Response of microbial taxonomic and nitrogen functional attributes to elevated nitrate in suburban groundwater
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Anthropogenic nitrogen (N) input has led to elevated levels of nitrate nitrogen (NO3−-N) in the groundwater. However, insights into the responses of the microbial community and its N metabolic functionality to elevated NO3−-N in suburban groundwater are still limited. Here, we explored the microbial taxonomy, N metabolic attributes, and their responses to NO3−-N pollution in groundwaters from Chaobai River catchment (CR) and Huai River catchment (HR) in Beijing, China. Results showed that average NO3−-N and NH4+-N concentrations in CR groundwater were 1.7 and 3.0 folds of those in HR. NO3−-N was the dominant nitrogen specie both in HR and CR groundwater (over 80 %). Significantly different structures and compositions of the microbial communities and N cycling gene profiles were found between CR groundwater and HR groundwater (p < 0.05), with CR groundwater harboring significantly lower microbial richness and abundance of N metabolic genes. However, denitrification was the dominant microbial N cycling process in both CR and HR groundwater. Strong associations among NO3−-N, NH4+-N, microbial taxonomic, and N functional attributes were found (p < 0.05), suggesting denitrifiers and Candidatus_Brocadia might serve as potential featured biomarkers for the elevated NO3−-N and NH4+-N concentration in groundwater. Path analysis further revealed the significant effect of NO3−-N on the overall microbial N functionality and microbial denitrification (p < 0.05). Collectively, our results provide field evidence that elevated levels of NO3−-N and NH4+-N under different hydrogeologic conditions had a significant effect on the microbial taxonomic and N functional attributes in groundwater, with potential implications for improving sustainable N management and risk assessment of groundwater.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 162524 |
Journal | Science of the Total Environment |
Volume | 874 |
Number of pages | 12 |
ISSN | 0048-9697 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2023 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Elsevier B.V.
- Ammonium, Denitrification, Groundwater, Microbial nitrogen cycling, Nitrate
Research areas
ID: 342678960