Factors affecting the response of marine and estuarine bacterial
communities to trace metal enrichment
Factors affecting the response of marine and estuarine bacterial
communities to trace metal enrichment
Studies of the effects of trace metal perturbation on microbial communities have, to date,
concentrated on contaminated environments, single phylotypes or single metals. The
effects of trace metals on bacterial communities in estuarine and marine environments
have been largely overlooked. The aim of this research was to advance the scientific
knowledge in this area by the implementation of incubation experiments. Experiments
were designed to determine the effects of trace metal enrichment and aggregate formation
on the structure and function of bacterial communities. Environmental samples included
bacterioplankton from a pristine estuary (Erme, Devon), a moderately contaminated
estuary (Tamar, Devon), a contaminated estuary (Fal, Cornwall), a coastal station (M1)
and a truly marine station off the continental shelf (M2).
Key factors influencing the response of bacterial communities to trace metal enrichment
were identified. In marine communities the most influential factors were; environmental
parameters, such as type and concentration of organic matter; initial community
composition and ambient concentration of zinc. The addition of trace metals resulted in a
decrease in diversity in the bacterial community from the Tamar Estuary, however,
bacterial association with aggregates appeared to reduce this effect. Community
dynamics of bacteria from a pristine estuary (Erme) demonstrated remarkable bacterial
resilience under trace metal stress, particularly in samples dominated by bacteria from the
Rhodobacteraceae. Some metals were shown to have a more profound effect on
community dynamics than others, resulting in the division of trace metals into Type 1 and
Type 2 categories as a function of bacterial response. RNA derived community
fingerprints were more different between incubation conditions than DNA derived
fingerprints, and were thus a more sensitive indication of response to trace metal
enrichment. The wider implications of the effects of trace metals on bacterial
communities in estuarine and marine environments are discussed, along with possible
future research directions. Recommendations are made for future investigations of the
effects of metal contamination in light of the results presented here.
Jones, Rachel Mary
23f50704-66ce-4dfa-8b31-37ab6be575e3
July 2005
Jones, Rachel Mary
23f50704-66ce-4dfa-8b31-37ab6be575e3
Jones, Rachel Mary
(2005)
Factors affecting the response of marine and estuarine bacterial
communities to trace metal enrichment.
University of Southampton, School of Ocean and Earth Science, Doctoral Thesis, 196pp.
Record type:
Thesis
(Doctoral)
Abstract
Studies of the effects of trace metal perturbation on microbial communities have, to date,
concentrated on contaminated environments, single phylotypes or single metals. The
effects of trace metals on bacterial communities in estuarine and marine environments
have been largely overlooked. The aim of this research was to advance the scientific
knowledge in this area by the implementation of incubation experiments. Experiments
were designed to determine the effects of trace metal enrichment and aggregate formation
on the structure and function of bacterial communities. Environmental samples included
bacterioplankton from a pristine estuary (Erme, Devon), a moderately contaminated
estuary (Tamar, Devon), a contaminated estuary (Fal, Cornwall), a coastal station (M1)
and a truly marine station off the continental shelf (M2).
Key factors influencing the response of bacterial communities to trace metal enrichment
were identified. In marine communities the most influential factors were; environmental
parameters, such as type and concentration of organic matter; initial community
composition and ambient concentration of zinc. The addition of trace metals resulted in a
decrease in diversity in the bacterial community from the Tamar Estuary, however,
bacterial association with aggregates appeared to reduce this effect. Community
dynamics of bacteria from a pristine estuary (Erme) demonstrated remarkable bacterial
resilience under trace metal stress, particularly in samples dominated by bacteria from the
Rhodobacteraceae. Some metals were shown to have a more profound effect on
community dynamics than others, resulting in the division of trace metals into Type 1 and
Type 2 categories as a function of bacterial response. RNA derived community
fingerprints were more different between incubation conditions than DNA derived
fingerprints, and were thus a more sensitive indication of response to trace metal
enrichment. The wider implications of the effects of trace metals on bacterial
communities in estuarine and marine environments are discussed, along with possible
future research directions. Recommendations are made for future investigations of the
effects of metal contamination in light of the results presented here.
Text
Jones_RM_2005_PhD.pdf
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More information
Published date: July 2005
Organisations:
University of Southampton
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 66354
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/66354
PURE UUID: 60b469fc-de38-45a2-9417-ab33502ed3cd
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Date deposited: 05 Jun 2009
Last modified: 29 Jan 2020 12:52
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Author:
Rachel Mary Jones
University divisions
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