汾河入黄口夏季微生物群落结构分析

【背景】河流交汇区日益成为流域生态治理的焦点和热点之一。【目的】探明汾河入黄口微生物群落结构及其主要环境影响因子。【方法】应用16S rRNA基因Illumina MiSeq高通量测序技术,分析了汾河入黄口夏季微生物群落结构,并利用典范对应分析(Canonical correspondence analysis,CCA)了解影响微生物群落的主要环境因子。【结果】多样性指数分析表明该区域微生物群落多样性较高。微生物多样性分析发现优势菌门为变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)、拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)和放线菌门(Actinobacteria);在属分类水平上,相对丰度最高的菌属为芽孢杆菌属(Bacillus),其次为乳球菌属(Lactococcus)和hgcI_clade。Spearman相关性分析及典范对应分析表明环境因子对水体微生物群落结构具有显著影响。【结论】汾河与黄河微生物群落组成具有一定的差异,不同环境因子对不同微生物的影响程度不同,p H和溶解氧(Dissolved oxygen,DO)是汾河入黄口微生物群落结构的主要影响因子。     

克拉玛依油田石油污染土壤细菌群落结构与环境因子的关系

【目的】以16S rRNA为分子标记,探讨克拉玛依油田石油污染土壤中细菌群落多样性和系统发育,并分析环境因子对群落分布的影响,为生物降解石油污染物提供理论基础。【方法】在克拉玛依油田分别采集深度为5、20、50 cm的石油污染土壤样品,测定环境参数;提取石油污染土壤细菌群落基因组DNA,分别构建3个土层细菌16S rRNA基因文库,利用限制性片段长度多态性分析(Restriction fragment length polymorphisms RFLP)技术初步分群,确定各文库中的代表菌株并测定16S rRNA基因序列;利用软件Biodap计算各群落多样性和丰富度指数,以Neighbor-Joining法构建3个土层细菌的系统发育树;运用软件CANOCO 4.5结合不同样品环境因子的差异进行典型对应分析(CCA),并探讨了环境因子对细菌多样性的影响。【结果】环境参数结果表明20 cm土层总磷(TP)、总氮(TN)含量最低,50 cm含量最高;5 cm土层中有机碳(TOC)含量最高,50 cm含量最低。基于16S rRNA序列的生物多样性和物种丰富度指数表明20 cm土层生物多样性和丰富度指数较高,而50 cm土层各项指数均较低。各土层供试序列RFLP聚类分析表明,克拉玛依油田石油污染土壤细菌种群具有丰富的多样性。Neighbor-Joining构建的系统发育分析表明,石油污染土壤被分为5个类群(I–V),分别为变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、放线菌门(Actinobacteria)、厚壁菌门(Firmicute)、拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)、浮霉状菌门(Planctomycetes),其中群Ⅰ占78.57%,广泛分布于不同的生态环境;其中来自5 cm土层代表菌的69.23%分布于群Ⅰ。CCA分析结果显示TN、TP和TOC对大部分细菌影响较大;TOC含量对Pseudomonas影响明显。【结论】克拉玛依油田石油污染土壤细菌群落具有丰富的多样性;环境因子是影响石油污染土壤细菌群落空间分布的重要因素。     

紫金山铜矿酸性矿山废水微生物群落多样性

【背景】为避免环境污染,酸性矿山废水需经处理后才能排放,处理后的废水理化性质会发生显著变化,将影响整个微生物群落的结构。【目的】分析处理前后的细菌和真菌群落变化及其与理化参数的关系,为矿山废水的处理提供参考指标,并为矿山污染场地的修复提供理论基础。【方法】采集福建紫金山铜矿的酸性矿山废水并测定其理化性质。采用基于原核微生物16S rRNA基因V4区和真菌18S rRNA基因ITS的高通量测序技术分析水样的微生物群落结构。【结果】经中和处理后的回水与矿坑水和生物浸出液相比,pH升高,重金属离子含量显著降低。原核微生物的多样性高于真菌,回水的物种多样性高于矿坑水和浸出液。回水中变形菌门的丰度最高,矿坑水和浸出液中分别以广古菌门和硝化螺菌门的丰度最高。回水中噬氢菌属为优势类群,矿坑水和浸出液中的优势菌是钩端螺旋菌属,铁质菌属等古菌也有一定的比例。pH、Al、Mn、Zn与回水中相对丰度较高的菌属显著相关,而矿坑水和浸出液中的高丰度类群与环境因子没有显著的相关性。【结论】研究表明酸性废水的中和沉淀处理对微生物群落产生了较大的影响,微生物群落变化可以作为矿山酸性废水污染处理效果的一个参考指标。     

海南海口温泉真菌、细菌多样性及其环境影响因素分析

【目的】海南海口含有丰富的温泉资源,对温泉微生物多样性进行研究,有助于进一步开发和利用海南温泉微生物资源。【方法】本文采用Illumina Hi Seq高通量测序技术对海口3个温泉[海甸岛荣域温泉(S1)、火山口开心农场温泉(S2)和西海岸海长流温泉(S3)]水样中微生物ITS序列和16Sr RNA基因V3-V4区进行测序及生物信息学分析,探究海口市3个不同区域的温泉真菌多样性与细菌多样性。【结果】(1)α多样性分析表明,真菌群落中,S3(29)S1(29)S2,而在细菌群落中,S2(29)S1(29)S3。β多样性分析表明,3个温泉真菌群落和细菌群落组成差异皆显著。(2)分类分析表明,温泉真菌群落优势菌门为子囊菌门(Ascomycota)和担子菌门(Basidiomycota),细菌群落优势菌门为变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)、Thermi、硝化螺旋菌门(Nitrospirae)、绿菌门(Chlorobi)、厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)、绿弯菌门(Chloroflexi)、放线菌门(Actinobacteria)。(3) CCA (Canonical correspondence analysis)分析表明,3个温泉的真菌群落主要影响因子是温度,细菌群落主要影响因子是总磷。【结论】海南省海口市温泉中含有丰富的微生物资源,其微生物群落组成受多种环境因子影响,且影响真菌和细菌的主要环境因子不同。     

基于高通量测序的乐安江冬季细菌群落特征分析

【目的】分析乐安江从上游至下游水体细菌群落结构组成变化,揭示细菌群落结构组成变化的影响因素。【方法】分析不同河段水体中C、N、P、Cu、Zn、As和Pb等化学指标。对水体DNA的16S rRNA基因进行高通量测序确定细菌群落特征。基于Bray-Curtis距离的采样点非度量多维尺度(NMDS)分析和聚类分析研究乐安江水体细菌群落结构差异,基于冗余分析(RDA)研究环境因子与细菌群落的关系。【结果】乐安江水体中C、N、P、Cu、Zn、As和Pb等化学指标含量中下游偏高。中游河水受德兴铜矿废水影响,细菌群落多样性降低,下游受农业、生活废水影响,细菌群落丰富度和多样性升高。水体中优势菌群为β-变形菌纲(Beta-proteobacteria,53.03%)、放线菌门(Actinobacteria,20.24%)和拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes,14.75%)。中游受德兴铜矿废水影响,Beta-proteobacteria丰度增大,而Actinobacteria丰度减小;下游受微生物间捕食影响,Bacteroidetes丰度下降。在细菌群落与环境因子的关系中,DO是解释乐安江细菌群落结构变化的最佳环境因子。【结论】乐安江中游德兴铜矿废水和中下游农业、生活废水明显改变了水体细菌群落结构组成,使水体细菌群落特征从上游到下游发生显著变化。本研究为揭示人类活动对乐安江水生态环境的影响提供了参考性数据。     

干湿交替对生物滞留系统中氮素功能微生物群落的影响

【目的】为探究生物滞留系统干湿交替下环境因子对氮素功能微生物群落的影响。【方法】应用高通量测序技术(Illumina MiSeq PE300),并以amoA和nirS功能基因为分子标记,对无植物型和植物型生物滞留系统在干湿交替下不同土壤空间位置(种植层、淹没层)的硝化和反硝化细菌的多样性和群落结构进行研究,并对微生物群落与环境因子的相互关系进行相关性分析。【结果】微生物种群的功能基因存在显著的空间差异,相比淹没层,种植层的功能细菌更丰富。种植层的OTUs高于淹没层,而进水再湿润促使两种功能基因在种植层和淹没层的OTUs占比差异性增大。群落组成分析表明,amoA型硝化细菌和nirS型反硝化细菌的优势细菌门均为变形菌门(Proteobacteria)。虽然植物根系对氮素功能微生物的多样性指数影响不显著,但在属水平上,植物系统种植层的反硝化菌群种类高于淹没层,而无植物系统则刚好相反。CCA/RDA分析表明,土壤空间位置是影响硝化和反硝化菌群结构的最重要环境因子。【结论】本研究证实干湿交替运行下生物滞留系统中的氮素功能微生物群落受土壤空间位置、水分含量和植物根系的共同调控,其机制有待进一步研究。     

巴丹吉林沙漠盐湖微生物多样性

【目的】研究内蒙古巴丹吉林沙漠碱性盐湖中的原核生物多样性及其与环境因子之间的关系。【方法】利用分子生物学方法构建16S rRNA基因克隆文库,对盐湖中的嗜盐碱微生物进行系统发育分析;利用R语言绘图,对不同盐湖的微生物群落结构进行对比研究。【结果】该区域盐湖含盐量很高,矿化度达165g/L-397 g/L。同时,水体呈强碱性,p H均在10以上。三个湖的盐度和p H值等理化参数有梯度变化,因此微生物多样性和群落结构存在明显差异。整体而言,细菌的多样性大于古菌。样品中含有的主要的细菌门类为γ-变形菌亚门(Gammaproteobacteria)、拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)、α-变形菌亚门(Alphaproteobacteria)、厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)、疣微菌门(Verrucomicrobia),古菌则全部属于广古菌门(Euryarchaeota)中的盐杆菌科(Halobacteriaceae)。【结论】盐度是决定细菌群落结构的主要因素,古菌群落结构则由多种环境因素综合影响。一些已知的嗜盐碱菌,如Roseinatronobacter spp.、Halohasta spp.等,可以生活在比其盐度和碱度生长范围更高的极端盐碱环境中。此外,样品中还含有大量未培养的嗜盐碱细菌和古菌,对进一步开发极端盐碱环境中的微生物资源有重要意义。     

北京及周边地区刺蛾科昆虫系统发育多样性研究

【目的】鳞翅目刺蛾科(Lepidoptera:Limacodidae)昆虫是重要经济、行道林木的主要害虫,本试验旨在研究北京及周边地区刺蛾科昆虫的系统发育多样性,阐明其群落结构组成与环境因子之间的关系,为北京及周边地区林木害虫防治和生态系统环境保护提供科学依据。【方法】采用灯诱法于2010-2013年间进行样品采集,基于DNA条形码技术及形态特征对9个刺蛾科昆虫群落进行物种识别和鉴定,利用R软件包进行物种丰富度指数、多样性指数和系统发育多样性指数计算及相关性分析。【结果】9个群落间物种多样性和系统发育多样性之间存在差异,北部燕山地区具有较高的物种丰富度和系统发育多样性,可能与植物类型不同有关;通过多种方法分别计算系统发育多样性,结果表明系统发育多样性指数对于系统发育树构建方法和物种内遗传差异不敏感;系统发育多样性与环境因子相关性研究结果表明,该地区刺蛾科群落系统发育多样性与温度季节变化存在显著正相关性。【结论】北京及周边地区刺蛾科昆虫群落结构具有地理差异,温度季节变化可能会造成环境异质性的增加,从而增加了群落系统发育多样性的复杂度。     

安徽省某酸性矿山废水坑湖中细菌群落的垂向分布特征及其影响因素

【目的】探究酸性矿山废水(acid mine drainage,AMD)坑湖中细菌群落沿垂向不同水深的分布规律及与环境因子之间的相互作用。【方法】采用16SrRNA基因高通量测序技术,对安徽省某AMD坑湖中6条采样垂线不同水深深度的细菌群落进行调查,同时测定水质理化指标,使用统计学软件分析细菌和地化参数间的联系。【结果】AMD坑湖中水质特征及细菌群落结构出现明显分层现象,自上而下溶解氧降低而pH和多种金属离子浓度增加,微生物群落结构发生变化,多样性和部分物种的丰度增大。细菌群落组成上,表层水域以Proteobacteria (Alpha、Gammaproteobacteria)和Acidobacteria占据主导地位;中下层水域则由Firmicutes、Acidobacteria、Actinobacteria、Gammaproteobacteria和Patescibacteria等共同主导。统计分析结果表明,TN、DO、ORP、pH、Fe、Mn、Al和Zn与嗜酸细菌丰度显著相关,是细菌空间分布的主要限制因素。【结论】AMD坑湖中水质理化特征和细菌群落分布在垂向空间上存在显著差异,群落的...     

环境因素对东平湖沉积物细菌群落结构的影响

【目的】探讨环境因素对东平湖沉积物细菌群落结构的影响。【方法】应用T-RFLP(Terminal RestrictionFragment Length Polymorphism)技术分析和比较了6个不同位置的东平湖沉积物在丰水期和枯水期的细菌多样性,并结合不同样品环境因子的差异,采用主成分分析(PCA)和典型对应分析(CCA),探讨了环境因子对细菌多样性的影响。【结果】不同沉积物样品的T-RFLP图谱具有较高的相似性。除2号样品外,所有枯水期样品的细菌群落具有较高的丰富度、多样性、均匀度和较低的优势度。CCA结果表明,558bp T-RF的丰度与总磷、总氮、总有机碳、铵态氮和硝态氮含量呈负相关而与碳氮比和水深呈正相关;64.5、164、509和543bp T-RFs的丰度与总氮、总有机碳、铵态氮、硝态氮、碳氮比和水深呈正相关;而其它14种主要的T-RFs在不同样品间分布较为稳定受环境因子影响不大。90、136.5、138和488bp等T-RFs可能代表了东平湖沉积物中占优势地位的土著菌群。通过Phylogenetic Assignment Tool在线分析结果推测,东平湖沉积物中的优势菌群可能属于Firmicutes和Proteobacteria门。【结论】环境因素对东平湖沉积物的细菌多样性产生显著影响,但对其土著菌群的影响不大。     

封闭环境下酸性矿坑水中微生物生态多样性的研究

铜绿山铜矿是世界开采时间最长的矿井之一,在开采过程中有许多矿井被废弃,许多废弃的矿井内产生了大量的对环境有害的酸性矿坑水.酸性矿坑水取自铜绿山铜矿某废弃矿井,利用限制性酶切片断多样性分析(RFLP分析)对酸性矿坑水中的微生物生态多样性进行了研究.研究表明,酸性矿坑水呈酸性,相对于其他极端与非极端生态环境,酸性矿坑水中的细菌与古菌的群落多样性较低.RFLP分析与系统发育分析表明,酸性矿坑水中细菌主要由A.fcrrooxidans(属于gamma-Proteobacteria)和L.ferrooxidans(属于Nitospira)成;古菌主要由Thermoplasma相关古菌组成.在这种封闭环境的酸性矿坑水中首次发现了类似于产甲烷古菌的克隆片断,其占古菌种群的四分之一左右.本研究将促进对酸性矿坑水中细菌及古菌群落组成及其对酸性矿坑水产生的作用的研究.     

规模化牛场犊牛直肠细菌多样性分析

【目的】研究腹泻犊牛直肠细菌多样性,以及与健康犊牛直肠细菌多样性的差异。【方法】通过建立直肠菌群16S rRNA基因克隆文库,分别用限制性内切酶MspⅠ和HhaⅠ对阳性克隆的PCR产物进行限制性酶切片段长度多态性(RFLP)分析,通过测定16S rRNA基因序列,绘制系统发育树,确定犊牛直肠菌群的组成。【结果】腹泻组克隆阳性率达98.75%(474/480),优势菌群以乳杆菌属(14%)、肠球菌属(10%)和埃希菌属(8%)等需氧和兼性厌氧菌为主,健康组克隆阳性率达96.45%(488/506),优势菌群以梭菌属(13%)、双歧杆菌属(8%)和巨型球菌属(5%)等专性厌氧菌为主。【结论】2周龄犊牛直肠菌群复杂多样,并且具有自己的独特性菌群,且腹泻时乳杆菌属、肠球菌属、埃希氏菌属等显著增加。     

Recovery of novel bacterial diversity from a forested wetland impacted by reject coal

Sulphide mineral mining together with improperly contained sulphur-rich coal represents a significant environmental problem caused by leaching of toxic material. The Savannah River Site's D-area harbours a 22-year-old exposed reject coal pile (RCP) from which acidic, metal rich, saline runoff has impacted an adjacent forested wetland. In order to assess the bacterial community composition of this region, composite sediment samples were collected at three points along a contamination gradient (high, middle and no contamination) and processed for generation of bacterial and archaeal 16S rDNA clone libraries. Little sequence overlap occurred between the contaminated (RCP samples) and unimpacted sites, indicating that the majority of 16S rDNAs retrieved from the former represent organisms selected by the acidic runoff. Archaeal diversity within the RCP samples consisted mainly of sequences related to the genus Thermoplasma and to sequences of a novel type. Bacterial RCP libraries contained 16S rRNA genes related to isolates (Acidiphilium sp., Acidobacterium capsulatum, Ferromicrobium acidophilium and Leptospirillum ferrooxidans) and environmental clones previously retrieved from acidic habitats, including ones phylogenetically associated with organisms capable of sulphur and iron metabolism. These libraries also exhibited particularly novel 16S rDNA types not retrieved from other acid mine drainage habitats, indicating that significant diversity remains to be detected in acid mine drainage-type systems.     

徐州市云龙湖大型底栖动物群落演变及环境影响因子分析

【目的】了解江苏省徐州市云龙湖大型底栖动物的群落结构及其环境影响因子,可以为保护云龙湖水生态环境提供依据。【方法】于2013—2017年对云龙湖大型底栖动物和水环境因子进行了调查。利用1/16 m2彼得逊采泥器采集大型底栖动物样品,同时利用有机玻璃采水器采集水样,每年的5月和10月各采样一次,共采样10次。利用3种群落多样性指数(Shannon-Wiener指数、Margalef物种丰富度指数、Pielou均匀度指数)评价云龙湖大型底栖动物的群落结构,选择ShannonWiener指数进行水质评价,并应用典型相关分析(CCA)得出大型底栖动物与环境因子之间的关系。【结果】云龙湖大型底栖动物群落结构简单,物种较少,3种群落多样性指数年际波动不大。云龙湖水质多年处于轻污染到中污染水平之间。优势物种中水丝蚓属的主要影响因子是总氮浓度,摇蚊幼虫的主要影响因子为高锰酸盐指数。【结论】云龙湖的水体有富营养化风险,应对云龙湖大型底栖动物的保护和水质改善给予足够重视。     

Extremely acidophilic protists from acid mine drainage host Rickettsiales-lineage endosymbionts that have intervening sequences in their 16S rRNA genes

During a molecular phylogenetic survey of extremely acidic (pH < 1), metal-rich acid mine drainage habitats in the Richmond Mine at Iron Mountain, Calif., we detected 16S rRNA gene sequences of a novel bacterial group belonging to the order Rickettsiales in the Alphaproteobacteria. The closest known relatives of this group (92% 16S rRNA gene sequence identity) are endosymbionts of the protist Acanthamoeba. Oligonucleotide 16S rRNA probes were designed and used to observe members of this group within acidophilic protists. To improve visualization of eukaryotic populations in the acid mine drainage samples, broad-specificity probes for eukaryotes were redesigned and combined to highlight this component of the acid mine drainage community. Approximately 4% of protists in the acid mine drainage samples contained endosymbionts. Measurements of internal pH of the protists showed that their cytosol is close to neutral, indicating that the endosymbionts may be neutrophilic. The endosymbionts had a conserved 273-nucleotide intervening sequence (IVS) in variable region V1 of their 16S rRNA genes. The IVS does not match any sequence in current databases, but the predicted secondary structure forms well-defined stem loops. IVSs are uncommon in rRNA genes and appear to be confined to bacteria living in close association with eukaryotes. Based on the phylogenetic novelty of the endosymbiont sequences and initial culture-independent characterization, we propose the name "Candidatus Captivus acidiprotistae." To our knowledge, this is the first report of an endosymbiotic relationship in an extremely acidic habitat.     

Bacterial Diversity in Mine Tailings Compared by Cultivation and Cultivation-independent Methods and their Resistance to Lead and Cadmium

To examine bacterial community composition in rhizosphere of plants colonizing on mine tailings and phylogenetic differences between subcommunities resistant to different metals, we constructed four clone libraries of 16S rDNA sequences. One was amplified directly from tailing microbial DNA (named as Ci library) and three from cultures on the plates containing of 0.5 mM CdCl(2) (Cd library), 2 mM Pb (NO(3))(2) (Pb library), and without any metals (Cw library). In total, nine bacterial divisions and two unclassified groups were identified from 352 clones of these libraries. Ci clones covered eight divisions, whereas all cultivable clones only covered four divisions. Thus, Ci library provided more phylogenetic diversity than cultivable libraries. However, the microbes represented by the cultivable clones were more similar to previously described bacteria than those represented by Ci clones. All Ci clones were not found in three cultivable libraries. Cd library were exclusively Gram-negative bacteria of Acinetobacter, Ralstonia, Comamonas, and Chryseobacterium. Meanwhile, dominant Gram-positive bacteria in Pb library, Paenibacillus and Bacillus, were also not found in Cd library. Our data indicate that phylogenetic structure was very different from those in acid mine drainage. Meanwhile, tailings harbored phylogenetically distinct subcommunities resistant to Pb and Cd.     

Correlating Microbial Diversity Patterns with Geochemistry in an Extreme and Heterogeneous Environment of Mine Tailings

Recent molecular surveys have advanced our understanding of the forces shaping the large-scale ecological distribution of microbes in Earth''s extreme habitats, such as hot springs and acid mine drainage. However, few investigations have attempted dense spatial analyses of specific sites to resolve the local diversity of these extraordinary organisms and how communities are shaped by the harsh environmental conditions found there. We have applied a 16S rRNA gene-targeted 454 pyrosequencing approach to explore the phylogenetic differentiation among 90 microbial communities from a massive copper tailing impoundment generating acidic drainage and coupled these variations in community composition with geochemical parameters to reveal ecological interactions in this extreme environment. Our data showed that the overall microbial diversity estimates and relative abundances of most of the dominant lineages were significantly correlated with pH, with the simplest assemblages occurring under extremely acidic conditions and more diverse assemblages associated with neutral pHs. The consistent shifts in community composition along the pH gradient indicated that different taxa were involved in the different acidification stages of the mine tailings. Moreover, the effect of pH in shaping phylogenetic structure within specific lineages was also clearly evident, although the phylogenetic differentiations within the Alphaproteobacteria, Deltaproteobacteria, and Firmicutes were attributed to variations in ferric and ferrous iron concentrations. Application of the microbial assemblage prediction model further supported pH as the major factor driving community structure and demonstrated that several of the major lineages are readily predictable. Together, these results suggest that pH is primarily responsible for structuring whole communities in the extreme and heterogeneous mine tailings, although the diverse microbial taxa may respond differently to various environmental conditions.     

Seasonal and spatial variations in microbial community structure and diversity in the acid stream draining across an ongoing surface mining site

This study examined the microbial community in an acidic stream draining across the Yun-Fu pyrite mine (Guangdong, China), where extremely acidic mine water is a persistent feature due to the intensive surface mining activities. Analysis of terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (TRFLP) of 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that microbial populations varied spatially and seasonally and correlated with geochemical and physical conditions. After the stream moves from underground to the surface, the microbial community in the acidic water rapidly evolves into a distinct community close to that in the downstream storage pond. Comparisons of TRFLP peaks with sequenced clone libraries indicated that bacteria related to the recently isolated iron-oxidizer Ferrovum myxofaciens dominated the acidophilic community throughout the year except for the samples collected in spring from the storage pond, where Ferroplasma acidiphilum -like archaea represented the most abundant group. Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans -affiliated organisms increased along the acid stream and remained common over the year, whereas Leptospirillum ferrooxidans -like bacteria were negligible or even not detected in the analyzed samples. The data indicate that changes in environmental conditions are accompanied by significant shifts in community structure of the prokaryotic assemblages at this opencast mining site.     

BIOGEOGRAPHY OF BATRACHOSPERMUM HELMENTOSUM (BATRACHOSPERMALES, RHODOPHYTA) IN NORTH AMERICA USING MOLECULAR AND MORPHOLOGICAL DATA

Over the course of 3 years (1997–1999), 72 stream sites were sampled for epilithic diatom communities. The analysis of these samples has led to the identification of over 325 species of diatoms. In addition to sampling the diatom community, selected physical and chemical parameters were recorded from each stream reach. These parameters included pH, specific conductance, current velocity, SRP, nitrate, silica, and total alkalinity. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) was used to identify influential environmental parameters and to assess the response of the diatom community to prominent anthropogenic inputs in the region (i.e. coal mine drainage, eutrophication). The initial analyses indicate that pH was the most influential environmental parameter along the first CCA axis. This shift was not unexpected, as acid mine drainage (AMD) in the region leads to a wide range of pH values (2.8–7.93). The highly acidic sites were characterized by species of the genus Eunotia (specifically E. exigua and E. steineckei ), Frustulia rhomboides , and Pinnularia subcapitata. Furthermore, Achnanthidium minutissimum was the most widely distributed of the diatom species encountered, being found at 94% of the sites sampled. Streams that fluctuated between acidic and circumneutral pH (termed "teeter-totter") had greater abundances of Brachysira vitrea than other streams in this survey. Further implications for the use of these diatom communities as biomonitoring tools and the distribution of assemblages within the Western Allegheny Plateau will be discussed.