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Seasonal variation in nutrient limitation of microbial biofilms colonizing organic and inorganic substrata in streams

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Abstract

Humans have increased the availability of nutrients including nitrogen and phosphorus worldwide; therefore, understanding how microbes process nutrients is critical for environmental conservation. We examined nutrient limitation of biofilms colonizing inorganic (fritted glass) and organic (cellulose sponge) substrata in spring, summer, and autumn in three streams in Michigan, USA. Biofilms were enriched with nitrate (NO3 −), phosphate (PO4 3−), ammonium (NH4 +), NO3 − + PO4 3−, NH4 + + PO4 3−, or none (control). We quantified biofilm structure and function as chlorophyll a (i.e., primary producer biomass) and community respiration on all substrata. In one stream, we characterized bacterial and fungal communities on cellulose in autumn using clone library sequencing and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis to determine if community structure was linked to nutrient limitation status. Despite oligotrophic conditions, primary producer biomass was infrequently nutrient limited. In contrast, respiration on organic substrata was frequently limited by N + P combinations. We found no difference between biofilm response to NH4 + versus NO3 − enrichment, although the response to both N-species was positively related to water column PO4 3− concentrations and temperature. Molecular analysis for fungal community composition suggested no relationship to nutrient limitation, but the dominant members of the bacterial community on cellulose were different on NO3 −, PO 34 , and NO3 − + PO4 3− treatments relative to control, NH4 +, and NH4 + + PO4 3− treatments, which matched patterns for biofilm respiration rates from each treatment. Our results show discrete patterns of nutrient limitation dependent upon substratum type and season, and imply changes in bacterial community structure and function may be linked following nutrient enrichment in streams.

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Acknowledgments

We thank J. Cordova, S. Entrekin, T. Fauendorf, S. Green, K. Jankowski, J. Kominoski, B. Lima, L. Johnson, and A. Yamamuro for field and laboratory assistance. We also thank the USDA Forest Service district office in Kenton, MI, for site access, the Ottawa National Forest for logistical assistance, and the Center for Environmental Science and Technology at the University of Notre Dame for analytical assistance. This project was supported by the National Research Initiative of the USDA Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (Managed Ecosystems Program grant 2003-35101-12871) to JLT, a grant from the Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society’s Grants in Aid of Research (GIAR) to TJH, and an Arthur J. Schmitt Presidential Fellowship to TJH from the Graduate School at the University of Notre Dame.

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  1. Emma J. Rosi-Marshall

    Present address: Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, 2801 Sharon Turnpike Box AB, Millbrook, NY, 12545, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, 188 Galvin Hall, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA

    Timothy J. Hoellein & Jennifer L. Tank

  2. Department of Natural Sciences, Baruch College, City University of New York, Box A-506, 17 Lexington Ave, New York, NY, 10010, USA

    Timothy J. Hoellein

  3. Department of Biology, Loyola University of Chicago, 1032 W. Sheridan Rd., Chicago, IL, 60626, USA

    John J. Kelly & Emma J. Rosi-Marshall

  4. Center for Urban Environmental Research and Policy, Loyola University Chicago, 1032 W. Sheridan Rd., Chicago, IL, 60626, USA

    John J. Kelly & Emma J. Rosi-Marshall

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  1. Timothy J. Hoellein
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Correspondence to Timothy J. Hoellein.

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Hoellein, T.J., Tank, J.L., Kelly, J.J. et al. Seasonal variation in nutrient limitation of microbial biofilms colonizing organic and inorganic substrata in streams. Hydrobiologia 649, 331–345 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-010-0276-x

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