visualization-productivity-zones-based-on-nitrogen-mass-balance-model

Visualization of Productivity Zones Based on Nitrogen Mass Balance Model in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island

Primary productivity in the coastal regions, linked to eutrophication and hypoxia, provides a critical understanding of ecosystem function. Although ...

visualizing-methane-cycling-microbial-dynamics-in-coastal-wetlands

Visualizing Methane-Cycling Microbial Dynamics in Coastal Wetlands

Coastal wetlands are the largest biotic source of methane, where methanogens convert organic matter into methane and methanotrophs oxidize methane, thus ...

University of Texas - Rio Grande Valley

Stable isotope probing (SIP) is a powerful tool to study microbial community structure and function in both nature and engineered environments. Coupling with advanced genomics and other techniques, SIP studies have generated substantial information to allow researchers to draw a clearer picture of what is occurring in complex microbial ecosystems. This review provides an overview of the advances of SIP-based technologies over time, summarizes the status of SIP applications to contaminant biodegradation, provides critical perspectives on ecological interactions within the community, and important factors (controllable and non-controllable) to be considered in SIP experimental designs and data interpretation. Current trend and perspectives of adapting SIP techniques for environmental applications are also discussed.

Advances and perspectives of using stable isotope probing (SIP)-based technologies in contaminant biodegradation.

We report the draft genome of  LAC1 isolated from an acidic aquifer in Indian Head, MD, USA. The genome contains 5,883,000 bp and has a GC content of 70% with 5,434 protein-encoding genes with functional assignments. This strain can grow on methanol with lanthanum, a rare earth element.

Draft genome of methanol-oxidizing  strain LAC1.

Is micro(nano)plastic contamination in wet atmospheric deposition a prominent issue requiring heightened attention?

Anaerobic bioremediation is rarely an effective strategy to treat chlorinated ethenes such as trichloroethene (TCE) in acidic aquifers because partial dechlorination typically results in accumulation of daughter products. Methanotrophs have the capability of oxidizing TCE and other chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOCs) to non-toxic products, but their occurrence, diversity, and biodegradation capabilities in acidic environments are largely unknown. This study investigated the impacts of different methane (CH) concentrations and the presence of CVOCs on the community of acidophilic methanotrophs in microcosms prepared from acidic aquifer samples collected upgradient and downgradient of a mulch barrier installed to promote in-situ anaerobic CVOC biodegradation in Maryland, USA. The ability of indigenous methanotrophs to biodegrade CVOCs was also evaluated. Results of stable isotope probing (SIP) and Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) showed that the microbial communities in the microcosms varied by location and were affected by both CH concentration and the presence of different CVOCs, many of which were biodegraded by the indigenous methanotrophs. Data indicate the likelihood of aerobic cometabolic degradation of CVOCs downgradient of the mulch barrier designed for anaerobic treatment. The study extends the overall knowledge of acidophilic methanotrophs in groundwater and shows that these bacteria have significant potential for degrading CVOCs even at low CH concentrations.

Myung Hwangbo

School of Earth,
Environmental and Marine Sciences,
School of Earth, Environmental and Marine Sciences

University of Texas - Rio Grande Valley

Visualization of Productivity Zones Based on Nitrogen Mass Balance Model in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island

Visualizing Methane-Cycling Microbial Dynamics in Coastal Wetlands

Myung Hwangbo

School of Earth,Environmental and Marine Sciences,School of Earth, Environmental and Marine Sciences

University of Texas - Rio Grande Valley

Visualization of Productivity Zones Based on Nitrogen Mass Balance Model in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island

Visualizing Methane-Cycling Microbial Dynamics in Coastal Wetlands

School of Earth,
Environmental and Marine Sciences,
School of Earth, Environmental and Marine Sciences