Metabolic diversity of the heterotrophic microorganisms and potential link to pollution of the Rouge River

• Published in: Environmental pollution (1987) Vol. 158; no. 5; pp. 1435 - 1443
• Main Author: Tiquia, S.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2010; Elsevier Science Ltd; Elsevier
• Subjects: Bacteria; Bacteria - isolation & purification; Bacteria - metabolism; Biodiversity; Biolog EcoPlate; Biological and medical sciences; carbohydrates; chlorophyll; Communities; Community-level physiological profile; Functional diversity; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; heterotrophs; Links; Metabolic diversity; microbial communities; Microbiology; Microorganisms; pollution; Pollution abatement; Rivers; Rivers - chemistry; Rivers - microbiology; Substrate utilization pattern; Urbanization; Water Microbiology; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water pollution; Substrate utilization pattern; Biolog EcoPlate; Community-level physiological profile; Functional diversity; Metabolic diversity
• ISSN: 0269-7491; 1873-6424
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2009.12.035

The heterotrophic microbial communities of the Rouge River were tracked using Biolog Ecoplates to understand the metabolic diversity at different temporal and spatial scales, and potential link to river pollution. Site less impacted by anthrophogenic sources (site 1), showed markedly lower metabolic diversity. The only substrates that were utilized in the water samples were carbohydrates. Sites more impacted by anthrophogenic sources (sites 8 and 9) showed higher metabolic diversity. Higher functional diversity was linked to the physico-chemical and biological properties of the water samples (i.e. higher concentrations of DO, DOC, chlorophyll, and bacterial density). Biolog analysis was found to be useful in differentiating metabolic diversity between microbial communities; in determining factors that most influence the separation of communities; and in identifying which substrates were most utilized by the communities. It can also be used as an effective ecological indicator of changes in river function attributable to urbanization and pollution. BIOLOG differentiated metabolic diversity between microbial communities and can be used as ecological indicator of river function attributable to urbanization and pollution.