Relative contributions of bacteria and fungi to rates of degradation of lignocellulosic detritus in salt-marsh sediments. [Spartina alterniflora; Buergenerula spartinae; Phaeosphaeria typharum; Leptosphaeria obiones]
Specifically radiolabeled (/sup 14/C-lignin)lignocellulose and (/sup 14/C-polysaccharide)lignocellulose from the salt-marsh cordgrass Spartina alterniflora were incubated with an intact salt-marsh sediment microbial assemblage, with a mixed (size-fractionated) bacterial assemblage, and with each of three marine fungi, Buergenerula spartinae, Phaeosphaeria typharum, and Leptosphaeria obiones, isolated from decaying S. alterniflora. The bacterial assemblage alone mineralized the lignin and polysaccharide components of S. alterniflora lignocellulose at approximately the same rate as did intact salt-marsh sediment inocula. The polysaccharide component was mineralized twice as fast as the lignin component; after 23 days of incubation, ca. 10% of the lignin component and 20% of the polysaccharide component of S. alterniflora lignocellulose were mineralized. Relative to the total sediment and bacterial inocula, the three species of fungi mediated only very slow mineralization of the lignin and polysaccharide components of S. alterniflora lignocellulose. Experiments with uniformly /sup 14/C-labeled S. alterniflora material indicated that the three fungi and the bacterial assemblage were capable of degrading the non-lignocellulosic fraction of S. alterniflora material, but only the bacterial assemblage significantly degraded the lignocellulosic fraction. Our results suggest that bacteria are the predominant degraders of lignocellulosic detritus in salt-march sediments.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Georgia, Athens
- OSTI ID:
- 6095972
- Journal Information:
- Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States), Journal Name: Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States) Vol. 48:1; ISSN AEMID
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Preparation, characterization, and microbial degradation of specifically radiolabeled (/sup 14/C)lignocelluloses from marine and fresh water macrophytes. [Spartina alterniflora; Juncus roemerianus; Rhizophora mangle; Carex walteriana]
Isolation of a bacterium capable of degrading peanut hull lignin
Related Subjects
Aquatic-- Basic Studies-- Radiometric Techniques-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
550701* -- Microbiology-- Tracer Techniques
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
BACTERIA
BIODEGRADATION
CARBOHYDRATES
CARBON 14 COMPOUNDS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DECOMPOSITION
DETRITUS
ECOSYSTEMS
FUNGI
GRASS
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
LIGNIN
MARSHES
MICROORGANISMS
MINERALIZATION
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PLANTS
POLYSACCHARIDES
SACCHARIDES
SEDIMENTS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
WETLANDS