Substratum‐Associated Microbiota

Abstract

A review of literature on substratrumassociated microbiotia from 2013 covers topics on benthic algae, bacteria and viruses from a range of aquatic environments, but focuses on freshwater ecosystems. Advances in laboratory, field, and assessment methods are highlighted as are updates in taxonomy and systematics. Aspects of water quality, waste‐water treatment, biofuels, nutrient cycling, food‐web interactions, land use changes, and environmental challenges such as climate change, pollutants, and impacts of medical substances are presented. our understanding of the ecology, taxonomy and assessment of substratum‐associated microbiota. In response to increased pressures from anthropogenic stressors and climate change on aquatic environments, researchers are re‐evaluating current knowledge and approaches to research, biomonitoring and assessment. In this review of the 2013 literature, advances in laboratory, field, and assessment methods are highlighted as are updates in taxonomy and systematics. A literature review of similar topics was completed in 2013 (Furey and Liess, 2013).

Substratum‐Associated Microbiota

“…Similar to results from a review of 2013 literature on benthic microbiota (Furey and Liess, 2014), impacts of interactions between humans and freshwater ecosystems remain of considerable interest. In particular, the role of benthic microbiota in monitoring and mitigation of a variety of industrial, wastewater and agricultural pollutants was of concern, along with how freshwater ecosystems might respond to stressors associated with factors such as climate change, nuisance species like Didymosphenia, or terrestrial-based activities.…”

“…Nevada, USA, algal species assemblage structure shifted to a greater biovolume of mucilage producing taxa such as Didymo, however an experiment showed that tadpoles grazing on these types of assemblages did not grow or they lost weight (Furey et al, 2014). In another region in the Sierra Nevada, Didymo mats decreased the abundance of grazing invertebrates and increased numbers of burrowing invertebrates such as Chironomidae and Oligochaeta (Rost and Fritsen, 2014 Lactobacillus and photosynthetic cyanobacteria may have potential in biofuel production due to advantages such as simple nutrient requirements and potential for genetic modification i.e.…”

Influence of light and temperature on the development and denitrification potential of periphytic biofilms

“…Periphytic biofilms are commonly presented in many aquatic ecosystems such as ponds, lakes, streams, rivers, and oceans, and play a significant role in primary production, food web interaction, carbon and nutrient recycling (Battin et al, 2016;Larned, 2010;Vadeboncoeur and Steinman, 2002). In recent years, there is growing research interests in utilizing natural periphytic biofilms in wastewater treatment, nonpoint source pollution control, and remediation of polluted waters (Furey et al, 2016;Wu et al, 2014). Biotechnologies such as algae turf scrubber (ATS), rotating algal biofilm reactor (RABR), and spiral periphyton bioreactor (SPB) have been developed based on periphytic biofilms for the treatment of a variety of contaminants and have showed promising results (Christenson and Sims, 2012;Mulbry et al, 2008;Shangguan et al, 2015;Lu et al, 2016).…”