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Distribution and Metabolic Activities of Marine Microbes in Response to Natural and Anthropogenic Stressors

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A special issue of Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (ISSN 2077-1312). This special issue belongs to the section "Marine Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2021) | Viewed by 28603

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Prof. Dr. Gabriella Caruso

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Guest Editor

National Research Council, Institute of Polar Sciences (CNR-ISP), Spianata S. Raineri 86, 98122 Messina, Italy
Interests: microbial ecology; marine and freshwater microbiology; microbial enzyme activities; vibrios; fluorescent antibody technique; pollution monitoring; plastisphere; antibiotic resistance; polar regions
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Dr. Kai Ziervogel

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Guest Editor

Ocean Process Analysis Laboratory, University of New Hampshire Durham, Durham, NC, USA
Interests: marine microbial biogeochemistry; microbial oceanography; marine snow; marine oil snow; biological carbon pump; benthic–pelagic coupling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Marine ecosystems experience constant anthropogenic stress through eutrophication, acidification, warming, and pollution (e.g., plastics, oil spills). Microbial communities act as sentinels for environmental changes. However, microbial responses to environmental changes often remain unpredictable as microbes operate on the microscale, which complicates extrapolation of microbial structure and function to larger scale processes. For instance, millimeter-sized organic aggregates known as marine snow harbor distinct microbial communities compared to ambient waters, making them hotspots for microbially mediated elemental cycling. New observations and experiments, together with analytical advances, may allow us to gain detailed insights into how microorganisms (free-living or particle-attached) respond to stressors, thus contributing to predictions of future scenarios and guiding decision makers. We welcome submissions of laboratory and field studies on microbial responses to natural and anthropogenic changes, and on spatial scales ranging from ocean basins to microenvironments such as marine snow.

Dr. Gabriella Caruso
Dr. Kai Ziervogel
Guest Editors

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Keywords

Microbial communities
Microbial metabolic activities
Marine snow
Climate change
Anthropogenic stressors
Oil spills
Plastic pollution
Temperate areas
Tropical and polar regions

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Other

6 pages, 224 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Distribution and Metabolic Activities of Marine Microbes in Response to Natural and Anthropogenic Stressors

by Gabriella Caruso and Kai Ziervogel

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10(8), 1119; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10081119 - 14 Aug 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1234

Abstract

As a consequence of climate change and increased human pressure, aquatic ecosystems are experiencing natural and anthropogenic stressors and events such as temperature warming, acidification, biodiversity loss, and degraded water quality [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Distribution and Metabolic Activities of Marine Microbes in Response to Natural and Anthropogenic Stressors)

Research

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25 pages, 2660 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperEditor’s ChoiceArticle

All-In-One: Microbial Response to Natural and Anthropogenic Forcings in a Coastal Mediterranean Ecosystem, the Syracuse Bay (Ionian Sea, Italy)

by Gabriella Caruso, Maria Grazia Giacobbe, Filippo Azzaro, Franco Decembrini, Marcella Leonardi, Stefano Miserocchi, Xiuyun Cao, Chunlei Song and Yiyong Zhou

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10(1), 19; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10010019 - 26 Dec 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3140

Abstract

Bacterial and phytoplankton communities are known to be in close relationships, but how natural and anthropogenic stressors can affect their dynamics is not fully understood. To study the response of microbial communities to environmental and human-induced perturbations, phytoplankton and bacterial communities were seasonally monitored in a Mediterranean coastal ecosystem, Syracuse Bay, where multiple conflicts co-exist. Quali-quantitative, seasonal surveys of the phytoplankton communities (diatoms, dinoflagellates and other taxa), the potential microbial enzymatic activity rates (leucine aminopeptidase, beta-glucosidase and alkaline phosphatase) and heterotrophic culturable bacterial abundance, together with the thermohaline structure and trophic status in terms of nutrient concentrations, phytoplankton biomass (as Chlorophyll-a), and total suspended and particulate organic matter, were carried out. The aim was to integrate microbial community dynamics in the context of the environmental characterization and disentangle microbial patterns related to natural changes from those driven by the anthropic impact on this ecosystem. In spite of the complex relationships between the habitat characteristics, microbial community abundance and metabolic potential, in Syracuse Bay, the availability of organic substrates differently originated by the local conditions appeared to drive the distribution and activity of microbial assemblage. A seasonal pattern of microbial abundances was observed, with the highest concentrations of phytoplankton in spring and low values in winter, whereas heterotrophic bacteria were more abundant during the autumn period. The autumn peaks of the rates of enzymatic activities suggested that not only phytoplankton-derived but also allochthonous organic polymers strongly stimulated microbial metabolism. Increased microbial response in terms of abundance and metabolic activities was detected especially at the sites directly affected by organic matter inputs related to agriculture or aquaculture activities. Nitrogen salts such as nitrate, rather than orthophosphate, were primary drivers of phytoplankton growth. This study also provides insights on the different seasonal scenarios of water quality in Syracuse Bay, which could be helpful for management plans of this Mediterranean coastal environment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Distribution and Metabolic Activities of Marine Microbes in Response to Natural and Anthropogenic Stressors)

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13 pages, 3103 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Culture Growth of the Cyanobacterium Phormidium sp. in Various Salinity and Light Regimes and Their Influence on Its Phycocyanin and Other Pigments Content

by George N. Hotos

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2021, 9(8), 798; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9080798 - 24 Jul 2021

Cited by 27 | Viewed by 4586

Abstract

A strain of the filamentous non N-fixing cyanobacterium Phormidium sp. isolated from the Messolonghi (W. Greece) saltworks, was cultured in the laboratory at six different combinations of salinity (20-40-60 ppt) and illumination (low-2000 lux and high-8000 lux). At salinities of 60 and 40 ppt and in high illumination (XL-8000 lux), the growth rate (μmax) presented the highest values (0.491 and 0.401, respectively) compared to the corresponding at 20 ppt (0.203). In general and at all salinities, the higher illumination (XL) gave the highest growth rates and shorter duplication time (tg) in comparison to the lower illumination (L). On the contrary, phycocyanin, phycoerythrin and allophycocyanin production was extremely increased in the lower illumination (L) in all salinities, from ~14 fold at 40 and 60 ppt to 269 fold at 20 ppt of those corresponding to higher illumination (XL). Similar analogies were also recorded for the other two billiproteins. Chlorophyll-a content was also higher in lower illumination at all salinities in contrast to total carotenoids that did not exhibit such a pattern. The high growth rate and high phycocyanin content along with the rapid sedimentation of its cultured biomass can set this marine Phormidium species as a promising candidate for mass culture. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Distribution and Metabolic Activities of Marine Microbes in Response to Natural and Anthropogenic Stressors)

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10 pages, 1564 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Starvation-Dependent Inhibition of the Hydrocarbon Degrader Marinobacter sp. TT1 by a Chemical Dispersant

by Saskia Rughöft, Anjela L. Vogel, Samantha B. Joye, Tony Gutierrez and Sara Kleindienst

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2020, 8(11), 925; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse8110925 - 16 Nov 2020

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 2676

Abstract

During marine oil spills, chemical dispersants are used routinely to disperse surface slicks, transferring the hydrocarbon constituents of oil into the aqueous phase. Nonetheless, a comprehensive understanding of how dispersants affect natural populations of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria, particularly under environmentally relevant conditions, is lacking. We investigated the impacts of the dispersant Corexit EC9500A on the marine hydrocarbon degrader Marinobacter sp. TT1 when pre-adapted to either low n-hexadecane concentrations (starved culture) or high n-hexadecane concentrations (well-fed culture). The growth of previously starved cells was inhibited when exposed to the dispersant, as evidenced by 55% lower cell numbers and 30% lower n-hexadecane biodegradation efficiency compared to cells grown on n-hexadecane alone. Cultures that were well-fed did not exhibit dispersant-induced inhibition of growth or n-hexadecane degradation. In addition, fluorescence microscopy revealed amorphous cell aggregate structures when the starved culture was exposed to dispersants, suggesting that Corexit affected the biofilm formation behavior of starved cells. Our findings indicate that (previous) substrate limitation, resembling oligotrophic open ocean conditions, can impact the response and hydrocarbon-degrading activities of oil-degrading organisms when exposed to Corexit, and highlight the need for further work to better understand the implications of environmental stressors on oil biodegradation and microbial community dynamics. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Distribution and Metabolic Activities of Marine Microbes in Response to Natural and Anthropogenic Stressors)

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23 pages, 3365 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Microbial Abundance and Enzyme Activity Patterns: Response to Changing Environmental Characteristics along a Transect in Kongsfjorden (Svalbard Islands)

by Gabriella Caruso, Alice Madonia, Simone Bonamano, Stefano Miserocchi, Federico Giglio, Giovanna Maimone, Filippo Azzaro, Franco Decembrini, Rosabruna La Ferla, Viviana Piermattei, Daniele Piazzolla, Marco Marcelli and Maurizio Azzaro

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2020, 8(10), 824; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse8100824 - 21 Oct 2020

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3108

Abstract

Svalbard archipelago is experiencing the effects of climate changes (i.e., glaciers’ thickness reduction and glacier front retreat), but how ice melting affects water biogeochemistry is still unknown. Microbial communities often act as environmental sentinels, modulating their distribution and activity in response to environmental variability. To assess microbial response to climate warming, within the ARctic: present Climatic change and pAst extreme events (ARCA) project, a survey was carried out along a transect in Konsfjorden from off-shore stations towards the Kronebreen glacier. Total bacterial abundance and the fraction of actively respiring cells (labelled by cyanotetrazolium chloride, CTC), cultivable heterotrophic bacterial abundance, and extracellular enzymatic activities (leucine aminopeptidase (LAP), beta-glucosidase (GLU), and alkaline phosphatase (AP)) were measured. In addition, water temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, total suspended matter (TSM), particulate and chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM), chlorophyll-a (Chl-a), and inorganic compounds were determined, in order to evaluate whether variations in microbial abundance and metabolism were related with changes in environmental variables. Colder waters at surface (3.5–5 m) depths and increased turbidity, TSM, and inorganic compounds found at some hydrological stations close to the glacier were signals of ice melting. CDOM absorption slope values (275–295 nm) varied from 0.0077 to 0.0109 nm⁻¹, and total bacterial cell count and cultivable heterotrophic bacterial abundance were in the order of 10⁶ cells/mL and 10³ colony forming units/mL, respectively. Enzymatic rates <1.78, 1.25, and 0.25 nmol/L/h were recorded for AP, LAP, and GLU, respectively. Inorganic compounds, TSM, and turbidity correlated inversely with temperature; AP was significantly related with CDOM absorption spectra and heterotrophic bacteria (r = 0.59, 0.71, p < 0.05); and LAP with Chl-a, Particulate Organic Carbon (POC) and Particulate Organic Nitrogen (PON) (0.97, 0.780, 0.734, p < 0.01), suggesting that fresh material from ice melting stimulated the metabolism of the cultivable fraction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Distribution and Metabolic Activities of Marine Microbes in Response to Natural and Anthropogenic Stressors)

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15 pages, 1349 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Coupling between Benthic Nutrient Cycling and Pelagic Phytoplankton Community in Taiwan Strait in Spring 2018

by Xiaowen Li, Xiaojie Chai, Lingling Zheng, Qinghui Deng, Xiaoyan Chen, Qi Zhang, Lingling Wan, Chunlei Song, Lirong Song, Yiyong Zhou and Xiuyun Cao

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2020, 8(10), 807; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse8100807 - 18 Oct 2020

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2266

Abstract

Although the nutrient as a driving force for the red tide was intensively studied, the spatial patterns of the phytoplankton community and its response to benthic nutrient cycling remain unclear. We determined the pelagic phytoplankton community and its extracellular alkaline phosphatase qualitatively using enzyme-labeled fluorescence (ELF) technique, concomitantly with the concentrations of phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) in the water and sediments in the Taiwan Strait in spring 2018. A total of 30 phytoplankton genera were identified with a higher abundance of the abundance of Prorocentrum and Trichodesmium being observed at the north coast and the center of the southern strait, respectively. Both phytoplankton abundances and Trichodesmium were negatively correlated with the ratios of dissolved inorganic N and ammonium to soluble reactive P (DIN/SRP, NH₄⁺/SRP) in the bottom. Furthermore, the ELF-labeling percentage in Trichodesmium was negatively correlated with total P and SRP but positively correlated with TN/TP, DIN/SRP, and NH₄⁺/SRP in the bottom. In contrast to high DIN/SRP of the surface, lower DIN/SRP in the bottom was owing to a high P release potential and weak sequestration of P as evidenced by the distribution of P solubilizing bacteria and P content. Our findings indicated that the benthic nutrient regime might shape the structure of the pelagic phytoplankton community. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Distribution and Metabolic Activities of Marine Microbes in Response to Natural and Anthropogenic Stressors)

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17 pages, 1401 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter as a Tracer of Fecal Contamination for Bathing Water Quality Monitoring in the Northern Tyrrhenian Sea (Latium, Italy)

by Alice Madonia, Gabriella Caruso, Daniele Piazzolla, Simone Bonamano, Viviana Piermattei, Giuseppe Zappalà and Marco Marcelli

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2020, 8(6), 430; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse8060430 - 12 Jun 2020

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2710

Abstract

Dissolved organic matter present in natural aquatic environments is a heterogeneous mixture of allochthonous and autochthonous materials. In coastal areas vulnerable to sewage waste, its biologically active component, the chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM), is expected to change its composition and distribution in relation to anthropogenic activities, suggesting the possible use of CDOM as a proxy of fecal contamination. This study aimed at testing such hypothesis by investigating and relating the optical properties of CDOM with Escherichia coli abundance, physiological state, and enzymatic activities in a bathing area of the Northern Tyrrhenian Sea (Latium, Italy) affected by urban wastewaters. The parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) applied to the excitation–emission matrices (EEMs) of CDOM allowed us to distinguish three main components: C1 (λ_Ex/λ_Em = 342 nm/435 nm), C2 (λ_Ex/λ_Em = 281–373 nm/460 nm), and C3 (λ_Ex/λ_Em = 286 nm/360 nm). C1 and C2 corresponded to humic acids of terrestrial origin, while C3 to tryptophan, whose fluorescence peak was detected close to sewage sites, strongly related to active E. coli cells. The comparison between spectral and microbiological methods is suggested as a suitable approach to monitor bathing water quality for the implementation of coastal observing system capability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Distribution and Metabolic Activities of Marine Microbes in Response to Natural and Anthropogenic Stressors)

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12 pages, 2354 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Phytoplankton Growth Phase on Settling Properties of Marine Aggregates

by Jennifer C. Prairie, Quinn W. Montgomery, Kyle W. Proctor and Kathryn S. Ghiorso

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2019, 7(8), 265; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse7080265 - 10 Aug 2019

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4172

Abstract

Marine snow aggregates often dominate carbon export from the surface layer to the deep ocean. Therefore, understanding the formation and properties of aggregates is essential to the study of the biological pump. Previous studies have observed a relationship between phytoplankton growth phase and the production of transparent exopolymer particles (TEP), the sticky particles secreted by phytoplankton that act as the glue during aggregate formation. In this experimental study, we aim to determine the effect of phytoplankton growth phase on properties related to aggregate settling. Cultures of the diatom Thalassiosira weissflogii were grown to four different growth phases and incubated in rotating cylindrical tanks to form aggregates. Aggregate excess density and delayed settling time through a sharp density gradient were quantified for the aggregates that were formed, and relative TEP concentration was measured for cultures before aggregate formation. Compared to the first growth phase, later phytoplankton growth phases were found to have higher relative TEP concentration and aggregates with lower excess densities and longer delayed settling times. These findings may suggest that, although particle concentrations are higher at later stages of phytoplankton blooms, aggregates may be less dense and sink slower, thus affecting carbon export. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Distribution and Metabolic Activities of Marine Microbes in Response to Natural and Anthropogenic Stressors)

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Other

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12 pages, 1137 KiB

Open AccessPerspective

Hydrolysis of Methylumbeliferyl Substrate Proxies for Esterase Activities as Indicator for Microbial Oil Degradation in the Ocean: Evidence from Observations in the Aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill (Gulf of Mexico)

by Kai Ziervogel, Manoj Kamalanathan and Antonietta Quigg

J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10(5), 583; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10050583 - 26 Apr 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2447

Abstract

Biological oil weathering facilitated by specialized heterotrophic microbial communities plays a key role in the fate of petroleum hydrocarbon in the ocean. The most common methods of assessing oil biodegradation involve (i) measuring changes in the composition and concentration of oil over time and/or (ii) biological incubations with stable or radio-labelled substrates. Both methods provide robust and invaluable information on hydrocarbon biodegradation pathways; however, they also require extensive sample processing and are expensive in nature. More convenient ways to assess activities within microbial oil degradation networks involve measuring extracellular enzyme activity. This perspective article synthesizes previously published results from studies conducted in the aftermath of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon (DwH) oil spill in the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGoM), to test the hypothesis that fluorescence assays of esterases, including lipase activity, are sensitive indicators for microbial oil degradation in the ocean. In agreement with the rates and patterns of enzyme activity in oil-contaminated seawater and sediments in the nGoM, we found close correlations between esterase activity measured by means of methylumbeliferyl (MUF) oleate and MUF butyrate hydrolysis, and the concentration of petroleum hydrocarbons in two separate laboratory incubations using surface (<1 m) and deep nGoM waters (>1200 m). Correlations between esterase activities and oil were driven by the presence of chemical dispersants, suggesting a connection to the degree of oil dissolution in the medium. Our results clearly show that esterase activities measured with fluorogenic substrate proxies are a good indicator for oil biodegradation in the ocean; however, there are certain factors as discussed in this study that need to be taken into consideration while utilizing this approach. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Distribution and Metabolic Activities of Marine Microbes in Response to Natural and Anthropogenic Stressors)

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