Microbial community assessment in oil-impacted salt marsh sediment microcosms by traditional and nucleic acid-based indices. |
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Authors: | D S Bachoon R E Hodson R Araujo |
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Institution: | Department of Marine Sciences, School of Marine Programs, University of Georgia, 30602, Athens, GA, USA. dbachoon@arches.uga.edu |
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Abstract: | The effect of oil amendment in salt marsh sediment microcosms was examined by most probable number (MPN), DNA-hybridization with domain-specific oligonucleotide probes and whole community 16S rDNA-hybridizations. Gas chromatography (GC/MS) analysis of oil residues in sediments from microcosms after 3 months of operation showed that the quantity of petroleum hydrocarbons was lower in microcosms amended with oil compared to microcosms amended with oil+plant detritus. Bacterial numbers (total-MPN) increased in all experimental microcosms (amended with plant detritus, oil, and oil+plant detritus). In comparison to the intact sediment, the proportions of oil-degrading bacteria increased >100-fold in the oil amended microcosm and >10-fold in the plant detritus and the oil+plant detritus amended microcosms. DNA-hybridizations with Bacteria, Archaea and Eukarya oligonucleotide probes indicated few changes in the petroleum contaminated sediment community profile. In contrast, rDNA-hybridizations indicated that the bacterial community profile of the oil-impacted sediments, after 1 month of exposure, was significantly different from the control sediment. |
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