Since the nitrogen related eutrophication has become a severe problem in the Pearl River Delta complex area(PRE) in South China, it is important to have further understanding of nitrogen cycles in this area. The significant geographic and climatic differences in PRE and other estuaries, up to date there is lack of studies about the microbial mediated the dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium(DNRA) pathways. This study provide a better understanding of DNRA in South China estuaries.
Since the nitrogen related eutrophication has become a severe problem in the Pearl River Delta...
Received: 25 Jan 2019 – Accepted for review: 05 Feb 2019 – Discussion started: 15 Feb 2019
Abstract. The potential rates of dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) in the sediments collected from Huangmao Sea Estuary (HSE), one of Pearl River Estuaries in China, were investigated. The research covers a one-year period at 20 sites of HSE based on the 15N isotope and molecular biology analysis. The results showed that the environment gradients of nitrogen pollutants decreased from the estuary to the sea, and the characteristics of terrestrial pollutant export were obvious. 15NH4+ was detected in all sites in continuous-flow systems, which showed that DNRA existed in HSE potentially. In which the maximum 15NH4+ was 1948.5 μg/L, accordingly in situ rate of DNRA was 6.3 μg/L.h in 72 h. The high transcripts of nrfA gene were found at the same site, with values of 1 159 715 copics/(g wet sediment). Correspondingly, a very low transcripts of nrfA were found at other sites. Principal components analysis (PCA) based on community composition at genus level showed the distribution pattern of the nrfA gene sequences. Nine samples formed three distinct clusters, corresponding to their geographical locations, which suggested that salinity was likely to affect the selection of the nrfA bacterial populations. This study provide a better understanding of DNRA in the Pearl River Estuary.
Since the nitrogen related eutrophication has become a severe problem in the Pearl River Delta complex area(PRE) in South China, it is important to have further understanding of nitrogen cycles in this area. The significant geographic and climatic differences in PRE and other estuaries, up to date there is lack of studies about the microbial mediated the dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium(DNRA) pathways. This study provide a better understanding of DNRA in South China estuaries.
Since the nitrogen related eutrophication has become a severe problem in the Pearl River Delta...