Microbial Community Profile and Water Quality in a Protected Area of the Caatinga Biome

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 11; no. 2; p. e0148296
• Main Authors: Lopes, Fabyano Alvares Cardoso, Catão, Elisa Caldeira Pires, Santana, Renata Henrique, Cabral, Anderson de Souza, Paranhos, Rodolfo, Rangel, Thiago Pessanha, de Rezende, Carlos Eduardo, Edwards, Robert A, Thompson, Cristiane C, Thompson, Fabiano L, Kruger, Ricardo Henrique
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 16.02.2016; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Abundance; Agriculture; Agrochemicals; Ammonia; Ammonia - analysis; Analysis; Anthropogenic factors; Arid regions; Arsenic; Arsenic compounds; Arthrobacter; Arthrobacter - classification; Arthrobacter - genetics; Bacteria; Biodegradation; Biology and Life Sciences; Biomes; Biotechnology; Brazil; Burkholderiaceae - classification; Burkholderiaceae - genetics; Cadmium; Carbon - analysis; Cellular biology; Comamonadaceae - classification; Comamonadaceae - genetics; Communities; Comparative analysis; Copper; Degradation; Dry season; Earth Sciences; Ecology and Environmental Sciences; Ecosystem; Ecosystems; Environmental impact; Environmental science; Flavobacterium - classification; Flavobacterium - genetics; Genes; Herbicides; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; Homeostasis; Human influences; Laboratories; Metabolism; Metabolites; Metagenome; Microbial Consortia - physiology; Microbiomes; Microorganisms; National parks; Nitrites - analysis; Organic carbon; Particulate Matter - analysis; Particulate organic carbon; Pesticides; Phylogeny; Physical Sciences; Protected areas; Protection and preservation; Rainy season; Research and Analysis Methods; Rivers; Rivers - chemistry; Rivers - microbiology; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics; rRNA 16S; Seasons; Silicates - analysis; Soil contamination; Water analysis; Water Quality; Water resource management; Water sampling; Brazil; Rio de Janeiro Brazil; California; United States > US
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0148296
• ISSN: 1932-6203

The Caatinga is a semi-arid biome in northeast Brazil. The Paraguaçú River is located in the Caatinga biome, and part of its course is protected by the National Park of Chapada Diamantina (PNCD). In this study we evaluated the effect of PNCD protection on the water quality and microbial community diversity of this river by analyzing water samples obtained from points located inside and outside the PNCD in both wet and dry seasons. Results of water quality analysis showed higher levels of silicate, ammonia, particulate organic carbon, and nitrite in samples from the unprotected area compared with those from protected areas. Pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA genes revealed that Burkholderiales was abundant in samples from all three sites during both seasons and was represented primarily by the genus Polynucleobacter and members of the Comamonadaceae family (e.g., genus Limnohabitans). During the dry season, the unprotected area showed a higher abundance of Flavobacterium sp. and Arthrobacter sp., which are frequently associated with the presence and/or degradation of arsenic and pesticide compounds. In addition, genes that appear to be related to agricultural impacts on the environment, as well as those involved in arsenic and cadmium resistance, copper homeostasis, and propanediol utilization, were detected in the unprotected areas by metagenomic sequencing. Although PNCD protection improves water quality, agricultural activities around the park may affect water quality within the park and may account for the presence of bacteria capable of pesticide degradation and assimilation, evidencing possible anthropogenic impacts on the Caatinga.