scholarly journals Rhizodegradation of PAHs differentially altered by C3 and C4 plants

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anithadevi Kenday Sivaram ◽  
Suresh Ramraj Subashchandrabose ◽  
Panneerselvan Logeshwaran ◽  
Robin Lockington ◽  
Ravi Naidu ◽  
...  

Abstract Pyrosequencing of 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) was employed to characterize bacterial communities colonizing the rhizosphere of plants with C3 and C4 photosynthetic pathways grown in soil contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) after 60 and 120 days. The results of this study exhibited a clear difference in bacterial diversity between the rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere samples and between the rhizospheres of the C3 and C4 plants after 120 days. In both C3 and C4 rhizospheres, an incremental change in PAHs degrading bacterial genera was observed in the 120th day samples compared to the 60th day ones. Among the PAHs degrading bacterial genera, Pseudomonas showed good resistance to PAHs in the 120th day rhizosphere of both C3 and C4 plants. Conversely, the genus Sphingomonas showed sensitivity to PAHs in the 120th day rhizosphere soils of C3 plants only. Also, a significant increase in the PAHs degrading genera was observed at 120th day in the C4 rhizosphere in comparison to the C3 rhizosphere, which was reflected in a reduced PAHs concentration measured in the soil remediated with C4 plants rather than C3 plants. These results suggest that the rhizoremediation of PAHs was primarily governed by the plant photosystems, which led to differences in root secretions that caused the variation in bacterial diversity seen in the rhizospheres. This study is the first report to demonstrate the greater effectiveness of C4 plants in enhancing the PAHs degrading bacterial community than C3 plants.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roland Vernooij ◽  
Ulrike Dusek ◽  
Maria Elena Popa ◽  
Peng Yao ◽  
Anupam Shaikat ◽  
...  

Abstract. Landscape fires are a significant contributor to atmospheric burdens of greenhouse gases and aerosols. Although many studies have looked at biomass burning products and their fate in the atmosphere, estimating and tracing atmospheric pollution from landscape fires based on atmospheric measurements is challenging due to the large variability in fuel composition and burning conditions. Stable carbon isotopes in biomass burning (BB) emissions can be used to trace the contribution of C3 plants (e.g., trees or shrubs) and C4 plants (e.g. savanna grasses) to various combustion products. However, there are still many uncertainties regarding changes in isotopic composition (also known as fractionation) of the emitted carbon compared to the burnt fuel during the pyrolysis and combustion processes. To study BB isotope fractionation, we performed a series of laboratory fire experiments in which we burned pure C3 and C4 plants as well as mixtures of the two. Using isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS), we measured stable carbon isotope signatures in the pre-fire fuels and post-fire residual char, as well as in the CO2, CO, CH4, organic carbon (OC), and elemental carbon (EC) emissions, which together constitute over 98 % of the post-fire carbon. Our laboratory tests indicated substantial isotopic fractionation in combustion products compared to the fuel, which varied between the measured fire products. CO2, EC and residual char were the most reliable tracers of the fuel 13C signature. CO in particular showed a distinct dependence on burning conditions; flaming emissions were enriched in 13C compared to smouldering combustion emissions. For CH4 and OC, the fractionation was opposite for C3 emissions (13C-enriched) and C4 emissions (13C-depleted). This indicates that while it is possible to distinguish between fires that were dominated by either C3 or C4 fuels using these tracers, it is more complicated to quantify their relative contribution to a mixed-fuel-fire based on the δ13C signature of emissions. Besides laboratory experiments, we sampled gases and carbonaceous aerosols from prescribed fires in the Niassa special Reserve (NSR) in Mozambique, using an unmanned aerial system (UAS)-mounted sampling set-up. We also provide a range of C3 : C4 contributions to the fuel and measured the fuel isotopic signatures. While both OC and EC were useful tracers of the C3 to C4 fuel ratio in mixed fires in the lab, we found particularly OC to be depleted compared to the calculated fuel signal in the field experiments. This suggests that either our fuel measurements were incomprehensive and underestimated the C3 : C4 ratio in the field, or that other processes caused this depletion. Although additional field measurements are needed, our results indicate that C3 vs C4 source ratio estimation is possible with most BB products, albeit with varying uncertainty ranges.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ginga Shimakawa ◽  
Chikahiro Miyake

Abstract Photosynthetic organisms commonly develop the strategy to keep the reaction centre chlorophyll of photosystem I, P700, oxidised for preventing the generation of reactive oxygen species in excess light conditions. In photosynthesis of C4 plants, CO2 concentration is kept at higher levels around ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) by the cooperation of the mesophyll and bundle sheath cells, which enables them to assimilate CO2 at higher rates and to survive under drought stress. However, the regulatory mechanism of photosynthetic electron transport for P700 oxidation is still poorly understood in C4 plants. Here we assessed gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, electrochromic shift, and near infrared absorbance in the intact leaves of NADP-malic enzyme subtype of C4 plants maize in a comparison with the C3 plant field mustard. Instead of the alternative electron sink due to photorespiration, photosynthetic linear electron flow was strongly limited between photosystems I and II dependent on the proton gradient across the thylakoid membrane (ΔpH) in response to the suppression of CO2 assimilation in maize. The increase of ΔpH for P700 oxidation was caused by the regulation of proton conductance of chloroplast ATP synthase but not by promoting cyclic electron flow, which was supported by linear relationships among CO2 assimilation rate, linear electron flow, P700 oxidation, ΔpH, and the oxidation rate of ferredoxin. At the scale of intact leaves, the ratio of PSI to PSII was estimated almost 1:1 in both C3 and C4 plants. Overall, the photosynthetic electron transport was regulated for P700 oxidation in maize through the same strategies as in C3 plants only except for the capacity of photorespiration despite the structural and metabolic differences in photosynthesis between C3 and C4 plants.


1996 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 342-350 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Saigusa ◽  
S. Liu ◽  
T. Oikawa ◽  
T. Watanabe

Abstract. The seasonal change in CO2 flux over an artificial grassland was analyzed from the ecological and meteorological point of view. This grassland contains C3 and C4 plants; the three dominant species belonging to the Gramineae; Festuca elatior (C3) dominated in early spring, and Imperata cylindrica (C4) and Andropogon virginicus (C4) grew during early summer and became dominant in mid-summer. CO2 flux was measured by the gradient method, and the routinely observed data for the surface-heat budget were used to analyze the CO2 and H2O exchange between the grassland and atmosphere. From August to October in 1993, CO2 flux was reduced to around half under the same solar-radiation conditions, while H2O flux decreased 20% during the same period. The monthly values of water use efficiency, i.e., ratio of CO2 flux to H2O flux decreased from 5.8 to 3.3 mg CO2/g H2O from August to October, the Bowen ratio increased from 0.20 to 0.30, and the ratio of the bulk latent heat transfer coefficient CE to the sensible heat transfer coefficient CH was maintained around 0.40-0.50. The increase in the Bowen ratio was explained by the decrease in air temperature from 22.3 °C in August to 16.6 °C in October without considering biological effects such as stomatal closure on the individual leaves. The nearly constant CE/CH ratios suggested that the contribution ratio of canopy resistance to aerodynamic resistance did not change markedly, although the meteorological conditions changed seasonally. The decrease in the water use efficiency, however, suggested that the photosynthetic rate decreased for individual leaves from August to October under the same radiation conditions. Diurnal variations of CO2 exchange were simulated by the multi-layer canopy model taking into account the differences in the stomatal conductance and photosynthetic pathway between C3 and C4 plants. The results suggested that C4 plants played a major role in the CO2 exchange in August, the contribution of C4 plants decreased in September, and daily variations of CO2 exchange were mainly due to C3 plants in October. The results also suggested that the decrease in the net canopy CO2 exchange from August to October was induced partly by the decrease of net photosynthesis on the individual leaves in both C4 and C3 plants, which could be due to aging of the leaves.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulrike Dusek ◽  
Roland Vernooij ◽  
Anupam Shaikat ◽  
Chenxi Qiu ◽  
Elena Popa ◽  
...  

<p>Biomass burning on the African continent emits large amounts of CO<sub>2</sub>, CO, and aerosols. Our aim is to use measurements of the stable carbon isotope <sup>13</sup>C in organic carbon, CO and CO<sub>2</sub> in biomass burning smoke to estimate the contribution of C3 plants (trees and bushes) and C4 plants (mainly Savannah grass), which have very distinct <sup>13</sup>C/<sup>12</sup>C ratios. This is possible, if <sup>13</sup>C/<sup>12</sup>C ratios are not significantly altered by the combustion process. This assumption is investigated in a series of laboratory experiments, where C3 and C4 plants (corn and willow wood), or C3-C4 plant mixtures are burned. The laboratory results are used to interpret the results of pilot studies of smoke sampled in African savannah fires.</p><p> </p><p>First results from the laboratory studies indicate that organic carbon (OC) from combustion of willow or corn shows <sup>13</sup>C/<sup>12</sup>C ratios comparable to the burned plant material. For combustion of willow (C3), the <sup>13</sup>C/<sup>12</sup>C ratios in OC tend to be slightly higher than in the wood fuel, depending on combustion conditions. For combustion of corn <sup>13</sup>C/<sup>12</sup>C ratios of OC tend to be slightly lower than in the fuel. For mixtures of willow and corn the relationship between <sup>13</sup>C/<sup>12</sup>C ratios in the emitted organic carbon and the fuel mixture is slightly non-linear: For a 50-50% oak wood and corn mixture the <sup>13</sup>C/<sup>12</sup>C ratio in OC is closer to that of corn than that of willow. First results from pilot field studies indicate that a larger fraction of OC comes from trees and bushes, although mainly Savannah grass is burned in the investigated fires.</p>


2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ananda Tiwari ◽  
Anna-Maria Hokajärvi ◽  
Jorge Santo Domingo ◽  
Michael Elk ◽  
Balamuralikrishna Jayaprakash ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Rivers and lakes are used for multiple purposes such as for drinking water (DW) production, recreation, and as recipients of wastewater from various sources. The deterioration of surface water quality with wastewater is well-known, but less is known about the bacterial community dynamics in the affected surface waters. Understanding the bacterial community characteristics —from the source of contamination, through the watershed to the DW production process—may help safeguard human health and the environment. Results The spatial and seasonal dynamics of bacterial communities, their predicted functions, and potential health-related bacterial (PHRB) reads within the Kokemäenjoki River watershed in southwest Finland were analyzed with the 16S rRNA-gene amplicon sequencing method. Water samples were collected from various sampling points of the watershed, from its major pollution sources (sewage influent and effluent, industrial effluent, mine runoff) and different stages of the DW treatment process (pre-treatment, groundwater observation well, DW production well) by using the river water as raw water with an artificial groundwater recharge (AGR). The beta-diversity analysis revealed that bacterial communities were highly varied among sample groups (R = 0.92, p <  0.001, ANOSIM). The species richness and evenness indices were highest in surface water (Chao1; 920 ± 10) among sample groups and gradually decreased during the DW treatment process (DW production well; Chao1: 320 ± 20). Although the phylum Proteobacteria was omnipresent, its relative abundance was higher in sewage and industrial effluents (66–80%) than in surface water (55%). Phyla Firmicutes and Fusobacteria were only detected in sewage samples. Actinobacteria was more abundant in the surface water (≥13%) than in other groups (≤3%). Acidobacteria was more abundant in the DW treatment process (≥13%) than in others (≤2%). In total, the share of PHRB reads was higher in sewage and surface water than in the DW treatment samples. The seasonal effect in bacterial communities was observed only on surface water samples, with the lowest diversity during summer. Conclusions The low bacterial diversity and absence of PHRB read in the DW samples indicate AGR can produce biologically stable and microbiologically safe drinking water. Furthermore, the significantly different bacterial communities at the pollution sources compared to surface water and DW samples highlight the importance of effective wastewater treatment for protecting the environment and human health.


Proceedings ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 44
Author(s):  
Kozak ◽  
Włodarczyk-Makuła

The aim of the research was to determine the effectiveness of removing micro-organic pollutants, including PAHs, using the modified Fenton method. The tested material was pretreated coke wastewater, in which the initial chemical oxygen demand (COD) value and initial polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) concentration were determined. The samples were then subjected to an oxidation procedure. Before the process, the pH was adjusted to 3.5–3.8. Next, the following doses of sodium carbonate—hydrogen peroxide (2/3): 1.2 g/L, 1.5 g/L and 2 g/L, and a constant dose of iron sulphate were added. The next step was exposing the samples to UV light for 6 min and separating the organic matrix from the samples of wastewater. After the tests, the final value of the COD and the final PAHs concentration were determined. The average content of organic pollutants in pretreated coke wastewater determined by the COD index was 538 mg/L, and after the oxidation process, the COD index decreased in the range from 9 to 29%. The efficiency of the degradation of the sum of 16 PAHs was varied and was in the range of 94–97.6%. The research results show that sodium carbonate—hydrogen peroxide (2/3) can be used for the degradation of organic pollutants, such as PAHs, in the modified Fenton process.


2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandeep Kumar ◽  
M. Ajmal Khan ◽  
Emma Beijer ◽  
Jinxin Liu ◽  
Katherine K. Lowe ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The nutrition of calves from birth until weaning is predominantly from liquid (milk or milk-based) feeds. Liquid feed allowances are often restricted during artificial rearing to accelerate the development of the rumen by promoting solid feed intake. Liquid feeds bypass the rumen and are digested in the lower digestive tract, however, the influence of different types of milk feeds, and their allowances, on the calf hindgut microbiota is not well understood. In this study, faecal samples from 199 calves raised on three different allowances of milk replacer: 10% of initial bodyweight (LA), 20% of initial bodyweight (HA), and ad libitum (ADLIB), were collected just prior to weaning. Bacterial community structures and fermentation products were analysed, and their relationships with calf growth and health parameters were examined to identify potential interactions between diet, gut microbiota and calf performance. Results Differences in the total concentrations of short-chain fatty acids were not observed, but higher milk replacer allowances increased the concentrations of branched short-chain fatty acids and decreased acetate to propionate ratios. The bacterial communities were dominated by Ruminococcaceae, Lachnospiraceae and Bacteroides, and the bacterial diversity of the ADLIB diet group was greater than that of the other diet groups. Faecalibacterium was over three times more abundant in the ADLIB compared to the LA group, and its abundance correlated strongly with girth and body weight gains. Milk replacer intake correlated strongly with Peptococcus and Blautia, which also correlated with body weight gain. Bifidobacterium averaged less than 1% abundance, however its levels, and those of Clostridium sensu stricto 1, correlated strongly with initial serum protein levels, which are an indicator of colostrum intake and passive transfer of immunoglobulins in early life. Conclusions Higher milk replacer intakes in calves increased hindgut bacterial diversity and resulted in bacterial communities and short chain fatty acid profiles associated with greater protein fermentation. Increased abundances of beneficial bacteria such as Faecalibacterium, were also observed, which may contribute to development and growth. Moreover, correlations between microbial taxa and initial serum protein levels suggest that colostrum intake in the first days of life may influence microbiota composition at pre-weaning.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 1338
Author(s):  
Susanna Gorrasi ◽  
Andrea Franzetti ◽  
Roberto Ambrosini ◽  
Francesca Pittino ◽  
Marcella Pasqualetti ◽  
...  

The “Saline di Tarquinia” salterns have been scarcely investigated regarding their microbiological aspects. This work studied the structure and composition of their bacterial communities along the salinity gradient (from the nearby sea through different ponds). The communities showed increasing simplification of pond bacterial diversity along the gradient (particularly if compared to those of the sea). Among the 38 assigned phyla, the most represented were Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes. Differently to other marine salterns, where at the highest salinities Bacteroidetes dominated, preponderance of Proteobacteria was observed. At the genus level the most abundant taxa were Pontimonas, Marivita, Spiribacter, Bordetella, GpVII and Lentibacter. The α-diversity analysis showed that the communities were highly uneven, and the Canonical Correspondence Analysis indicated that they were structured by various factors (sampling site, sampling year, salinity, and sampling month). Moreover, the taxa abundance variation in relation to these significant parameters were investigated by Generalized Linear Models. This work represents the first investigation of a marine saltern, carried out by a metabarcoding approach, which permitted a broad vision of the bacterial diversity, covering both a wide temporal span (two years with monthly sampling) and the entire salinity gradient (from the nearby sea up to the crystallisation ponds).


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel A. Bawa ◽  
Peter C. Gregg ◽  
Alice P. Del Socorro ◽  
Cara Miller ◽  
Nigel R. Andrew

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