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Relationship between porewater organic carbon content, sulphate reduction and nitrogen fixation (acetylene reduction) in the rhizosphere of Zostera noltii

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Coastal Lagoon Eutrophication and ANaerobic Processes (C.L.E.AN.)

Part of the book series: Developments in Hydrobiology ((DIHY,volume 117))

Abstract

Depth profiles of nitrogen fixation (acetylene reduction), sulphate reduction, NH<Stack><Subscript>4</Subscript><Superscript>+</Superscript></Stack> concentration and porewater volatile fatty acids concentrations were measured in Zostera noltii colonised sediments in the Bassin d’Arcachon, France in March 1994. Acetylene reduction activity (ARA) was detectable throughout sediment profiles. Addition of sodium molybdate (20 mmol 1−1) a specific inhibitor of sulphate reduction to slurries inhibited ARA by >75% inferring that sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB) were the dominant component of the nitrogen fixing microflora. The peak of ARA was coincident with that of sulphate reduction and a relatively constant relationship of 40 mole sulphate reduced per mole acetylene reduced was recorded throughout the profiles. From this ratio it was calculated that at least 17% of the ATP yield from sulphate reduction would be required to support the measured rates of nitrogen fixation (acetylene reduction).

Acetate was the dominant constituent of the porewater volatile fatty acids pool, accounting for >90% of the total pool as measured by HPLC. Concentrations of porewater acetate recorded by HPLC were compared with those measured using an enzymatic technique and these data indicate that approximately 10% of the total porewater acetate pool was not available to microbial metabolism. Profiles of porewater acetate concentrations measured by both techniques were similar to those recorded for both ARA and sulphate reduction and thus acetate oxidation may fuel these activities.

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Author notes

  1. David T. Welsh

    Present address: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Dundee, Miller’s Wynd, Dundee, DD1 4HN, Scotland

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Dundee, Miller’s Wynd, Dundee, DD1 4HN, Scotland

    Rodney A. Herbert

  2. Department of Geology, Wills Memorial Building, University of Bristol, Queen’s Road, Bristol, BS8 1RJ, England

    David T. Welsh & Peter Wellsbury

  3. Laboratoire d’Océanographie Biologique et de Biologie Marine, Université Bordeaux I, 2 rue Professeur Jolyet, 33120, Arcachon, France

    Sophie Bourguès & Rutger de Wit

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  1. David T. Welsh
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  2. Peter Wellsbury
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  3. Sophie Bourguès
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  4. Rutger de Wit
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  5. Rodney A. Herbert
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Pierre Caumette Jacques Castel Rodney Herbert

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© 1996 Kluwer Academic Publishers

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Welsh, D.T., Wellsbury, P., Bourguès, S., de Wit, R., Herbert, R.A. (1996). Relationship between porewater organic carbon content, sulphate reduction and nitrogen fixation (acetylene reduction) in the rhizosphere of Zostera noltii . In: Caumette, P., Castel, J., Herbert, R. (eds) Coastal Lagoon Eutrophication and ANaerobic Processes (C.L.E.AN.). Developments in Hydrobiology, vol 117. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-1744-6_14

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-1744-6_14

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