Geographic Setting Influences Great Lakes Beach Microbiological Water Quality

Haack, Sheridan K.; Fogarty, Lisa R.; Stelzer, Erin A.; Fuller, Lori M.; Brennan, Angela K.; Isaacs, Natasha M.; Johnson, Heather E.

doi:10.1021/es402299a

Cited by 22 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 48 publications

(83 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Overall, the levels of fecal indicators were found to be higher in Wisconsin than in Michigan beaches. Water quality was correlated to proximity to a river mouth, a result that has been documented by others at freshwater beaches (43,(48)(49)(50)(51). Sand samples collected within the berm zone were consistently found to have high levels of FIB compared to concentrations within water grab samples collected in the same transect.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 65%

“…Our previous work on the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico demonstrated that environmental perturbation, in that case petroleum contamination, can alter the structure and function of microbial communities in beach sand, which we characterized using next-generation sequencing technologies (15). The relationship between water quality and land use types has also been well documented (40)(41)(42)(43)(44). Likewise, perturbations resulting from urbanization may also be reflected in sand communities.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Influence of Land Use, Nutrients, and Geography on Microbial Communities and Fecal Indicator Abundance at Lake Michigan Beaches

Cloutier

Alm

McLellan

2015

Appl Environ Microbiol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

bMicrobial communities within beach sand play a key role in nutrient cycling and are important to the nearshore ecosystem function. Escherichia coli and enterococci, two common indicators of fecal pollution, have been shown to persist in the beach sand, but little is known about how microbial community assemblages are related to these fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) reservoirs. We examined eight beaches across a geographic gradient and range of land use types and characterized the indigenous community structure in the water and the backshore, berm, and submerged sands. FIB were found at similar levels in sand at beaches adjacent to urban, forested, and agricultural land and in both the berm and backshore. However, there were striking differences in the berm and backshore microbial communities, even within the same beach, reflecting the very different environmental conditions in these beach zones in which FIB can survive. In contrast, the microbial communities in a particular beach zone were similar among beaches, including at beaches on opposite shores of Lake Michigan. The differences in the microbial communities that did exist within a beach zone correlated to nutrient levels, which varied among geographic locations. Total organic carbon and total phosphorus were higher in Wisconsin beach sand than in beach sand from Michigan. Within predominate genera, finescale sequence differences could be found that distinguished the populations from the two states, suggesting a biogeographic effect. This work demonstrates that microbial communities are reflective of environmental conditions at freshwater beaches and are able to provide useful information regarding long-term anthropogenic stress. Since the creation of the Federal Beach Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health (BEACH) Act of 2000, coastal communities have been challenged with implementing programs for the monitoring of recreational waters. Water quality monitoring relies on fecal indicator bacteria (FIB), such as Escherichia coli and enterococci, and the assumption that both are fecal in origin. In recent years, many Great Lakes coastal recreational waters were monitored for the first time and subsequently were found to have unacceptable levels of E. coli, indicating the presence of contamination from sources such as sewage, stormwater, or agricultural runoff. However, recent studies have detected high concentrations of FIB in recreational beach sands compared to the concentrations in the nearby monitored waters (1-4). Importantly, several studies have documented that sand reservoirs of FIB play a large role in beach water samples exceeding regulatory limits (1, 3, 5-7).Persistent FIB in the beach environment is of great concern. The presence of FIB in either recreational waters or sand is assumed to indicate a recent pollution event. However, the persistence and possible proliferation of FIB in the beach environment can confound beach-monitoring efforts and poses additional challenges for beach managers. In addition, there is mounting evidence that E. co...

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 65%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Influence of Land Use, Nutrients, and Geography on Microbial Communities and Fecal Indicator Abundance at Lake Michigan Beaches

Cloutier

Alm

McLellan

2015

Appl Environ Microbiol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…P/A PCR for viable cells. Sample handling, bacterial enrichment, preservation, DNA extraction, and P/A PCR for stx 1 , stx 2 , eaeA, rfb O157 , Campylobacter jejuni/coli, ipaH, invA, spvC, mecA, and femA followed (20). P/A PCR methods for stx 2e , STII, STh, LTIIa, esp, Enterococcus (Ent.)…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genes Indicative of Zoonotic and Swine Pathogens Are Persistent in Stream Water and Sediment following a Swine Manure Spill

Haack

Duris

Kolpin

et al. 2015

Appl Environ Microbiol

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Manure spills into streams are relatively frequent, but no studies have characterized stream contamination with zoonotic and veterinary pathogens, or fecal chemicals, following a spill. We tested stream water and sediment over 25 days and downstream for 7.6 km for the following: fecal indicator bacteria (FIB), the fecal indicator chemicals cholesterol and coprostanol, 20 genes for zoonotic and swine-specific bacterial pathogens by presence/absence PCR for viable cells, one swine-specific Escherichia coli toxin gene (STII gene) by quantitative PCR (qPCR), and nine human and animal viruses by qPCR or reverse transcription-qPCR. Twelve days postspill, and 4.2 km downstream, water concentrations of FIB, cholesterol, and coprostanol were 1 to 2 orders of magnitude greater than those detected before, or above, the spill, and genes indicating viable zoonotic or swine-infectious Escherichia coli were detected in water or sediment. STII gene levels increased from undetectable before or above the spill to 10 5 copies/100 ml of water 12 days postspill. Thirteen of 14 water (8/9 sediment) samples had viable STII-carrying cells postspill. Eighteen days postspill, porcine adenovirus and teschovirus were detected 5.6 km downstream. FIB concentrations (per gram [wet weight]) in sediment were greater than in water, and sediment was a continuous reservoir of genes and chemicals postspill. Constituent concentrations were much lower, and detections less frequent, in a runoff event (200 days postspill) following manure application, although the swine-associated STII and stx 2e genes were detected. Manure spills are an underappreciated pathway for livestock-derived contaminants to enter streams, with persistent environmental outcomes and the potential for human and veterinary health consequences.A cross the United States, animal agriculture accounts for the production of more than 1 billion tons of manure annually (1). Manure can contain numerous animal-specific and zoonotic (transferable between animals and humans) pathogens, including bacteria such as Salmonella, pathogenic Escherichia coli, Campylobacter, Leptospira spp., Listeria monocytogenes, vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and zoonotic protozoa such as Cryptosporidium and Giardia spp. (1-4). Additionally, although viruses tend to be host-specific pathogens, there is some evidence that swine influenza viruses, hepatitis E virus (HEV), and possibly other porcine viruses may be transmitted to humans (4, 5). Thus, human and animal health is a common concern if swine (or other animal) manures are not properly managed (1, 4).Untreated manure is applied to land as fertilizer in agricultural settings; most U.S. states require manure application practices that minimize contamination of surface water or groundwater (1). Nevertheless, manure can enter water through inadvertent mechanisms, including equipment failures, overapplication, runoff from open feedlots, storage overflow, accidents with manuretransporting equipment, se...

show abstract

“…Sample processing, preservation, and DNA extraction Sample processing and preservation followed Haack et al (2013Haack et al ( , 2015. Fig.…”

Section: Microbiological Analysesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Contamination with bacterial zoonotic pathogen genes in U.S. streams influenced by varying types of animal agriculture

Haack

Duris

Kolpin

et al. 2016

Science of The Total Environment

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Geographic Setting Influences Great Lakes Beach Microbiological Water Quality

Cited by 22 publications

References 48 publications

Influence of Land Use, Nutrients, and Geography on Microbial Communities and Fecal Indicator Abundance at Lake Michigan Beaches

Influence of Land Use, Nutrients, and Geography on Microbial Communities and Fecal Indicator Abundance at Lake Michigan Beaches

Genes Indicative of Zoonotic and Swine Pathogens Are Persistent in Stream Water and Sediment following a Swine Manure Spill

Contamination with bacterial zoonotic pathogen genes in U.S. streams influenced by varying types of animal agriculture

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About