Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Potential rates of nitrification and denitrification in an oligotrophic freshwater sediment system

  • Published:
Microbial Ecology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Potential rates of nitrification and denitrification were measured in an oligotrophic sediment system. Nitrification potential was estimated using the CO oxidation technique, and potential denitrification was measured by the acetylene blockage technique. The sediments demonstrated both nitrifying and denitrifying activity. Eh, O2, and organic C profiles showed two distinct types of sediment. One type was low in organic C, had high O2 and Eh, and had rates of denitrification 1,000 times lower than the other which had high organic C, low O2, and low Eh. Potential nitrification and denitrification rates were negatively correlated with Eh. This suggests that environmental heterogeneity in denitrifier and nitrifier populations in oligotrophic sediment systems may be assessed using Eh before sampling protocols for nitrification or denitrification rates are established. There was no correlation between denitrification and nitrification rates or between either of these processes and NH4 + or NO3 − concentrations. The maximum rate of denitrification was 0.969 nmole N cm−3 hour−1, and the maximum rate of nitrification was 23.6 nmole cm−3 hour−1, suggesting nitrification does not limit denitrification in these oligotrophic sediments. Some sediment cores had mean concentrations of 6.0 mg O2/liter and still showed both nitrification and denitrification activity.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Belser LW, Mays EL (1980) Specific inhibition of nitrite oxidation by chlorate and its use in assessing nitrification in sediments and soils. Appl Environ Microbiol 39:505–510

    Google Scholar 

  2. Carlucci AF, Strickland JDH (1968) The isolation, purification and some kinetic studies of marine nitrifying bacteria. J Exp Mar Biol 2:156–166

    Google Scholar 

  3. Duff JH, Triska FJ, Oremland RS (1984) Denitrification associated with stream periphyton: chamber estimates from undisrupted communities. J Environ Qual 13:514–518

    Google Scholar 

  4. Environmental Protection Agency (1971) Methods for chemical analysis of water and wastes. US Government Printing Office, no 5501-0067

  5. Griffiths RP, Caldwell BA, Cline JD, Broich WA, Morita RY (1982) Field observations of methane concentrations and oxidation rates in the southeastern Bering Sea. Appl Environ Microbiol 44:435–446

    Google Scholar 

  6. Henricksen K, Hansen JI, Blackburn TH (1981) Rates of nitrification, distribution of nitrifying bacteria, and nitrate fluxes in different types of sediment from Danish waters. Mar Biol 61:299–304

    Google Scholar 

  7. Howes BL, Dacey JWH, Wakeham SG (1985) Effects of sampling technique on measurements of porewater constituents in salt marsh sediments. Limnol Oceanogr 30:221–227

    Google Scholar 

  8. Jones JG (1979) Microbial nitrate reduction in freshwater sediments. J Gen Microbiol 115:27–35

    Google Scholar 

  9. Jones JG, Orlandi MJ, Simon BM (1979) A microbiological study of sediments from the Cumbrian Lakes. J Gen Microbiol 115:37–48

    Google Scholar 

  10. Jones RD, Morita RY, Griffiths RP (1984) Method for estimating in situ chemolithotrophic ammonium oxidation using carbon monoxide oxidation. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 17:259–269

    Google Scholar 

  11. Jørgensen BB, Revsbech NP (1985) Diffusive boundary layers and the oxygen uptake of sediments and detritus. Limnol Oceanogr 30:111–122

    Google Scholar 

  12. Jorgensen KS, Jensen HB, Sørensen J (1984) Nitrous oxide production from nitrification and denitrification in marine sediment at low oxygen concentrations. Can J Microbiol 30:1073–1078

    Google Scholar 

  13. Kaplan WA, Teal JM, Valiela I (1977) Denitrification in salt marsh sediments: evidence for seasonal temperature selection among populations of denitrifiers. Microb Ecol 2:193–204

    Google Scholar 

  14. Kaspar HF (1982) Denitrification in marine sediment: measurement of capacity and estimate of in situ rate. Appl Environ Microbiol 43:522–527

    Google Scholar 

  15. Klingensmith KM, Alexander V (1983) Sediment nitrification, denitrification and nitrous oxide production in a deep arctic lake. Appl Environ Microbiol 46:1084–1092

    Google Scholar 

  16. Krieg N (1981) Enrichment and isolation. In: Gerhardt P (ed) Manual of methods for general bacteriology. Am Soc Microbiol, Washington, DC, pp 112–142

    Google Scholar 

  17. Messer J, Brezonik PC (1983) Comparison of denitrification rate estimation techniques in a large, shallow lake. Water Res 17:631–640

    Google Scholar 

  18. Mortimer CH (1942) The exchange of dissolved substances between mud and water in lakes. J Ecol 30:147–201

    Google Scholar 

  19. Reddy KR, Patrick WF Jr, Phillips RE (1976) Ammonium diffusion as a factor in nitrogen loss from flooded soils. Soil Sci Soc Am J 40:528–533

    Google Scholar 

  20. Revsbech NP, Ward DM (1984) Microprofiles of dissolved substances and photosynthesis in microbial mats measured with microelectrodes. In: Cohen Y, Castenholz RW, Halvorson HO (eds) Microbial mats: stromatolites. Alan R. Liss, New York, pp 171–188

    Google Scholar 

  21. Robertson LA, Kuenen JG (1984) Aerobic denitrification: a controversy revived. Arch Microbiol 139:351–354

    Google Scholar 

  22. Seitzinger SP, Nixon SW, Pilson MEQ (1984) Denitrification and nitrous oxide production in a coastal marine ecosystem. Limnol Oceanogr 29:73–83

    Google Scholar 

  23. Solórzano L (1962) Determination of ammonia in natural waters by the phenol hypochlorite method. Limnol Oceanogr 14:799–801

    Google Scholar 

  24. Sørensen J (1978) Capacity for denitrification and reduction of nitrate to ammonia in a coastal marine sediment. Appl Environ Microbiol 35:301–305

    Google Scholar 

  25. Tarn T-Y, Knowles R (1979) Effects of sulfide and acetylene on nitrous oxide reduction by soil and byPseudomonas aeruginosa. Can J Microbiol 25:1133–1138

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Tiedje JM, Sexstone AJ, Myrold DD, Robinson JA (1982) Denitrification: ecological niches, competition and survival. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 48:569–583

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Ventullo RM, Rowe JR (1982) Denitrification potential of epilithic communities in a lotic environment. Curr Microbiol 7:29–33

    Google Scholar 

  28. Vincent WF, Downes MT (1981) Nitrate accumulation in aerobic hypolimnia: relative importance of benthic and planktonic nitrifiera in an oligotrophic lake. Appl Environ Microbiol 42:565–573

    Google Scholar 

  29. Weiss RF, Price BF (1980) Nitrous oxide solubility in water and seawater. Mar Chem 8:347–359

    Google Scholar 

  30. Westlake DF (1963) Comparisons of plant productivity. Biol Rev 38:385–425

    Google Scholar 

  31. Wetzel RG (1983) Limnology. W. B. Saunders, Philadelphia

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. Ronald D. Jones

    Present address: Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, 33199, Miami, Florida, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of Oregon, 97403, Eugene, Oregon

    Walter K. Dodds & Ronald D. Jones

  2. Department of Microbiology, Oregon State University, 97331, Corvallis, Oregon, USA

    Walter K. Dodds & Ronald D. Jones

Authors
  1. Walter K. Dodds
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ronald D. Jones
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Dodds, W.K., Jones, R.D. Potential rates of nitrification and denitrification in an oligotrophic freshwater sediment system. Microb Ecol 14, 91–100 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02011574

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02011574

Keywords

Search

Navigation