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The stabilisation potential of individual and mixed assemblages of natural bacteria and microalgae

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Date
02/11/2010
Author
Lubarsky, Helen V.
Hubas, Cedric
Chocholek, Melanie
Larson, Fredrik
Manz, Werner
Paterson, David M.
Gerbersdorf, Sabine U.
Keywords
Extracellular polymeric substances
Strenght meter CSM
Intertidal sediments
Microbial biofilms
Epipelic diatoms
Algae
Polysaccharides
Q Science
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Abstract
It is recognized that microorganisms inhabiting natural sediments significantly mediate the erosive response of the bed ("ecosystem engineers") through the secretion of naturally adhesive organic material (EPS: extracellular polymeric substances). However, little is known about the individual engineering capability of the main biofilm components (heterotrophic bacteria and autotrophic microalgae) in terms of their individual contribution to the EPS pool and their relative functional contribution to substratum stabilisation. This paper investigates the engineering effects on a non-cohesive test bed as the surface was colonised by natural benthic assemblages (prokaryotic, eukaryotic and mixed cultures) of bacteria and microalgae. MagPI (Magnetic Particle Induction) and CSM (Cohesive Strength Meter) respectively determined the adhesive capacity and the cohesive strength of the culture surface. Stabilisation was significantly higher for the bacterial assemblages (up to a factor of 2) than for axenic microalgal assemblages. The EPS concentration and the EPS composition (carbohydrates and proteins) were both important in determining stabilisation. The peak of engineering effect was significantly greater in the mixed assemblage as compared to the bacterial (x 1.2) and axenic diatom (x 1.7) cultures. The possibility of synergistic effects between the bacterial and algal cultures in terms of stability was examined and rejected although the concentration of EPS did show a synergistic elevation in mixed culture. The rapid development and overall stabilisation potential of the various assemblages was impressive (x 7.5 and x9.5, for MagPI and CSM, respectively, as compared to controls). We confirmed the important role of heterotrophic bacteria in "biostabilisation" and highlighted the interactions between autotrophic and heterotrophic biofilm consortia. This information contributes to the conceptual understanding of the microbial sediment engineering that represents an important ecosystem function and service in aquatic habitats.
Citation
Lubarsky , H V , Hubas , C , Chocholek , M , Larson , F , Manz , W , Paterson , D M & Gerbersdorf , S U 2010 , ' The stabilisation potential of individual and mixed assemblages of natural bacteria and microalgae ' , PLoS One , vol. 5 , no. 11 , e13794 . https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0013794
Publication
PLoS One
Status
Peer reviewed
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0013794
ISSN
1932-6203
Type
Journal article
Rights
© 2010 Lubarsky et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
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  • University of St Andrews Research
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/4169

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