B are extremely acid lakes (epilimnion pHs of 2.7 and 3.2, respectively), because they receive acidic discharges from coal refuse piles. They differ in that the pH of profundal sediments in Reservoir 29 increased from 2.7 to 3.8 during the period of thermal stratification, whereas permanently anoxic sediments in Lake B had a pH of 6.2. The pH rise in Reservoir 29 sediments was correlated with a temporal increase in H/sub 2/S concentration in the anaerobic hypolimnion from 0 to >1 mM. The chlorophyll a levels in the epilimnion of Reservoir 29 were low, and the rate of primary production was typical of an oligotrophic system. However, there was a dense 10-cm layer of algal biomass at the bottom of the metalimnion. Production by this layer was low owing to light limitation and possibly H/sub 2/S toxicity. The specific photosynthetic rates of epilimnetic algae were low, which suggests that nutrient availability is more important than pH in limiting production. The highest photosynthetic rates were obtained in water samples incubated at pH 2.7 to 4. Heterotrophic bacterial activity (measured by (/sup 14/C)glucose metabolism) was greatest at the sediment/water interface. Bacterial production (assayed by thymidine incorporation) was as high in Reservoir 29 as in a nonacid mesotrophic Indiana lake.

• Research Organization: Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN
• OSTI ID: 6006312
• Journal Information: Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States), Journal Name: Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States) Vol. 53:9; ISSN AEMID
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
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59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACIDIFICATION
ALDEHYDES
ALGAE
BACTERIA
CARBOHYDRATES
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHLOROPHYLL
COAL MINING
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
GLUCOSE
HETEROCYCLIC ACIDS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
HEXOSES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN SULFIDES
LAKES
MICROORGANISMS
MINING
MONOSACCHARIDES
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
PH VALUE
PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
PHYTOCHROMES
PIGMENTS
PLANTS
PORPHYRINS
PRODUCTIVITY
PROTEINS
SACCHARIDES
SEDIMENTS
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SURFACE MINING
SURFACE WATERS
SYNTHESIS
TOXICITY