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Bulseco AN, Murphy AE, Giblin AE, Tucker J, Sanderman J, Bowen JL. Marsh sediments chronically exposed to nitrogen enrichment contain degraded organic matter that is less vulnerable to decomposition via nitrate reduction. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 915:169681. [PMID: 38163591 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Blue carbon habitats, including salt marshes, can sequester carbon at rates that are an order of magnitude greater than terrestrial forests. This ecosystem service may be under threat from nitrate (NO3-) enrichment, which can shift the microbial community and stimulate decomposition of organic matter. Despite efforts to mitigate nitrogen loading, salt marshes continue to experience chronic NO3- enrichment, however, the long-term consequence of this enrichment on carbon storage remains unclear. To investigate the effect of chronic NO3- exposure on salt marsh organic matter decomposition, we collected sediments from three sites across a range of prior NO3- exposure: a relatively pristine marsh, a marsh enriched to ~70 μmol L-1 NO3- in the flooding seawater for 13 years, and a marsh enriched between 100 and 1000 μmol L-1 for 40 years from wastewater treatment effluent. We collected sediments from 20 to 25 cm depth and determined that sediments from the most chronically enriched site had less bioavailable organic matter and a distinct assemblage of active microbial taxa compared to the other two sites. We also performed a controlled anaerobic decomposition experiment to test whether the legacy of NO3- exposure influenced the functional response to additional NO3-. We found significant changes to microbial community composition resulting from experimental NO3- addition. Experimental NO3- addition also increased microbial respiration in sediments collected from all sites. However, sediments from the most chronically enriched site exhibited the smallest increase, the lowest rates of total NO3- reduction by dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA), and the highest DNF:DNRA ratios. Our results suggest that chronic exposure to elevated NO3- may lead to residual pools of organic matter that are less biologically available for decomposition. Thus, it is important to consider the legacy of nutrient exposure when examining the carbon cycle of salt marsh sediments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley N Bulseco
- Marine Science Center, Northeastern University, Nahant, MA, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA
| | - Anna E Murphy
- Marine Science Center, Northeastern University, Nahant, MA, USA; INSPIRE Environmental, Newport, RI, USA
| | - Anne E Giblin
- The Ecosystems Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | - Jane Tucker
- The Ecosystems Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | | | - Jennifer L Bowen
- Marine Science Center, Northeastern University, Nahant, MA, USA.
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2
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Martínez-Soto KS, Johnson DS. A fiddler crab reduces plant growth in its expanded range. Ecology 2024; 105:e4203. [PMID: 37926441 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.4203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
Species across the planet are shifting or expanding their ranges because of climate change. These are climate migrants. Although climate migrants are well documented, their impacts on recipient ecosystems are not. Climate migrants that are also ecosystem engineers (species that modify or create habitats) will likely have profound effects on ecosystems. The Atlantic marsh fiddler crab, Minuca pugnax, is a burrowing crab that recently expanded its range into the northeastern United States. In its historical range, M. pugnax enhances the aboveground growth of the cordgrass Spartina alterniflora, a plant critical to marsh persistence. In a control-impact study, however, we found that Spartina aboveground biomass was 40% lower when M. pugnax was present. Thus, the positive effect of M. pugnax on Spartina aboveground biomass flipped to a negative one in its expanded range. Spartina belowground biomass was also 30% lower on average when crabs were present, a finding consistent with what is seen in the historical range. These impacts on Spartina are likely due to burrowing by M. pugnax. Benthic microalgae was, on average, 45% lower when crabs were present. Fiddler crabs eat benthic microalgae, and these results suggest that fiddler crabs can control algal biomass via grazing. Because fiddler crabs reduced the biomass of foundational primary producers in its expanded range, our results imply that M. pugnax can influence other saltmarsh functions such as carbon storage and accretion as they expand north. Most strikingly, our results suggest that as species expand or shift their range with climate change, not only can they have profound impacts in their new ranges but those impacts can be the inverse of what is seen in their historical ranges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayla S Martínez-Soto
- Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William & Mary, Gloucester Point, Virginia, USA
| | - David S Johnson
- Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William & Mary, Gloucester Point, Virginia, USA
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3
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Crump BC, Bowen JL. The Microbial Ecology of Estuarine Ecosystems. ANNUAL REVIEW OF MARINE SCIENCE 2024; 16:335-360. [PMID: 37418833 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-marine-022123-101845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
Human civilization relies on estuaries, and many estuarine ecosystem services are provided by microbial communities. These services include high rates of primary production that nourish harvests of commercially valuable species through fisheries and aquaculture, the transformation of terrestrial and anthropogenic materials to help ensure the water quality necessary to support recreation and tourism, and mutualisms that maintain blue carbon accumulation and storage. Research on the ecology that underlies microbial ecosystem services in estuaries has expanded greatly across a range of estuarine environments, including water, sediment, biofilms, biological reefs, and stands of seagrasses, marshes, and mangroves. Moreover, the application of new molecular tools has improved our understanding of the diversity and genomic functions of estuarine microbes. This review synthesizes recent research on microbial habitats in estuaries and the contributions of microbes to estuarine food webs, elemental cycling, and interactions with plants and animals, and highlights novel insights provided by recent advances in genomics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Byron C Crump
- College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA;
| | - Jennifer L Bowen
- Marine Science Center, Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Northeastern University, Nahant, Massachusetts, USA;
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4
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Zhang X, Lin L, Li H, Liu S, Tang S, Yuan B, Hong H, Su M, Liu J, Yan C, Lu H. Iron plaque formation and its influences on the properties of polyethylene plastic surfaces in coastal wetlands: Abiotic factors and bacterial community. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 461:132585. [PMID: 37741204 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2023]
Abstract
Iron (Fe) plaques in coastal wetlands are widely recognized because of their strong adsorption affinity for natural particles, but their interaction behaviors and mechanisms with plastics remain unknown. Through laboratory incubation experiments, paired with multiple characterization methods and microbial analysis, this work focused on the characteristics of Fe plaques on low-density polyethylene plastic surfaces and their relationship with environmental factors in coastal wetlands (Mangrove and Spartina alterniflora soil). The results showed that iron plaques increased the adhesive force of the plastic surface from 65.25 to 300 nN and promoted the oxidation of the plastic surface. Fe plaque formation was stimulated by salinity, anaerobic conditions, natural organic matter, and a weak alkaline scenario (pH 8.0-8.3). The Fe content showed a stable positive correlation with heavy metals loading (i.e., As, Mn, Co, Cr, Pb, and Zn). Furthermore, we revealed that Fe plaque was positively regulated by Nitrospirae through 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing analysis. Meanwhile, Verrucomicrobia and Kiritimatiellaeota. may act as depressants by consuming salt. This work illustrated that iron plaques could enhance the role of plastics in contaminant migration by altering their adsorption performance, providing new insights into plastic interface behavior and potential ecological effects in coastal wetlands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoting Zhang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, Fujian, China
| | - Lujian Lin
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, Fujian, China
| | - Hanyi Li
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, Fujian, China
| | - Shanle Liu
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, Fujian, China
| | - Shuai Tang
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Biotransformation of Organic Solid Waste, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Urban Ecological Process and Eco-Restoration, Technology Innovation Center for Land Spatial Eco-restoration in Metropolitan Area, Ministry of Natural Resources, Institute of Eco-Chongming, and School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Bo Yuan
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, Fujian, China
| | - Hualong Hong
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, Fujian, China
| | - Manlin Su
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, Fujian, China
| | - Jingchun Liu
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, Fujian, China
| | - Chongling Yan
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, Fujian, China
| | - Haoliang Lu
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, Fujian, China; Fujian Key Laboratory of Coastal Pollution Prevention and Control, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, Fujian, China.
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Cruces M, Suárez J, Nancucheo I, Schwarz A. Optimization of the chemolithotrophic denitrification of ion exchange concentrate using hydrogen-based membrane biofilm reactors. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 348:119283. [PMID: 37839208 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
A H2-based membrane biofilm reactor (MBfR) was used to remove nitrate from a synthetic ion-exchange brine made up of 23.8 g L-1 NaCl. To aid the selection of the best nitrate management strategy, our research was based on the integrated analysis of ionic exchange and MBfR processes, including a detailed cost analysis. The nitrate removal flux was not affected if key nutrients were present in the feed solution including potassium and sodium bicarbonate. Operating pH was maintained between 7 and 8. By using a H2 pressure of 15 psi, a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 4 h, and a surface loading rate of 13.6 ± 0.2 g N m-2 d-1, the average nitrate removal flux was 3.3 ± 0.6 g N m-2 d-1. At HRTs of up to 24 h, the system was able to maintain a removal flux of 1.6 ± 0.2 g N m-2 d-1. Microbial diversity analysis showed that the consortium was dominated by the genera Sulfurimonas and Marinobacter. The estimated cost for a 200 m3/h capacity, coupled ion exchange (IX) + MBfR treatment plant is 0.43 USD/m3. This is a sustainable and competitive alternative to an IX-only plant for the same flowrate. The proposed treatment option allows for brine recycling and reduces costs by 55% by avoiding brine disposal expenses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matias Cruces
- Departamento de Ingeniería Civil, Universidad de Concepción, P.O. Box 160-C, Concepción, 4070386, Chile
| | - José Suárez
- Departamento de Ingeniería Civil, Universidad de Concepción, P.O. Box 160-C, Concepción, 4070386, Chile
| | - Iván Nancucheo
- Facultad de Ingeniería, Arquitectura y Diseño, Universidad San Sebastián, Lientur 1457, Concepción, 4080871, Chile
| | - Alex Schwarz
- Departamento de Ingeniería Civil, Universidad de Concepción, P.O. Box 160-C, Concepción, 4070386, Chile.
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Bowen JL, Spivak AC, Bernhard AE, Fulweiler RW, Giblin AE. Salt marsh nitrogen cycling: where land meets sea. Trends Microbiol 2023:S0966-842X(23)00270-6. [PMID: 37827901 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Salt marshes sit at the terrestrial-aquatic interface of oceans around the world. Unique features of salt marshes that differentiate them from their upland or offshore counterparts include high rates of primary production from vascular plants and saturated saline soils that lead to sharp redox gradients and a diversity of electron acceptors and donors. Moreover, the dynamic nature of root oxygen loss and tidal forcing leads to unique biogeochemical conditions that promote nitrogen cycling. Here, we highlight recent advances in our understanding of key nitrogen cycling processes in salt marshes and discuss areas where additional research is needed to better predict how salt marsh N cycling will respond to future environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Bowen
- Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Northeastern University, 430 Nahant Rd, Nahant, MA, USA.
| | - Amanda C Spivak
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Anne E Bernhard
- Biology Department, Connecticut College, New London, CT 06320, USA
| | - Robinson W Fulweiler
- Department of Earth and Environment, Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Anne E Giblin
- The Ecosystems Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, MA 02543, USA
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7
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Fortune J, Butler ECV, Gibb K. Estuarine benthic habitats provide an important ecosystem service regulating the nitrogen cycle. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 190:106121. [PMID: 37531677 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2023.106121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
Globally, a key ecosystem service provided by sedimentary estuarine habitats is the regulation of nutrient cycles. The nitrogen (N) cycle is driven by complex biogeochemical transformations within these sediments-including nitrogen fixation, denitrification, assimilation and anaerobic ammonia oxidation-mediated by microorganisms. Evaluating ecosystem processes and their functional value is a knowledge gap for the wet-dry tropics and even more limited for macrotidal estuaries. The capacity of these important environments to withstand and assimilate increasing nitrogenous loads as a consequence of accelerating development pressures in tropical Australia is largely unknown. Because of the critical role nitrogen cycling plays in estuarine ecosystems, identifying important habitats that underpin N cycling, particularly denitrification known to mitigate anthropogenic N inputs, is important. Detailed benthic habitat mapping of the Darwin-Bynoe region of northern Australia has provided a rare opportunity to demarcate its key habitats, such as intertidal mudflats, seagrass, mangroves, reef and saltmarsh. Combined with new measurements of benthic nitrogen fluxes, it has been possible for the first time to map these processes and develop a simple integrated functional value for N cycling across key benthic habitats of a tropical macrotidal estuary. Maps generated in this process have provided broadscale identification of the functional importance of habitats with relevance to N removal processes. The role of intertidal sediments in denitrification has been highlighted. Furthermore, the study emphasises connectivity across benthic seascapes, where multiple services are likely to interact, in supporting overall function and ecosystem health. The distillation of composite processes in this mapping format allows resource managers and scientists to communicate outputs visually with a simple classification scheme which could be superimposed with additional data to support environmental assessment and management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Fortune
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.
| | - Edward C V Butler
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Arafura Timor Research Facility, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia; Ultramarine Concepts, PO Box 476, Sandy Bay, Tasmania, 7005, Australia
| | - Karen Gibb
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
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8
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Morris N, Alldred M, Zarnoch C, Alter SE. Estuarine Sediment Microbiomes from a Chronosequence of Restored Urban Salt Marshes. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2023; 85:916-930. [PMID: 36826588 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-023-02193-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Salt marshes play an important role in the global nutrient cycle. The sediments in these systems harbor diverse and complex bacterial communities possessing metabolic capacities that provide ecosystem services such as nutrient cycling and removal. On the East Coast of the USA, salt marshes have been experiencing degradation due to anthropogenic stressors. Salt marsh islands within Jamaica Bay, New York City (USA), are surrounded by a large highly urbanized watershed and have declined in area. Restoration efforts have been enacted to reduce further loss, but little is known about how microbial communities develop following restoration activities, or how processes such as nitrogen cycling are impacted. Sediment samples were collected at two sampling depths from five salt marsh islands to characterize the bacterial communities found in marsh sediment including a post-restoration chronosequence of 3-12 years. We used 16s rRNA amplicon sequencing to define alpha and beta diversity, taxonomic composition, and predicted metabolic profile of each sediment sample. We found significant differences in alpha diversity between sampling depths, and significant differences in beta diversity, taxonomic composition, and predicted metabolic capacity among the five sampling locations. The youngest restored site and the degraded natural sampling site exhibited the most distinct communities among the five sites. Our findings suggest that while the salt marsh islands are located in close proximity to each other, they harbor distinct bacterial communities that can be correlated with post-restoration age, marsh health, and other environmental factors such as availability of organic carbon. IMPORTANCE: Salt marshes play a critical role in the global nutrient cycle due to sediment bacteria and their metabolic capacities. Many East Coast salt marshes have experienced significant degradation over recent decades, thought largely to be due to anthropogenic stressors such as nitrogen loading, urban development, and sea-level rise. Salt marsh islands in Jamaica Bay (Queens/Brooklyn NY) are exposed to high water column nitrogen due to wastewater effluent. Several receding marsh islands have been subjected to restoration efforts to mitigate this loss. Little is known about the effect marsh restoration has on bacterial communities, their metabolic capacity, or how they develop post-restoration. Here, we describe the bacterial communities found in marsh islands including a post-restoration chronosequence of 3-12 years and one degraded marsh island that remains unrestored. We found distinct communities at marsh sites, despite their geographic proximity. Differences in diversity and community composition were consistent with changes in organic carbon availability that occur during marsh development, and may result in differences in ecosystem function among sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Morris
- The Graduate Center City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
- York College City University of New York, Jamaica, NY, USA
| | - Mary Alldred
- Center for Earth and Environmental Science State University of New York (SUNY), Plattsburgh, NY, USA
| | - Chester Zarnoch
- The Graduate Center City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
- Baruch College City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - S Elizabeth Alter
- The Graduate Center City University of New York, New York, NY, USA.
- California State University-Monterey Bay, Seaside, CA, USA.
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Watson EB, Rahman FI, Woolfolk A, Meyer R, Maher N, Wigand C, Gray AB. High nutrient loads amplify carbon cycling across California and New York coastal wetlands but with ambiguous effects on marsh integrity and sustainability. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0273260. [PMID: 36084085 PMCID: PMC9462672 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Eutrophic conditions in estuaries are a globally important stressor to coastal ecosystems and have been suggested as a driver of coastal salt marsh loss. Potential mechanisms in marshes include disturbance caused by macroalgae accumulations, enhanced soil sulfide levels linked to high labile carbon inputs, accelerated decomposition, and declines in belowground biomass that contribute to edge instability, erosion, and slumping. However, results of fertilization studies have been mixed, and it is unclear the extent to which local environmental conditions, such as soil composition and nutrient profiles, help shape the response of salt marshes to nutrient exposure. In this study, we characterized belowground productivity and decomposition, organic matter mineralization rates, soil respiration, microbial biomass, soil humification, carbon and nitrogen inventories, nitrogen isotope ratios, and porewater profiles at high and low marsh elevations across eight marshes in four estuaries in California and New York that have strong contrasts in nutrient inputs. The higher nutrient load marshes were characterized by faster carbon turnover, with higher belowground production and decomposition and greater carbon dioxide efflux than lower nutrient load marshes. These patterns were robust across marshes of the Atlantic and Pacific coasts that varied in plant species composition, soil flooding patterns, and soil texture. Although impacts of eutrophic conditions on carbon cycling appeared clear, it was ambiguous whether high nutrient loads are causing negative effects on long-term marsh sustainability in terms of studied metrics. While high nutrient exposure marshes had high rates of decomposition and soil respiration rates, high nutrient exposure was also associated with increased belowground production, and reduced levels of sulfides, which should lead to greater marsh sustainability. While this study does not resolve the extent to which nutrient loads are negatively affecting these salt marshes, we do highlight functional differences between Atlantic and Pacific wetlands which may be useful for understanding coastal marsh health and integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Burke Watson
- Department of Biodiversity, Earth and Environmental Sciences and The Academy of Natural Sciences, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Farzana I. Rahman
- Department of Biodiversity, Earth and Environmental Sciences and The Academy of Natural Sciences, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Andrea Woolfolk
- Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Watsonville, California, United States of America
| | - Robert Meyer
- Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, Watsonville, California, United States of America
| | - Nicole Maher
- The Nature Conservancy in New York, Uplands Farm Sanctuary, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, United States of America
| | - Cathleen Wigand
- Atlantic Coastal Environmental Sciences Division, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Narragansett, Rhode Island, United States of America
| | - Andrew B. Gray
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of California, Riverside, California, United States of America
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Upreti K, Rivera-Monroy VH, Maiti K, Giblin AE, Castañeda-Moya E. Dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) is marginal relative to denitrification in emerging-eroding wetlands in a subtropical oligohaline and eutrophic coastal delta. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 819:152942. [PMID: 35007602 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.152942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Revised: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Nitrate (NO3-) and ammonium (NH4+) are reactive nitrogen (Nr) forms that can exacerbate eutrophication in coastal regions. NO3- can be lost to the atmosphere as N2 gas driven by direct denitrification, coupled nitrification-denitrification and annamox or retained within the ecosystems through conversion of NO3- to NH4+ via dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA). Denitrification and DNRA are competitive pathways and hence it is critical to evaluate their functional biogeochemical role. However, there is limited information about the environmental factors driving DNRA in oligohaline habitats, especially within deltaic regions where steep salinity gradients define wetland spatiotemporal distribution. Here we use the Isotope Pairing Technique to evaluate the effect of temperature (10, 20, 30 °C) and in situ soil/sediment organic matter (OM%) on total denitrification (Dtotal = direct + coupled nitrification) and DNRA rates in oligohaline forested/marsh wetlands soils and benthic sediment habitats at two sites representing prograding (Wax Lake Delta, WLD) and eroding (Barataria- Lake Cataouatche, BLC) deltaic stages in the Mississippi River Delta Plain (MRDP). Both sites receive MR water with high NO3- (>40 μM) concentrations during the year via river diversions. Denitrification rates were significantly higher (range: 18.0 ± 0.4-113.0 ± 10.6 μmol m-2 h-1) than DNRA rates (range: 0.7 ± 0.2-9.2 ± 0.3 μmol m-2 h-1). Therefore, DNRA represented on average < 10% of the total NO3- reduction (DNRA + Dtotal). Unlike denitrification, DNRA showed no consistent response to temperature. These results indicate that DNRA in wetland soils and benthic sediment is not a major nitrogen transformation in oligohaline regions across the MRDP regardless of wide range of OM% content in these eroding and prograding delta lobes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiran Upreti
- Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, College of the Coast and Enviroment, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, USA
| | - Victor H Rivera-Monroy
- Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, College of the Coast and Enviroment, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, USA.
| | - Kanchan Maiti
- Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, College of the Coast and Enviroment, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, USA
| | - Anne E Giblin
- The Ecosystems Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
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11
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Seasonal and Zonal Succession of Bacterial Communities in North Sea Salt Marsh Sediments. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10050859. [PMID: 35630305 PMCID: PMC9146408 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10050859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Benthic microbial communities of intertidal zones perform important biogeochemical processes and provide accessible nutrients for higher organisms. To unravel the ecosystem services of salt marsh microbial communities, we analyzed bacterial diversity and metabolic potential along the land–sea transition zone on seasonal scales on the German North Sea Island of Spiekeroog. Analysis of bacterial community was based on amplicon sequencing of 16S rRNA genes and –transcripts. Insights into potential community function were obtained by applying the gene prediction tool tax4fun2. We found that spatial variation of community composition was greater than seasonal variations. Alphaproteobacteria (15%), Gammaproteobacteria (17%) and Planctomycetes (11%) were the most abundant phyla across all samples. Differences between the DNA-based resident and RNA-based active communities were most pronounced within the Planctomycetes (17% and 5%) and Cyanobacteriia (3% and 12%). Seasonal differences were seen in higher abundance of Gammaproteobacteria in March 2015 (25%) and a cyanobacterial summer bloom, accounting for up to 70% of the active community. Taxonomy-based prediction of function showed increasing potentials for nitrification, assimilatory nitrate and sulfate reduction from sea to land, while the denitrification and dissimilatory sulfate reduction increased towards the sea. In conclusion, seasonal differences mainly occurred by blooming of individual taxa, while the overall community composition strongly corresponded to locations. Shifts in their metabolism could drive the salt marsh’s function, e.g., as a potential nitrogen sink.
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12
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Niu L, Xie X, Li Y, Hu Q, Wang C, Zhang W, Zhang H, Wang L. Effects of nitrogen on the longitudinal and vertical patterns of the composition and potential function of bacterial and archaeal communities in the tidal mudflats. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 806:151210. [PMID: 34715211 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Increasing attention has been focused on the diminishing health of coastal ecosystems. Understanding the effects of eutrophication on tidal flat ecosystems is beneficial for the restoration and management of coastal ecosystems. However, previous studies did not consider the effects of nitrogen on the structure and function of bacterial and archaeal communities in longitudinal and vertical profiles. Here, the diversity, composition, assembly mechanism, and potential metabolic function of the bacterial and archaeal communities were studied in two longitudinal tidal sections at different eutrophic levels. Nitrogen and salinity were the critical factors that influenced the bacterial and archaeal community composition using canonical correspondence and multivariate regression tree analyses. For the bacterial community, the higher nitrogen loading in tidal mudflats resulted in the convergence of diversity and structure in the longitudinal profile of bacteria, but divergence was detected in the vertical profile. For archaea, the diversity tended to be convergent in longitudinal and vertical profiles in the higher nitrogen area, but the change of structure was similar to that of bacteria. Besides the homogeneous processes influenced by salinity, the assembly process of the bacterial community was mainly influenced by heterogeneous selection (34.8%) and that of archaea by dispersal limitation (19.5%). However, the bacterial and archaeal communities in the higher nitrogen section presented more of an influence of heterogeneous selection (respectively, 39 and 5.6%) than that of the lower nitrogen section (respectively, 10 and 0.2%). Structural equation modeling indicated that nitrogen may have inhibited the effects of the bacterial community on nitrogen turnover in nitrogen-rich anoxic sediment environments, but may have strengthened the effect of the archaeal community on carbon metabolism compared to bacteria. This work deepens our understanding of the responses of bacterial and archaeal community structure and potential function to nitrogen pollution in tidal mudflats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lihua Niu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, PR China
| | - Xudong Xie
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, PR China
| | - Yi Li
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, PR China.
| | - Qing Hu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, PR China
| | - Chao Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, PR China.
| | - Wenlong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, PR China
| | - Huanjun Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, PR China
| | - Longfei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, Ministry of Education, College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, PR China
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Wigand C, Oczkowski AJ, Branoff BL, Eagle M, Hanson A, Martin RM, Balogh S, Miller KM, Huertas E, Loffredo J, Watson EB. Recent Nitrogen Storage and Accumulation Rates in Mangrove Soils Exceed Historic Rates in the Urbanized San Juan Bay Estuary (Puerto Rico, United States). FRONTIERS IN FORESTS AND GLOBAL CHANGE 2021; 4:1-765896. [PMID: 35059638 PMCID: PMC8765364 DOI: 10.3389/ffgc.2021.765896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Tropical mangrove forests have been described as "coastal kidneys," promoting sediment deposition and filtering contaminants, including excess nutrients. Coastal areas throughout the world are experiencing increased human activities, resulting in altered geomorphology, hydrology, and nutrient inputs. To effectively manage and sustain coastal mangroves, it is important to understand nitrogen (N) storage and accumulation in systems where human activities are causing rapid changes in N inputs and cycling. We examined N storage and accumulation rates in recent (1970 - 2016) and historic (1930 - 1970) decades in the context of urbanization in the San Juan Bay Estuary (SJBE, Puerto Rico), using mangrove soil cores that were radiometrically dated. Local anthropogenic stressors can alter N storage rates in peri-urban mangrove systems either directly by increasing N soil fertility or indirectly by altering hydrology (e.g., dredging, filling, and canalization). Nitrogen accumulation rates were greater in recent decades than historic decades at Piñones Forest and Martin Peña East. Martin Peña East was characterized by high urbanization, and Piñones, by the least urbanization in the SJBE. The mangrove forest at Martin Peña East fringed a poorly drained canal and often received raw sewage inputs, with N accumulation rates ranging from 17.7 to 37.9 g -2 y-1 in recent decades. The Piñones Forest was isolated and had low flushing, possibly exacerbated by river damming, with N accumulation rates ranging from 18.6 to 24.2 g -2 y-1 in recent decades. Nearly all (96.3%) of the estuary-wide mangrove N (9.4 Mg ha-1) was stored in the soils with 7.1 Mg ha-1 sequestered during 1970-2017 (0-18 cm) and 2.3 Mg ha-1 during 1930-1970 (19-28 cm). Estuary-wide mangrove soil N accumulation rates were over twice as great in recent decades (0.18 ± 0.002 Mg ha-1y-1) than historically (0.08 ± 0.001 Mg ha-1y-1). Nitrogen accumulation rates in SJBE mangrove soils in recent times were twofold larger than the rate of human-consumed food N that is exported as wastewater (0.08 Mg ha-1 y-1), suggesting the potential for mangroves to sequester human-derived N. Conservation and effective management of mangrove forests and their surrounding watersheds in the Anthropocene are important for maintaining water quality in coastal communities throughout tropical regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cathleen Wigand
- Atlantic Coastal Environmental Sciences Division, United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), Narragansett, RI, United States
| | - Autumn J. Oczkowski
- Atlantic Coastal Environmental Sciences Division, United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), Narragansett, RI, United States
| | - Benjamin L. Branoff
- Gulf Ecosystem Measurement and Modeling, United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), Gulf Breeze, FL, United States
| | - Meagan Eagle
- Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, United States Geological Survey, Woods Hole, MA, United States
| | - Alana Hanson
- Atlantic Coastal Environmental Sciences Division, United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), Narragansett, RI, United States
| | - Rose M. Martin
- Atlantic Coastal Environmental Sciences Division, United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), Narragansett, RI, United States
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
| | - Stephen Balogh
- Atlantic Coastal Environmental Sciences Division, United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), Narragansett, RI, United States
| | - Kenneth M. Miller
- General Dynamics Information Technology, Alexandria, VA, United States
| | - Evelyn Huertas
- Caribbean Environmental Protection Division, United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), Guaynabo, PR, United States
| | - Joseph Loffredo
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
| | - Elizabeth B. Watson
- Department of Biodiversity, Earth & Environmental Science, The Academy of Natural Sciences, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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