Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria in Tubes Constructed by the Marine Infaunal Polychaete Diopatra cuprea

Abstract

Marine infaunal burrows and tubes greatly enhance solute transport between sediments and the overlying water column and are sites of elevated microbial activity. Biotic and abiotic controls of the compositions and activities of burrow and tube microbial communities are poorly understood. The microbial communities in tubes of the marine infaunal polychaete Diopatria cuprea collected from two different sediment habitats were examined. The bacterial communities in the tubes from a sandy sediment differed from those in the tubes from a muddy sediment. The difference in community structure also extended to the sulfate-reducing bacterial (SRB) assemblage, although it was not as pronounced for this functional group of species. PCR-amplified 16S rRNA gene sequences recovered from Diopatra tube SRB by clonal library construction and screening were all related to the family Desulfobacteriaceae. This finding was supported by phospholipid fatty acid analysis and by hybridization of 16S rRNA probes specific for members of the genera Desulfosarcina, Desulfobacter, Desulfobacterium, Desulfobotulus, Desulfococcus, and Desulfovibrio and some members of the genera Desulfomonas, Desulfuromonas, and Desulfomicrobium with 16S rRNA gene sequences resolved by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. Two of six SRB clones from the clone library were not detected in tubes from the sandy sediment. The habitat in which the D. cuprea tubes were constructed had a strong influence on the tube bacterial community as a whole, as well as on the SRB assemblage.

Biodiversity of benthic microbial communities in bioturbated coastal sediments is controlled by geochemical microniches

“…Although it has been known that burrowing organisms affect sediment biogeochemistry, the interactions are often complex and detailed investigations on the effect of geochemical microzonations on microbial diversity are scarce (Kostka et al, 2002;Lucas et al, 2003;Matsui et al, 2004;Papaspyrou et al, 2006). This is not surprising because studies on microbial diversity in marine sediments have also only just begun (Mu mann et al, 2005;Wilms et al, 2006;Wu et al, 2008).…”

Influences of Infaunal Burrows on the Community Structure and Activity of Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacteria in Intertidal Sediments

“…These studies have demonstrated evidence of enhanced mass transport through the burrows. However, the measurements were limited in depths of just a few centimeters from the sediment surface due to low accessibility of the microelectrodes and the uncertainty of the exact position of the burrow.Microbial community structures in infaunal burrows and tubes have been investigated by 16S rRNA gene-cloning analysis (20,22) and ester-linked phospholipid fatty acid analysis (31). These studies have provided a good understanding of the microbial community structure and diversity in the burrow and sediment and allowed comparison with biogeochemical characteristics.…”

Microeukaryotic Community Structure and Dynamics During Macrobenthos Bioremediation in Intertidal Mudflat Sediments of Sansha Bay, China

“…Copyright Microorganism plays an important role in the bioremediation process, and it is of vital importance to understand the microorganism variation in the bioturbation process. It had been proved that macrobenthos bioturbation could enhance the diversity and abundance of microorganism (10), and lead to the establishment of specific microbial communities in burrows of macrobenthos (11)(12)(13)(14). Previous studies also showed that macrobenthos abundance significantly influence the ammonia-oxidizing bacterial diversity of β-Proteobacteria (15), as well as the release and distribution of PAHs (16), and promote the growth of bacteria, which might participate in the oil degradation processes (17)(18)(19).…”