Microbial nitrogen loss by coupled nitrification to denitrification and anammox in a permeable subterranean estuary at Gloucester Point, Virginia

Jiapeng Wu; Yiguo Hong; Stephanie J Wilson; Bongkeun Song

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112440

Microbial nitrogen loss by coupled nitrification to denitrification and anammox in a permeable subterranean estuary at Gloucester Point, Virginia

Mar Pollut Bull. 2021 Jul:168:112440. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112440. Epub 2021 May 8.

Authors

Jiapeng Wu¹, Yiguo Hong², Stephanie J Wilson³, Bongkeun Song⁴

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
² Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China; School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China. Electronic address: yghong@gzhu.edu.cn.
³ Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William & Mary, Gloucester Point, USA.
⁴ Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William & Mary, Gloucester Point, USA. Electronic address: songb@vims.edu.

PMID: 33971455
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112440

Abstract

The nitrogen (N) loss processes have not been well examined in subterranean estuaries (STEs) between land and sea. We utilized a ¹⁵N isotope tracer method, q-PCR, and high-throughput sequencing to reveal the activities, abundances, and community compositions of N loss communities in a STE in Gloucester Point, Virginia, US. The highest activities, abundances and diversity of denitrifiers and anammox bacteria were detected at 50-60 cm depth in the aerobic-anaerobic transition zone (AATZ) characterized by sharp redox gradients. nirS-denitrifiers and anammox bacteria were affiliated to 10 different clusters and three genera, respectively. Denitrification and anammox played equal roles with an estimated N loss of 13.15 mmol N m^-3 day^-1. A positive correlation between ammonia oxidizing prokaryote abundances and DO as well as NO_x^- suggested that nitrification produces NO_x^- which supports the hotspot of denitrification and anammox within the AATZ. Overall, these results highlight the roles of N loss communities in STEs.

Keywords: Aerobic-anaerobic transition zone; Community composition; Nitrogen loss hotspots; Subterranean estuary.

MeSH terms

Bioreactors
Denitrification
Estuaries
Nitrification*
Nitrogen*
Oxidation-Reduction
Virginia

Substances

Nitrogen