Abstract
Intermittent flow of headwaters occurs with increasing frequency in temperate regions over last decades. Here, we assessed the effects of rewetting process on benthic prokaryotic communities from the Breitenbach (Hesse, Germany) for 10 days following experimental drought of different duration and intensity, by measuring the abundance of selected prokaryotic groups and potential extracellular enzyme activities (EEA). Desiccation time and intensity affected the recovery of the microbial community structure and the utilization of organic substrates in sediments, but recovery differed among prokaryotic groups and enzymes. Prokaryotes grew moderately to levels above the initial wet state, whereas Alphaproteobacteria were promoted. The EEA increased rapidly with overshoots within the first days of rewetting indicating high activation after desiccation. The ratios between the EEA changed with the duration of desiccation indicating changes of macromolecular organic matter utilization. The prokaryotic community and its functions were still distinctly different from the initial stream situation, and thus no resilience could be considered after short time (10 days) of recovery from desiccation. We propose that desiccation effects might be enhanced, if desiccation events occur under the effect of changing climate more often, more regularly, and/or for longer time spans.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Allison, S. D. & J. B. H. Martiny, 2008. Resistance, resilience, and redundancy in microbial communities. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 105: 11512–11519.
Amalfitano, S., S. Fazi, A. Zoppini, A. B. Caracciolo, P. Grenni & A. Puddu, 2008. Responses of benthic bacteria to experimental drying in sediments from Mediterranean temporary rivers. Microbial Ecology 55: 270–279.
Barnard, R. L., C. A. Osborne & M. K. Firestone, 2013. Responses of soil bacterial and fungal communities to extreme desiccation and rewetting. Isme Journal 7(11): 2229–2241.
Barthes, A., L. Ten-Hage, A. Lamy, J. L. Rols & J. Leflaive, 2015. Resilience of aggregated microbial communities subjected to drought—small-scale studies. Microbial Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-014-0532-0.
Billi, D. & M. Potts, 2002. Life and death of dried prokaryotes. Research in Microbiology 153(1): 7–12.
Buesing, N. & M. O. Gessner, 2002. Comparison of detachment procedures for direct counts of bacteria associated with sediment particles, plant litter and epiphytic biofilms. Aquatic Microbial Ecology 27(1): 29–36.
Buesing, N. & J. Marxsen, 2005. Theoretical and empirical conversion factors for determining bacterial production in freshwater sediments via leucine incorporation. Limnology and Oceanography-Methods 3: 221.
Butturini, A., A. Guarch, A. M. Romani, A. Freixa, S. Amalfitano, S. Fazi & E. Ejarque, 2016. Hydrological conditions control in situ DOM retention and release along a Mediterranean river. Water Research 99: 33–45.
Chrost, R. J., 1992. Significance of bacterial ectoenzymes in aquatic environments. Hydrobiologia 243: 61–70.
Donot, F., A. Fontana, J. C. Baccou & S. Schorr-Galindo, 2012. Microbial exopolysaccharides: main examples of synthesis, excretion, genetics and extraction. Carbohydrate Polymers 87(2): 951–962.
Fazi, S., S. Amalfitano, H. Pizzetti & J. Pernthaler, 2007. Efficiency of fluorescence in situ hybridization for bacterial cell identification in temporary river sediments with contrasting water content. Systematic and Applied Microbiology 30(6): 463–470.
Fazi, S., S. Amalfitano, C. Piccini, A. Zoppini, A. Puddu & J. Pernthaler, 2008. Colonization of overlaying water by bacteria from dry river sediments. Environmental Microbiology 10(10): 2760–2772.
Fiebig, D. M. & J. Marxsen, 1992. Immobilization and mineralization of dissolved free amino-acids by stream-bed biofilms. Freshwater Biology 28(1): 129–140.
Fierer, N., J. P. Schimel & P. A. Holden, 2003. Influence of drying-rewetting frequency on soil bacterial community structure. Microbial Ecology 45(1): 63–71.
Fredrickson, J. K., S.-M. W. Li, E. K. Gaidamakova, V. Y. Matrosova, M. Zhai, H. M. Sulloway, J. C. Scholten, M. G. Brown, D. L. Balkwill & M. J. Daly, 2008. Protein oxidation: key to bacterial desiccation resistance? Isme Journal 2(4): 393–403.
Fritsche, W., 1998. Umwelt-Mikrobiologie Grundlagen und Anwendung, Vol. 1. Gustav Fischer Verlag, Jena.
Fromin, N., G. Pinay, B. Montuelle, D. Landais, J. M. Ourcival, R. Joffre & R. Lensi, 2010. Impact of seasonal sediment desiccation and rewetting on microbial processes involved in greenhouse gas emissions. Ecohydrology 3(3): 339–348.
Holling, C. S., 1973. Resilience and stability of ecological systems. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 4: 1–24.
Holling, C. S., 1996. Engineering resilience versus ecological resilience. In Schulze, P. (ed), Engineering within ecological constraints. National Academy, Washington, DC: 31–44.
Hoppe, H.-G., 1983. Significance of exoenzymatic activities in the ecology of brackish water: measurements by means of methylumbelliferyl-substrates. Marine Ecology Progress Series 11: 299–308.
Hoshino, T., L. S. Yilmaz, D. R. Noguera & M. Wagner, 2008. Quantification of target molecules needed to detect microorganisms by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and catalyzed reporter deposition-FISH. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 74(16): 5068–5077.
Kirchman, D. L., A. I. Dittel, S. E. G. Findlay & D. Fischer, 2004. Changes in bacterial activity and community structure in response to dissolved organic matter in the Hudson River, New York. Aquatic Microbial Ecology 35(3): 243–257.
Marxsen, J. & K. P. Witzel, 1990. Measurement of exoenzymatic activity in streambed sediments using methylumbelliferyl-substrates. Archiv für Hydrobiologie 34: 21–28.
Marxsen, J. & K. P. Witzel, 1991. Significance of extracellular enzymes of organic matter degradation and nutrient regeneration in small streams. In Chrost, R. J. (ed), Microbial Enzymes in Aquatic Environments. Springer-Verlag, New York: 270–285.
Marxsen, J. & D. M. Fiebig, 1993. Use of perfused cores for evaluating extracellular enzyme-activity in stream-bed sediments. Fems Microbiology Ecology 13(1): 1–11.
Marxsen, J. & H. H. Schmidt, 1993. Extracellular phosphatase-activity in sediments of the Breitenbach, a Central-European mountain stream. Hydrobiologia 253(1–3): 207–216.
Marxsen, J., A. Zoppini & S. Wilczek, 2010. Microbial communities in streambed sediments recovering from desiccation. Fems Microbiology Ecology 71(3): 374–386.
Marxsen, J., 2011. Bacteria and fungi. In Wagner, R., J. Marxsen, P. Zwick & E. J. Cox (eds), Central European stream ecosystems. The long term study of the Breitenbach. Wiley-VCH, Weinheim: 131–194.
Marxsen, J., R. Wagner & H.-H. Schmidt, 2011. The Breitenbach and its catchment. In Wagner, R., J. Marxsen, P. Zwick & E. J. Cox (eds), Central European stream ecosystems the long term study of the Breitenbach. Wiley-VCH, Weinheim: 694.
McKew, B. A., J. D. Taylor, T. J. McGenity & G. J. C. Underwood, 2011. Resistance and resilience of benthic biofilm communities from a temperate saltmarsh to desiccation and rewetting. Isme Journal 5(1): 30–41.
Misic, C., P. Povero & M. Fabiano, 2002. Ectoenzymatic ratios in relation to particulate organic matter distribution (Ross Sea, Antarctica). Microbial Ecology 44(3): 224–234.
Perez-Mateos, M., M. D. Busto & J. C. Rad, 1991. Stability and properties of alkaline phosphate immobilized by a rendzina soil. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 55(2): 229–240.
Pernthaler, A., J. Pernthaler & R. Amann, 2004. Sensitive multi-color fluorescence in situ hybridisation for the identification of environmental microorganisms. Molecular Microbial Ecology Manual, Second Edition 3(11): 711–726.
Pohlon, E., J. Marxsen & K. Küsel, 2010. Pioneering bacterial and algal communities and potential extracellular enzyme activities of stream biofilms. Fems Microbiology Ecology 71(3): 364–373.
Pohlon, E., A. O. Fandino & J. Marxsen, 2013a. Bacterial community composition and extracellular enzyme activity in temperate streambed sediment during drying and rewetting. Plos One 8(12): e83365.
Pohlon, E., C. Maetzig & J. Marxsen, 2013b. Desiccation affects bacterial community structure and function in temperate stream sediments. Fundamental and Applied Limnology 182(2): 123–134.
Rier, S. T., K. A. Kuehn & S. N. Francoeur, 2007. Algal regulation of extracellular enzyme activity in stream microbial communities associated with inert substrata and detritus. Journal of the North American Benthological Society 26(3): 439–449.
Rier, S. T., K. S. Nawrocki & J. C. Whitley, 2011. Response of biofilm extracellular enzymes along a stream nutrient enrichment gradient in an agricultural region of north central Pennsylvania, USA. Hydrobiologia 669: 119–131.
Romani, A. M. & S. Sabater, 1997. Metabolism recovery of a stromatolitic biofilm after drought in a Mediterranean stream. Archiv für Hydrobiologie 140(2): 261–271.
Romani, A. M., S. Amalfitano, J. Artigas, S. Fazi, S. Sabater, X. Timoner, I. Ylla & A. Zoppini, 2013. Microbial biofilm structure and organic matter use in mediterranean streams. Hydrobiologia 719: 43–58.
Rulik, M. & R. Spacil, 2004. Extracellular enzyme activity within hyporheic sediments of a small lowland stream. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 36(10): 1653–1662.
Schimel, J., T. C. Balser & M. Wallenstein, 2007. Microbial stress-response physiology and its implications for ecosystem function. Ecology 88(6): 1386–1394.
Schlief, J. & M. Mutz, 2011. Leaf decay processes during and after a supra-seasonal hydrological drought in a temperate lowland stream. International Review of Hydrobiology 96(6): 633–655.
Sirova, D., J. Vrba & E. Rejmankova, 2006. Extracellular enzyme activities in benthic cyanobacterial mats: comparison between nutrient-enriched and control sites in marshes of northern Belize. Aquatic Microbial Ecology 44(1): 11–20.
Timoner, X., C. M. Borrego, V. Acuna & S. Sabater, 2014. The dynamics of biofilm bacterial communities is driven by flow wax and wane in a temporary stream. Limnology and Oceanography 59(6): 2057–2067.
Vadher, A. N., J. Millett & P. J. Wood, 2018. Direct observations of the effects of fine sediment deposition on the vertical movement of Gammarus pulex (Crustacea: Amphipoda) during substratum drying. Hydrobiologia 815: 73–82.
Wagner, R., J. Marxsen, P. Zwick & E. J. Cox, 2011. Central European stream ecosystems. The long term study of the Breitenbach. Wiley-VCH, Weinheim.
Ylla, I., I. Sanpera-Calbet, I. Munoz, A. M. Romani & S. Sabater, 2011. Organic matter characteristics in a Mediterranean stream through amino acid composition: changes driven by intermittency. Aquatic Sciences 73(4): 523–535.
Zoppini, A., S. Amalfitano, S. Fazi & A. Puddu, 2010. Dynamics of a benthic microbial community in a riverine environment subject to hydrological fluctuations (Mulargia River, Italy). Hydrobiologia 657(1): 37–51.
Zoppini, A. & J. Marxsen, 2010. Importance of extracellular enzymes for biogeochemical processes in temporary river sediments during fluctuating dry-wet conditions. Soil Enzymology 22: 103–117.
Acknowledgements
We are grateful to Janine Groh for preparing the CARD-FISH samples and to Charlotte Mätzig for measuring the EEA. The work was supported by a grant from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft to E.P.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Handling editor: Stefano Amalfitano
Electronic supplementary material
Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Pohlon, E., Rütz, N.K., Ekschmitt, K. et al. Recovery dynamics of prokaryotes and extracellular enzymes during sediment rewetting after desiccation. Hydrobiologia 820, 255–266 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-018-3662-4
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-018-3662-4