Samuel Teissier

Detailing biogeochemical N budgets in riverine epilithic biofilms

Abstract Dissolved inorganic N fluxes, including nitrification and denitrification rates, were measured in situ under dark and light conditions using epilithic biofilms from a 6th to 8th Strahler-order reach of the River Garonne, France. A broad range of epilithic biofilm biomasses (6–51 g ash-free dry mass [AFDM]/m2) was assessed in 39 benthic chamber experiments. Nitrification was detected in 31 cases (0.1–7.7 mg N m−2 h−1) and caused a net release of NO3– in spite of algal assimilation in light conditions in 5 cases. Denitrification (Dw) (0–8.1 mg N m−2 h−1), which accounted for 83% of gross NO3– removal in the dark, was a significant, permanent N sink. Calculation of mean (±1 SE) N budgets indicated epilithon release of inorganic N in the dark (1.5 ± 0.3 mg N m−2 h−1) that was significantly related to biofilm mass. Calculation of mean N budgets under light indicated net uptake (1.8 ± 0.4 mg N m−2 h−1). However, a net release was observed when biomass was >40 g AFDM/m2. A calculated daily budget showed evidence for a threshold between photoautotrophy (N assimilation) and heterotrophy (N mineralization) of 23 g AFDM/m2. This threshold approximated mean biomass at low water and may correspond to an equilibrium value for epilithic biomass in the river. A conceptual scheme of the epilithic biofilm function and the consequences on the water-column N content in rivers is proposed.

Abundance, activity and structure of denitrifier communities in phototrophic river biofilms (River Garonne, France)

Phototrophic river biofilms are microbial assemblages involved in in-stream processes. For a better understanding of N-cycling, the denitrifier community abundance, activity and structure were monitored in natural biofilm assemblages, in two sites exhibiting contrasting nutrient concentrations during a 1-year period. The denitrifier abundance, estimated by quantification of the nirS, nirK and nosZ genes, correlated to biofilm biomass and total bacterial counts. Site-related differences in denitrification activity were observed and the rates were significantly correlated with the nosZ gene copy numbers and biofilm biomass. The denitrifier community structure, assessed by PCR-DGGE of nosZ, differed between sites with only minor differences between sampling occasions, and correlated with the total bacterial community structure. Altogether, these findings suggest that nutrient loading, especially nitrogen, affect both denitrifier community structure and activity.