Abstract
Initial events of biofilms development and succession were studied in a freshwater environment at Kalpakkam, East Coast of India. Biofilms were developed by suspending Perspex (Plexiglass) panels for 15 days at bimonthly intervals from January 1996 to January 1997. Changes in biofilm thickness, biomass, algal density, chlorophyll a concentration and species composition were monitored. The biofilm thickness, biomass, algal density and chlorophyll a concentration increased with biofilms age and colonization was greater during summer (March, May and July) than other months. The initial colonization was mainly composed of Chlorella vulgaris, Chlorococcum humicolo (green algae), Achnanthes minutissima, Cocconeis scutellum, C. placentula (diatoms) and Chroococcus minutus (cyanobacteria) followed by colonial green algae such as Pediastrum tetras, P. boryanum and Coleochaete scutata, cyanobacteria (Gloeocapsa nigrescens), low profile diatoms (Amphora coffeaeformis, Nitzschia amphibia, and Gomphonema parvulum) and long stalked diatoms (Gomphoneis olivaceum and Gomphonema lanceolatum). After the 10th day, the community consisted of filamentous green algae (Klebshormidium subtile, Oedogonium sp., Stigeoclonium tenue and Ulothrix zonata) and cyanobacteria (Calothrix elenkinii, Oscillatoria tenuis and Phormidium tenue). Based on the percentage composition of different groups in the biofilm, three phases of succession could be identified: the first phase was dominated by green algae, the second by diatoms and the third phase by cyanobacteria. Seasonal variation in species composition was observed but the sequence of colonization was similar throughout the study period.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Refrences
Acs, E. & K. T. Kiss, 1993. Colonization process of diatoms on artificial substrates in the river Dunube near Budapest (Hungary). Hydrobiologia 269/270: 307–315.
APHA, 1989. Standard Methods for Estimation of Water and Waste Water. American Public Health Association, 17th edn., Washington D.C.
Bakke, R. & P. Q. Olsson, 1986. Biofilm thickness measurements by light microscopy. J. Microbiol. Methods. 5: 1–6.
Brown, H. D., 1976. A comparison of the attached algal communities of a natural and artificial substrates. J. Phycol. 12: 301–306
Callow, M. E., 1986. A world wide survey of slime formation on antifouling paints. In Evans, L. V. & K. D. Hoagland (eds), Algal Biofouling. Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., Amsterdam: 1–20.
Callow, M. E., 1993. A review of fouling in freshwaters. Biofouling 7: 313–327.
Christensen, B. E. & W. G. Characklis, 1990. Physical and chemical properties of biofilms. In Characklis, W. G. & K. C. Marshall (eds), Biofilms. John Wiley & Sons, New York: 93–130.
Cooksey, K. E. & W B. Cooksey, 1995. Adhesion of bacteria and diatoms to surfaces in the sea: A review. Aquat. Microbial Ecol. 9: 87–96.
Desikachary, T. V., 1959. Cyanophyta. New Delhi: Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi.
Ford, T. E., M. Walch, R. Mitchell, M. J. Kaufman, J. R. Vestal, S. A. Dither & M. A. Lock, 1989. Microbial film formation on metals in an enriched arctic river. Biofouling 1: 301–310.
Hoagland, K. D., S. C. Roemer & J. R. Rosowski, 1982. Colonisation and community structure of two periphyton assemblages, with emphasis on the Diatoms (Bacillariophyceae). Am. J. Bot. 69: 188–213.
Hudon, C. & E. Bourget, 1981. Initial colonization of artificial substrate: commuity development and structure studied by scanning electron microscopy. Can. J. Fish, aquat. Sci. 59: 1371–1384.
Hudson, S. T. & C. Burke. 1994. Microfouling of salmon cage netting: a priliminary investigation. Biofouling 8: 93–105.
Hustedt, F., 1930. Bacillariophyta (Diatomeae). In Pascher, A. (ed.), Die Susswasser-Flora Mittleuropas. Gustav, Fischer, Jena.
Jeffrey, S. W. & G. F. Humphrey, 1975. New spectrophotometric equations for determining chlorophyll a, b and c in higher plants, algae and natural phytoplankton. Biochem. Physiol. Pflanzen. 167: 191–194.
Johnson, R. E., N. C. Tuchman & C. G. Peterson, 1997. Changes in the vertical microdistribution of diatoms within a developing periphyton mat. J. N. Am. Benthol. Soc. 16: 503–519.
Korte, V. L. & D. W. Blinn, 1983. Diatom colonization on artificial substrata in pool and riffle zones studied by light and scanning electron microscopy. J. Phycol. 19: 332–341.
Lowe, R. L., J. B. Guckert, S. E. Belanger, D. H. Davidson & D. W. Johnson, 1996. An evaluation of periphyton community structure and function on tile and cobble substrata in experimental stream mesocosms. Hydrobiologia 328: 135–146.
Margalef, R., 1958. Information theory in Ecology. Gen. Syst. 3: 36–71.
Miller, A. R., R. L. Lowe & J. T. Rotenberry. 1987. Succession of diatom communities on sand grains. J. Ecol. 75: 693–709.
Odum, E. P., 1971. Fundamentals of Ecology. W.B. Saunders Company, London.
Oemke, M. P. & T. M. Burton, 1986. Diatom colonization dynamics in a lotic system. Hydrobiologia 139: 153–166.
Patrick, R., 1976. The formation and maintenance of benthic diatom communities. Proc. am. phil. Soc. 120: 474–484.
Pederson, K., 1990. Biofilm development on stainless steel and PVC surfaces in drinking water. Wat. Res. 24: 239–246.
Philipose, M. T., 1967. Chlorococcales, ICAR, New Delhi.
Pielou, E. C., 1966. The measurement of diversity in different types of biological collections. J. theor. Biol. 13: 131–144.
Prescott, G. W., 1978. How to Know the Freshwater Algae. Wm. C. Brown Company Publishers, Dubuque, Iowa, U.S.A.
Rao, T. S., P. G. Rani, V. P. Venugopalan & K.V. K. Nair, 1997. Biofilm formation in photic and aphotic environments in fresh water system. Biofouling 11: 265–282.
Roemer, S. C., K. D. Hoagland & J. R. Rosowski, 1984. Development of a freshwater periphyton community as influenced by diatom mucilages. Can. J. Bot. 62: 1799–1813.
Scott, C., R. L. Fletcher & G. B. Bremer, 1996. Observations on the mechanisms of attachment of some marine fouling cyanobacteria. Biofouling 10: 161–173.
Sekar, R., K. Nandakumar, V. P. Venugopalan, K. V. K. Nair & V. N. R. Rao, 1998. Spatial variation in microalgal colonization on hard surfaces in a lentic freshwater environment. Biofouling 13: 177–195.
Siver, P. A., 1977. Comparison of attached diatom communities on natural and artificial substrates. J. Phycol. 13: 402–406.
Siver, P. A., 1980. Microattachment patterns of diatoms on leaves of Potamogeton robbinsii Oake. Trans, am. microsc. Soc. 99: 217–220.
Sokal, R. R. & J. Rohlf, 1987. Introduction to Biostatistics, 2nd edition. W.H. Freeman & Company, New York.
Sommer, U., 1981. The role of r-and K-selection in the succession of phytoplankton in Lake Constance. Acta. Oecol. Gener. 2: 327–342.
Steinman, A. D. & C. D. Mclntire, 1986. Effects of current velocity and light energy on the structure of periphyton assemblages in laboratory streams. J. Phycol. 22: 352–361.
Stevenson, R. J., 1986. Importance of variation in algal immigration and growth rates estimated by modelling benthic algal colonisation. In Evans, L. V. & K. D. Hoagland (eds), Algal Biofouling. Elsevier Science Publisher, Amsterdam: 193–210.
Stevenson, R. J. & C. G. Peterson, 1989. Variation in benthic diatom (Bacillariophyceae) immigration with habitat characteristics and cell morphology. J. Phycol. 25: 120–129.
Tuchman, M. L. & D. W. Blinn, 1979. Comparison of attached algal communities on natural and artificial substrata along a thermal gradient. Br. phycol. J. 14: 243–254.
Udayakumar, M., S. Chongdar & R. B. Srivastava, 1998. Microfouling on austentic stainless steel weldments immersed in Bombay harbour waters. Indian J. mar. Sci. 27: 230–232.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2004 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
About this paper
Cite this paper
Sekar, R., Venugopalan, V.P., Nandakumar, K., Nair, K.V.K., Rao, V.N.R. (2004). Early stages of biofilm succession in a lentic freshwater environment. In: Ang, P.O. (eds) Asian Pacific Phycology in the 21st Century: Prospects and Challenges. Developments in Hydrobiology, vol 173. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0944-7_13
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0944-7_13
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-010-3748-8
Online ISBN: 978-94-007-0944-7
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive