Abstract
Bacterial numbers and activities (as estimated by glucose uptake and total thymidine incorporation) were investigated at two sites in Long Island, New York aquifer sediments. In general, bacterial activities were higher in shallow (1.5–4.5 m below the water table or BWT), oxic sediments than in deep (10–18 m BWT), anoxic sediments. The average total glucose uptake rates were 0.18 ± 0.10 ng gdw−1 h−1 in shallow sediments and 0.09 ± 0.11 ng gdw−1 h−1 in deep sediments; total thymidine incorporation rates were 0.10 ± 0.13 pmol gdw−1 h−1 and 0.03 ± 0.03 pmol gdw−1 h−1 in shallow and deep sediments, respectively. Incorporation of glucose was highly efficient, as only about 10% of added label was recovered as CO2. Bacterial abundance (estimated from acridine orange direct counts) was 2.5 ± 2.0 × 107 cells gdw−1 and 2.0 ± 1.3 × 107 cells gdw−1 in shallow and deep sediments, respectively. These bacterial activity and abundance estimates are similar to values found in other aquifer environments, but are 10- to 1000-fold lower than values in soil or surface sediment of marine and estuarine systems. In general, cell specific microbial activities were lower in sites from Connetquot Park, a relatively pristine site, when compared to activities found in sites from Jamesport, which has had a history of aldicarb (a pesticide) contamination. To our knowledge, this is the first report of bacterial activity measurements in the shallow, sandy aquifers of Long Island, New York.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Explore related subjects
Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Aelion CM, Bradley PM (1991) Aerobic biodegradation potential of subsurface microorganisms from a jet fuel contaminated aquifer. Appl Environ Microbiol 57:57–63
Azam F, Hodson RE (1981) Multiphasic kinetics for D-glucose uptake by assemblages of natural marine bacteria. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 6:213–222
Balkwill DL, Ghiorse WC (1985) Characterization of subsurface bacteria associated with two shallow aquifers in Oklahoma. Appl Environ Microbiol 50:580–588
Balkwill DL, Fredrickson JK, Thomas JM (1989) Vertical and horizontal variations in the physiological diversity of aerobic chemoheterotrophic bacterial microflora in deep southeast coastal plain subsurface sediments. Appl Environ Microbiol 55:1058–1065
Bauer JE, Capone DG (1985) Effects of four aromatic organic pollutants on microbial glucose metabolism and thymidine incorporation in marine sediments. Appl Environ Microbiol 49:828–835
Bell CR, Albright LJ (1981) Attached and free-floating bacteria in the Fraser River Estuary, British Columbia, Canada. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 6:317–327
Beloin RM, Sinclair JL, Ghiorse WC (1988) Distribution and activity of microorganisms in subsurface sediments of a pristine study site in Oklahome. Microb Ecol 16:85–97
Bengtsson G (1989) Growth and metabolic flexibility in groundwater bacteria. Microb Ecol 18:235–248
Carman KR, Dobbs FC, Guckert JB (1988) Consequences of thymidine catabolism to estimates of bacterial production: an example from a coastal marine sediment. Limnol Ocean 33:1595–1606
Di-Ruggiero J, Guonot AM (1990) Microbial manganese reduction mediated by bacterial strains isolated from aquifer sediments. Microb Ecol 20:53–63
Dobbins DC, Pfaender FK (1988) Methology for assessing respiration and cellular incorporation of radiolabeled substrates by soil microbial communities. Microb Ecol 15:257–273
Fallon RD, Newell SY, Hopkinson CS (1983) Bacterial production in marine sediments: will cell specific measures agree with whole system metabolism? Mar Ecol Prog Ser 11:119–127
Fredrickson JK, Garland TR, Hicks RJ, Thomas JM, Li SW, McFadden KM (1989) Lithotrophic and heterotrophic bacteria in deep subsurface sediments and their relation to sediment properties. Geomicrobiol J 7:53–66
Fredrickson KJ, Balkwill DL, Zachara JM, Li SW, Brockman FJ, Simmons MA (1991) Physiological diversity and distribtuions of heterotrophic bacteria in deep Cretaceous sediments of the Atlantic coastal plain. Appl Environ Microbiol 57:402–411
Freeze RA, Cherry JA (1979) Groundwater. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N.J.
Fuhrman JA, Azam F (1982) Thymidine incorporation as a measure of heterotrophic bacterio-plankton production in marine surface waters: evaluation and field results. Mar Biol 66:109–120
Harvey RW, George L (1987) Growth determinations for unattached bacteria in a contaminated aquifer. Appl Environ Microbiol 53:2992–2996
Harvey RW, Smith RL, George L (1984) Effect of organic contamination upon microbial distribution and heterotrophic uptake in a Cape Cod, Mass., Aquifer. Appl Environ Microbiol 48:1197–1202
Harvey RW, George LH, Smith RL, LeBlanc DR (1989) Transport of microspheres and indigenous bacteria through a sandy aquifer: results of natural- and force-gradient tracer experiments. Environ Sci Technol 23:51–56
Iriberri J, Unanue M, Barcina I, Egea L (1987) Seasonal variation in population density and heterotrophic activity of attached and free-living bacteria in coastal waters. Appl Environ Microbiol 53:2308–2314.
Jeffrey WH, Paul JH, Cazares LH, DeFlaun MF, David AW (1990) Correlation of nonspecific macromolecular labeling with environmental parameters during [3H]thymidine incorporation in the waters of southwest Florida. Microb Ecol 20:21–35
Jensen BK (1989) ATP-related specific heterotrophic activity in petroleum contaminated and uncontaminated groundwaters. Can J Microbiol 35:814–818
Kiene RP, Capone DG (1986) Stimulation of methanogenesis by aldicarb and several other N-methyl carbamate pesticides. Appl Environ Microbiol 51:1247–1251
King GM, Berman T (1984) Potential effects of isotopic dilution on apparent respiration in 14C heterotrophy experiments. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 19:175–180
King GM, Klug MJ (1982) Glucose metabolism in sediments of a eutrophic lake: tracer analysis of uptake and product formation. Appl Environ Microbiol 44:1308–1317
Kirchman DL, Ducklow H, Mitchell R (1982) Estimates of bacterial growth and changes in uptake rates and biomass. Appl Environ Microbiol 44:1296–1307
Kirchman DL, Newell SY, Hodson RE (1986) Incorporation versus biosynthesis of leucine: implications for measuring rates of protein synthesis and biomass production by bacteria in marine systems. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 32:47–59
Lovley DR, Phillips EJ (1989) Requirement for a microbial consortium to completely oxidize glucose in Fe(III)-reducing sediments. Appl Environ Microbiol 55:3234–3236
Madsen EL, Bollag J (1989) Aerobic and anaerobic microbial activity in deep subsurface sediments from the Savannah River Plant. Geomicrobiol J 7:93–101
Madsen EL, Sinclair JL, Ghiorse WC (1991) In situ biodegradation: microbiological patterns in a contaminated aquifer. Science 252:830–833
McDaniel JA, Capone DG (1985) A comparison of procedures for the separation of aquatic bacteris from sediments for subsequent direct enumeration. J Microbiol Methods 3:291–302
McMahon PB, Chapelle FH (1991) Microbial production of organic acids in aquitard sediments and its role in aquifer geochemistry. Nature 349:233–235
Meyer-Reil L-A, Dawson R, Liebezeit G, Tiedge H (1978) Fluctuations and interactions in sandy beach sediments and overlying waters. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 48:161–171
Pedersen K, Edendahl S (1990) Distribution and activity of bacteria in deep granitic groundwaters of southeastern Sweden. Microb Ecol 20:37–52
Phelps TJ, Raione EG, White DC, Fliermans CB (1989) Microbial activities in deep subsurface environments. Geomicrobiol J 7:79–91
Read DC (1987) Greatly accelerated microbial degradation of aldicarb in re-treated field soil, in flooded soil, and in water. J Econ Entomol 80:156–163
Sinclair JL, Ghiorse WC (1989) Distribution of aerobic bacteria, algae, and fungi in deep subsurface sediments. Geomicrobiol J 7:15–31
Smelt JH, Leistra M, Houx NWH, Dekker A (1978) Conversion rates of aldicarb and its oxidation products in soils. III. Aldicarb. Pestic Sci 9:293–300
Staley JT, Konopka A (1985) Measurement of in situ acitivites of nonphotosynthetic microorganisms in aquatic and terestrial habitats. Annu Rev Microbiol 39:321–346
Swindoll CM, Aelion CM, Pfaender FK (1988) Influence of inorganic and organic nutrients on aerobic biodegradation and on the adaptation response of subsurface microbial communities. Appl Environ Microbiol 54:212–217
Swindoll CM, Aelion CM, Dobbins DC, Jiang O, Long SC, Pfaender FK (1988) Aerobic biodegradation of natural and xenobiotic organic compounds by subsurface microbial communities. Environ Toxicol Chem 7:291–299
Thorn PM, Ventullo RM (1988) Measurement of bacterial growth rates in subsurface sediments using the incorporation of tritiated thymidine into DNA. Microb Ecol 16:3–16
Toerien DF, Cavari B (1982) Effect of temperature on heterotrophic glucose uptake, mineralization, and turnover rates in lake sediments. Appl Environ Microbiol 43:1–5
van Es FB, Meyer-Reil LA (1982) Biomass and metabolic activity of heterotrophic marine bacteria. In: Marshall KC (ed) Advances in microbial ecology, vol 6. Plenum Press, New York, pp 111–170
Wood LW, Chua KE (1973) Glucose flux at the sediment water interface of Toronto Harbour, Lake Ontario with reference to pollution stress. Can J Microbiol 19:413–420
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Correspondence to: D.G. Capone
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kazumi, J., Capone, D.G. Heterotrophic microbial activity in shallow aquifer sediments of Long Island, New York. Microb Ecol 28, 19–37 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00170245
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00170245