Ecological-physiological diversity of microbial communities in the anthropogenically impacted landscapes of Kuzbass

Data on the viable pool of microorganisms detected in the upper layer of technogenic soils formed on coal dumps, ash dumps and ore slurries are presented. The ecophysiological features of oligotrophic bacteria communities have been revealed; tiny colonial forms and biofilms of prokaryotes have been detected; the effect of recultivation and soil improvers on the composition of the major groups of microorganisms has been shown.     

Hydrobiological studies on the Tugela River system

Summary A survey of pollution in the Bushmans river, and a tributary, the Little Bushmans river in the vicinity of Estcourt, Natal, is described. The pollution arose mainly from wastes discharged from a boardmill, a milk-processing factory, and a sewage-disposal, irrigation farm. The effects of these effluents on the chemistry of the river waters, and on the biological communities in them is described.The communities at polluted stations have been classified in relation to the degree of pollution, and the equivalence of the classification with the systems described by other workers has been indicated. Differences observed between communities in normal and polluted stretches of the rivers are suggested as indices of pollution.     

Sub-rubble communities of Curaçao and Bonaire coral reefs

The distribution and abundance of sessile organisms under coral rubble has been studied at Bonaire and Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles. Species richness under rubble is extremely high with at least 367 species of which sponges, tunicates and bryozoans are the most important. Shallow sub-rubble communities can be considered refuges as the majority of these species are crypt-obligate. Sub-rubble communities may also have a preserve function for sponges, but do not harbour enough corals to ensure a quick coral recolonization of the reef surface after a major disaster. Cryptic community composition is affected by depth and pollution, and differs substantially between the two neighbouring islands, possibly as a result of different bottom characteristics. Biomass of the sub-rubble communities may contribute considerably to total reef biomass. Diversity varies inversely with increased depth and increased rubble size, possibly indicating abiotic control (e.g. physical disturbance by wave action and reef slope substrate collapse).     

Terrestrial Insect Communities and the Restoration of an Industrially Perturbed Landscape: Assessing Success and Surrogacy

Restoration has been acknowledged to be a major pathway by which humans can repair damaged ecosystems. Most of the work to date on terrestrial systems has focused on restoring plant communities, with an assumption that the conditions that lead to more diverse plant communities will also lead to a restoration of insect communities. This, however, has not been proven to be true. Here, we examine the recovery of terrestrial insect communities in naturally recovering and restored sites in response to severe historic pollution in the region of Sudbury, Ontario. We find that the insect communities have not recovered to the same degree as the plant communities. Furthermore, we present directions on how cross‐taxa surrogacy can be useful to further aid the use of insects as indicators of restoration success.     

Effect of emissions from a Copper-Nickel Smelter on soil microbial communities in forest biogeocenoses of the Kola Peninsula

The effect of industrial pollution with emissions from the Severonikel Copper-Nickel Smelter (CNS) on soil microbial communities of forest biogeocenoses has been studied taking into account their relative location under tree crowns (near the stem, in the undercrown area, or under gaps in the canopy). The results show that increasing technogenic pollution results in a significant decrease in the microbial biomass, basal respiration, and maximum specific growth rate, as well as in dominance of K-strategists in the microbial communities of polluted soils. The effect of location under the crown, compared to the intercrown area, manifests itself in dominance of rapidly growing microorganisms with the r-strategy. However, emissions from the CNS inhibit the growth of r-strategists, and the location-dependent differences between microbial communities are leveled off in areas with the highest pollution level.     

Interactive effects of anthropogenic nitrogen enrichment and climate change on terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity

Biodiversity has been described as the diversity of life on earth within species, among species, and among ecosystems. The rate of biodiversity loss due to human activity in the last 50 years has been more rapid than at any other time in human history, and many of the drivers of biodiversity loss are increasing, including habitat loss, overexploitation, invasive species, climate change, and pollution, including pollution from reactive nitrogen (Nr). Of these stressors, climate change and Nr from anthropogenic activities are causing some of the most rapid changes. Climate change is causing warming trends that result in poleward and elevational range shifts of flora and fauna, and changes in phenology, particularly the earlier onset of spring events and migration, and lengthening of the growing season. Nitrogen (N) enrichment can enhance plant growth, but has been shown to favor, fast-growing, sometimes invasive, species over native species adapted to low N conditions. Although there have been only a few controlled studies on climate change and N interactions, inferences can be drawn from various field observations. For example, in arid ecosystems of southern California, elevated N deposition and changing precipitation patterns have promoted the conversion of native shrub communities to communities dominated by annual non-native grasses. Both empirical studies and modeling indicate that N and climate change can interact to drive losses in biodiversity greater than those caused by either stressor alone. Reducing inputs of anthropogenic Nr may be an effective mitigation strategy for protecting biodiversity in the face of climate change.     

Zooplankton community structure along a pollution gradient at fine geographical scales in river ecosystems: The importance of species sorting over dispersal

The release of anthropogenic pollution into freshwater ecosystems has largely transformed biodiversity and its geographical distribution patterns globally. However, for many communities including ecologically crucial ones such as zooplankton, it is largely unknown how different communities respond to environmental pollution. Collectively, dispersal and species sorting are two competing processes in determining the structure and geographical distribution of zooplankton communities in running water ecosystems such as rivers. At fine geographical scales, dispersal is usually considered as the dominant factor; however, the relative role of species sorting has not been evaluated well, mainly because significant environmental gradients rarely exist along continuously flowing rivers. The Chaobai River in northern China represents a rare system, where a significant environmental gradient exists at fine scales. Here, we employed high‐throughput sequencing to characterize complex zooplankton communities collected from the Chaobai River, and tested the relative roles of dispersal and species sorting in determining zooplankton community structure along the pollution gradient. Our results showed distinct patterns of zooplankton communities along the environmental gradient, and chemical pollutant‐related factors such as total phosphorus and chlorophyll‐a were identified as the major drivers for the observed patterns. Further partial redundancy analyses showed that species sorting overrode the effect of dispersal to shape local zooplankton community structure. Thus, our results reject the dispersal hypothesis and support the concept that species sorting caused by local pollution can largely determine the zooplankton community structure when significant environmental gradients exist at fine geographical scales in highly polluted running water ecosystems.     

Fish skin as a biomaterial for halal collagen and gelatin

Around 40% of the total catch weight of fish is regarded as byproducts, consisting of skin, fins, bones, scales, viscera, etc. The utilization of these byproducts is important to increase their commercial values as well as to prevent environmental pollution. Meanwhile, nowadays, it is getting a global trend to provide foods and other industrial materials which have been accredited as halal products for Moslem communities. As a way of processing fish byproducts to meet the halal criteria, preparation of collagen and gelatin would be useful to fulfill the market demand. As a result of screening studies on fishery byproducts, fish skin has been found to be the good source for halal collagen and gelatin, which show satisfactory quality compared with those from bovine sources which could cause bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).     

Lichens as bioindicators of temporal variations in air quality around Thessaloniki, northern Greece

The epiphytic lichen vegetation of 20 sites around Thessaloniki (Macedonia, northern Greece) surveyed in 1987 was sampled again in 1997 to monitor any changes in lichen communities and consequently in air quality. A general impoverishment in lichen communities was recorded in the 10-year period, presumably chiefly due to changes in the air pollution status. A small increase in lichen species diversity was recorded in some stations, probably as a result of the buffering capacity of airborne dust.     

The effects of chemical pollution on the bioturbation potential of estuarine intertidal mudflats

Bioturbation by benthic infauna has important implications for the fate of contaminants as well as for changes to the sediment structure, chemistry and transport characteristics. There is an extensive literature dealing with the influence of sedimentary variables on the structure and function of infaunal marine and estuarine organisms but less is known of the converse, the influence of biota on sedimentary structure. Although some work has been carried out regarding spatial and temporal patterns of bioturbation, little attention has been given to the effects of pollution. The paper gives a framework of animal sediment relationships in an intertidal environment and discusses the general role of macrofauna in structuring and modifying sedimentary features. A brief outline of the various techniques used for quantifying the degree of bioturbation is given and some of these techniques have then been used to demonstrate the effect of a petrochemical discharge on the bioturbation potential of intertidal communities in the Humber estuary, eastern England. These studies indicate an increase in bioturbation with increasing distance from the source of pollution, not only because of differences in abundance, animal size and depth of activity but also because of the difference in species composition between the communities. As a means of interpreting the responses, the species present have been broadly classified in terms of their feeding strategy and sediment modification potential. The paper concludes by discussing the potential impact, in terms of effect on sediment transport, of selectively removing the different guilds (by pollution). Received: 8 February 1999 / Received in revised form: 10 May 1999 / Accepted: 14 May 1999     

Depth-related patterns of meiofauna on the Indian continental shelf are conserved at reduced taxonomic resolution

Taxonomic sufficiency (TS) has been used in impact assessment studies of various pollution effects on marine benthic communities and found appropriate to identify the effects of pollution on marine communities. Cost, in terms of the expertise and time needed to identify organisms, increases with the level of taxonomic accuracy. Recently, TS has been adopted to study spatial patterns of macrobenthic community structure. In order to accept TS as a routine approach in wider benthic studies, it needs to be proved valid for various taxa and in geographically different areas. The present study investigates the value of TS in meiofaunal nematodes by analyzing an extensive data set based on samples collected from a wide geographical area covering a large depth gradient. For this study, samples were collected from every degree square of the western Indian continental shelf (7°–22°N latitudes). Our high resolution data showed that with increase in depth, nematode species richness and diversity decreased and communities showed significant variation between shallow and deeper waters. The present study tests whether lower taxonomic resolution nematode data can explain community shifts along a depth gradient in a similar way to species level data from the same data set. Meiofauna have often been neglected from benthic studies, and most attention has been given to macrofauna. This is mainly due to the difficulty in the taxonomic identification of meiofauna. The results of this study based on univariate and multivariate analyses support the use of family level data of nematodes to explain some aspects of depth variation in a similar way to species level data.     

Preliminary assessment of changes in the structure of small mammal communities caused by industrial pollution in the North Kazakhstan Region

This paper presents new data on small mammal communities in the industrial area of Pavlodar (Kazakhstan) for the first time. We have analyzed and compared diversity characteristics of small mammal communities found in a reference area and in an area of anthropogenic disturbance. The total abundance has been shown to increase with distance to the sources of pollution. A depauperate composition and single-dominance structure of species characterize the communities of small mammals in significantly disturbed areas. With a moderately intense level of anthropogenic stressors, species diversity increases, but the number of individual species decreases due to the fragmentation of habitats.     

应用原生动物群落评价枯水期白洋淀的水质现状

应用PFU微型生物群落监测方法,对长期处于低水位状态下的白洋淀水质进行了综合评价。结果表明,白洋淀水域受府河污水的影响,淀内的内源性污染,对原生动物群落造成了极大的影响。与20世纪90年代的资料相比,淀内中心区4个采样点原生动物的群集种类数(1d)急剧下降,而丰度上升了1．28倍,表明内源性污染对白洋淀水质的影响加剧。     

An evaluation of deviation from the lognormal distribution among species as a pollution indicator in marine benthic communities

A graphical probability-plot method for detection of pollution in marine communities based on deviations from the lognormal distribution of abundance among species has been proposed (Gray & Mirza, 1979). An extensive group of marine benthic studies was used to empirically define the conditions under which the probability-plot methodology may apply by determining inherent levels of deviation from the lognormal distribution in marine benthic systems. Levels of deviation from the lognormal in unpolluted marine-benthic communities determined with the probability-plot method were on the order of 6% for replicate samples within a station, 29% based on temporal variation at a single station, and 23% based on spatial differences in location of stations, suggesting that a high inherent level of variability may make application of the probability-plot method generally difficult. The probability-plot method appears inappropriate for use in intertidal situations or with field or laboratory experimental manipulations of benthic communities. Physical disturbance failed to generate the predicted deviations from the lognormal in some cases. Four proposed indices of disturbance or pollution were not suitable as such. No association of either the log series or lognormal distributions with pollution or disturbance status of samples was seen. Extreme caution in the use and interpretation of results based on the probability-plot method is strongly recommended.     

DGGE技术在环境微生物多样性研究中的应用

微生物是污水净化的主要作用者之一.采用变性梯度凝胶电泳(denaturing gradient gel electrophresis,DGGE)方法培育和鉴定土壤微生物具有可靠性强、重复性好、方便快捷等优点,已被广泛应用于环境科学和污染防治研究领域.综述了基于PCR-DGGE技术的基本原理、关键环节及其在微生物多样性研究中的应用,同时就其自身存在的不足进行了评价并提出了解决方案.     

Variations of Abundance and Community Structure of Ammonia Oxidizers and Nitrification Activity in Two Paddy Soils Polluted by Heavy Metals

While microbial nitrogen transformations are sensitive indicators of trace metal toxicity in soils, studies that quantify the impacts of heavy metal pollution in polluted rice soils on microbial communities and their activities remain limited. We examined changes in the abundance, composition and activity of ammonia oxidizing communities in two paddy fields that have been polluted by metal mining and smelting activities for more than three decades. The results showed a shift in the community structure of ammonia oxidizing archaea (AOA) and, to a lesser extent, of ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) under metal pollution in the soils. All the retrieved AOB sequences in this study belonged to the genus Nitrosospira. Among them, the species in Cluster 3 a.1 seemed to be more sensitive to heavy metal pollution. Both AOB abundance and nitrification activity were not affected by heavy metal pollution in the two sites; whereas, AOA abundance increased. Our results suggested an effect of metal pollutants on communities of ammonia oxidizers, the degree of which varied in accordance with the amount of metal pollution. Therefore, it is difficult to quantify the relationship between the AOB/AOA communities and nitrification activity in the polluted soil.     

EVIDENCE FOR COMPETITIVE RELEASE IN SIMPLIFIED SAXICOLOUS LICHEN COMMUNITIES

Saxicolous cryptogam communities were sampled quantitatively on two Potomac River island habitats in June of 1980. As a result of air pollution stress, the community on one island was found to be much simpler than that found on the other island. Two relatively pollution-tolerant foliose lichen species, Xanthoparmelia conspersa and Pseudoparmelia baltimorensis, were found to dominate the communities on both islands. An examination of niche breadth and position along a light intensity gradient demonstrated that P. baltimorensis was most frequent at low light intensities and X. conspersa was most frequent at high light intensities. However, X. conspersa exhibited a niche shift toward intermediate light intensities in the species-poor community, likely the result of reduced competitor diversity in this community since the intermediate light intensities supported the greatest number of species in the species-rich community. Niche overlap between the two species was found to occur at lower light intensities in the species-poor community, suggesting that X. conspersa is more likely to appropriate intermediate light intensities in this community. The significance of competition as a regulatory factor in lichen communities has not been fully appreciated. Since lichens and other cryptogams are frequently used as indicators of environmental quality, competitive processes in naturally occurring lichen communities must be thoroughly understood before changes in species distribution that apparently result from disturbance can be properly interpreted.     

石油污染生态系统中细菌群落结构及其代谢机制研究进展

石油化工产品的不合理处置与泄漏导致石油及其衍生物大量释放到环境中,由此造成的环境污染问题日益严重,石油污染已成为全球性公害之一。微生物修复技术凭借其成本低、环境友好等优势,广泛应用于石油污染的治理。大量研究表明功能微生物群落在石油污染生态系统的修复体系中发挥了重要的作用。其中,细菌是最主要、最活跃的石油降解微生物。然而,在原位/异位生物修复过程中,存在功能菌群在污染体系中难维持、易失调及石油烃降解途径不明晰等问题。因此,本文总结了石油污染自然生态系统和微宇宙实验体系中的细菌群落结构、石油烃代谢机制及相关功能基因,并对微生物法处理石油污染的未来研究方向提出展望,为石油污染场地生物修复方案的制定提供理论参考。     

The nanotechnology among US: are metal and metal oxides nanoparticles a nano or mega risk for soil microbial communities?

Metal nanoparticles and metal oxides nanoparticles (MNPs/MONPs) have been widely included in a great diversity of products and industrial applications and they are already a part of our everyday life. According to estimation studies, their production is expected to increase exponentially in the next few years. Consequently, soil has been suggested as the main sink of MNPs/MONPs once they are deliberately or accidentally released into the environment. The potential negative perturbations that may result on soil microbial communities and ecological processes are resulting in concerns. Several nano-toxicological studies of MNPs/MONPs, reported so far, have focused on aquatic organisms, animals, and soil invertebrates. However, during recent years, the studies have been oriented to understand the effects of MNPs/MONPs on microbial communities and their interaction with soil components. The studies have suggested that MNPs/MONPs are one of the most toxic type to soil biota, amongst different types of nanomaterials. This may threaten soil health and fertility, since microbial communities are known to support important biological processes and ecosystem services such as the nutrient cycling, whereby their protection against the environmental pollution is imperative. Therefore, in this review we summarize the actual knowledge available from the last five years (2013–2018) and gaps about the potential negative, positive or neutral effects produced on soil by different classes of MNPs/MONPs. A particular emphasis has been placed on the associated soil microorganisms and biological processes. Finally, perspectives about future research are discussed.     

湘江流域工业污染源对农田生态系统土壤动物群落影响的研究

对湘江流域工业污染区的土壤动物群落研究表明,接近污染源和污染物质富集的农田,土壤动物的种类和数量减少;工业污染区土壤的污染主要是重金属有毒物质的过量累积。调查共获得29类土壤动物,隶属于4门10纲,动物的种类与数量随着重金属污染程度的增加而递减,土壤动物密度与重金属元素Hg、Cd,zn、Cu、As、Pb的浓度密切相关,这在污染模拟实验中也得到证明。