Name: understanding dissolved organic matter biogeochemistry through in situ nutrient manipulations in stream ecosystems
Uploaded: 2016-10-29T15:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Understanding Dissolved Organic Matter Biogeochemistry Through In Situ Nutrient Manipulations in Stream Ecosystems at JoVE.com

The authors acknowledge the Water Quality Analysis Laboratory at the University of New Hampshire for assistance with sample analysis. The authors also thank two anonymous reviewers whose comments have helped to improve the manuscript. This work is funded by the National Science Foundation (DEB-1556603). Partial funding was also provided by the EPSCoR Ecosystems and Society Project (NSF EPS-1101245), New Hampshire Agricultural Experiment Station (Scientific Contribution #2662, USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (McIntire-Stennis) Project (1006760), the University of New Hampshire Graduate School, and the New Hampshire Water Resources Research Center.

1. Identifying and Characterizing the Ideal Experimental Stream Reach
<ol>
	<li>Ensure that experimental stream reaches are long enough to promote complete mixing of solutes11 and long enough where biological uptake can occur. Reach lengths can vary among streams and experiments. In small first-order headwater streams, reach length may vary from 20-150 m (or longer if the system requires it) depending on discharge and other physical properties of the stream.
	<ol>
		<li>Exclude large pools from experimental ...

<ol>
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S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Nutrient+uptake+along+a+fire+gradient+in+boreal+streams+of+Central+Siberia.">Nutrient uptake along a fire gradient in boreal streams of Central Siberia.</a> Freshwater Sci. 34 (4), 1443-1456 (2015).</li><li>Wymore, A. S., Rodr&#237;guez-Cardona, B., McDowell, W. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Direct+response+of+dissolved+organic+nitrogen+to+nitrate+availability+in+headwater+streams.">Direct response of dissolved organic nitrogen to nitrate availability in headwater streams.</a> Biogeochemistry. 126 (1), 1-10 (2015).</li><li>Stream Solute Workshop. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Concepts+and+methods+for+assessing+solute+dynamics+in+stream+ecosystems.">Concepts and methods for assessing solute dynamics in stream ecosystems.</a> J N Am Benthol Soc. 9 (2), 95-119 (1990).</li><li>Kilpatrick, F. A., Cobb, E. D. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Measurement of discharge using tracers: U.S Geological Survey Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations. , (1985).</li><li>Rodr&#237;guez-Cardona, B., Wymore, A. S., McDowell, W. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=DOC:+NO3-+and+NO3-+uptake+in+forested+headwater+streams.">DOC: NO3- and NO3- uptake in forested headwater streams.</a> J Geophys Res - Biogeo. 121, (2016).</li><li>Kilpatrick, F. A., Wilson, J. F. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Book+3+Chapter+A9,+Measurement+of+time+of+travel+in+streams+by+dye+tracing.">Book 3 Chapter A9, Measurement of time of travel in streams by dye tracing.</a> Techniques of Water-Resources Investigations of the United States Geological Survey. , (1989).</li><li>Lutz, B. D., Bernhardt, E. S., Roberts, B. J., Mulholland, P. 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S., Lewis, W. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Patterns+in+chemical+fractionation+of+organic+nitrogen+in+Rocky+Mountain+streams.">Patterns in chemical fractionation of organic nitrogen in Rocky Mountain streams.</a> Ecosystems. 6 (5), 483-492 (2003).</li><li>Kaushal, S. S., Lewis, W. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Fate+and+transport+of+organic+nitrogen+in+minimally+disturbed+montane+streams+of+Colorado,+USA.">Fate and transport of organic nitrogen in minimally disturbed montane streams of Colorado, USA.</a> Biogeochemistry. 74 (3), 303-321 (2005).</li></ol>

The objective of the nutrient pulse method, as presented here, is to characterize and quantify the response of the highly diverse pool of ambient stream water DOM across a dynamic range of an added inorganic nutrient. If the added solute sufficiently increases the concentration of the reactive solute, a large inferential space can be created to understand how the biogeochemical cycling of DOM is linked to nutrient concentrations. This nutrient pulse approach is ideal as it involves none of the machinery associated with p...

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) provides an important energy and nutrient source to freshwater ecosystems and is defined as organic matter that passes through a 0.7 &#181;m filter. Within aquatic ecosystems, DOM can also influence light attenuation and metal complexation. DOM is a highly diverse and heterogeneous mixture of organic compounds with various functional groups, as well as essential nutrients such as nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P). While the term &#34;DOM&#34; describes the entire pool including its C, N and P components, its concentration is measured as dissolved organic carbon (DOC). The inherent molecular complexity of the DOM pool however, creates challenges to its study. For example, there is no direct way to measure the fraction of the total DOM pool comprised of organic nutrients such as dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) and dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP). Instead, the concentration of organic nutrients must be determined by difference (e.g. [DON] = [total dissolved nitrogen] - [dissolved inorganic nitrogen]).
Adding a realistic DOM amendment to a stream is difficult due to the diversity of the ambient DOM pool. Previous studies have added single carbon sources (e.g. glucose, urea1) or a particular source such as leaf litter leachate2 to manipulate concentrations in the field. However, these sources are not particularly representative of the ambient DOM pool. Trying to refine or concentrate ambient DOM for subsequent experimentation is also wrought with difficulties including the loss of certain fractions (e.g. highly labile components) during processing. As a result, it is difficult to understand the controls on the ambient DOM pool as we currently do not possess any method to directly manipulate the ambient DOM pool. However, since the biogeochemistry of DOM is linked to nutrients commonly found in the environment (e.g. nitrate [NO3-]3), we can add other solutes to stream ecosystems and measure the response of the DOM pool to these manipulations. By examining how the DOM pool responds to a wide range of experimentally imposed nutrient concentrations we hope to gain better insight into how DOM responds to fluctuating environmental conditions.
One method commonly used in stream biogeochemistry is the nutrient addition method. Nutrient addition experiments have traditionally been used to understand uptake kinetics or the fate of the added solute4,5,6,7. Nutrient additions can be short-term on the hr6 to day scale4, or longer-term manipulations over the course of multiple years8. Nutrient additions can also include isotopically labelled nutrients (e.g. 15N-NO3-) to trace added nutrient through biogeochemical reactions. However, isotope-based studies are often expensive and require challenging analyses (e.g. digestions) of the multiple benthic compartments where isotopically-labeled nutrients may be retained. Recent experimentation has revealed the utility of short-term nutrient pulses to elucidate the controls on non-added and ambient solutes such as DOM9,10, revealing a new way by which to examine real-time in situ biogeochemical reactions. Here we describe and demonstrate the key methodological steps to conducting short-term nutrient pulses with the objective of understanding the coupled biogeochemistry of C and N and specifically the controls on the highly diverse DOM pool. This easily reproducible method involves adding a nutrient pulse to an experimental stream reach and measuring changes in the concentration of both the manipulated solute and the response variable of interest (e.g. DOC, DON, DOP). By directly manipulating nutrient concentrations in situ we are able to indirectly alter the DOM pool and examine how DOM concentration changes across a dynamic range of nutrient concentrations10.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="593">
	<tbody>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;">Sodium Nitrate</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">Any</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">Any</td>
			<td style="width:167px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;">Sodium Chloride</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">Any</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">Any</td>
			<td>Store purchased table salt can be used as well, however, it does contain trace levels of impurities</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:216px;">Whatman GFF glass-fiber filters</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">Any</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">Any</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;">BD Filtering Syringe</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">Any</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">Any</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:216px;">EMD Millipore Swinnex Filter Holders</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">Any</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">Any</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;">Syringe stop-cock</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">Any</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">Any</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="84">
			<td height="84" style="height:84px;width:216px;">YSI Multi-parameter probe</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">Yellow Springs International</td>
			<td>556-01</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:216px;">Wide mouth HDPE 125 ml bottles</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">Any</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">Any</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;">60 ml HDPE bottles</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">Any</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">Any</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;">20 L bucket</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">Any</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">Any</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;">Field measuring tape</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">Any</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">Any</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;">Lab labeling tape</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">Any</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">Any</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;">Stir stick</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">Any</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">Any</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;">Cooler</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">Any</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">Any</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;">Sharpie pen</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">Any</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">Any</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;">Field notebook</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">Any</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">Any</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;">Tweezers</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">Any</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">Any</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;">Zip-lock bags</td>
			<td style="width:91px;">Any</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">Any</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

understanding dissolved organic matter biogeochemistry through in situ nutrient manipulations in stream ecosystems

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a highly diverse mixture of molecules providing one of the largest sources of energy and nutrients to stream ecosystems. Yet the in situ study of DOM is difficult as the molecular complexity of the DOM pool cannot be easily reproduced for experimental purposes. Nutrient additions to streams however, have been shown to repeatedly alter the in situ and ambient DOM pool. Here we demonstrate an easily replicable field-based method for manipulating the ambient pool of DOM at the ecosystem scale. During nutrient pulse experiments changes in the concentration of both dissolved organic carbon and dissolved organic nitrogen can be examined across a wide-range of nutrient concentrations. This method allows researchers to examine the controls on the DOM pool and make inferences regarding the role and function that certain fractions of the DOM pool play within ecosystems. We advocate the use of this method as a technique to help develop a deeper understanding of DOM biogeochemistry and how it interacts with nutrients. With further development this method may help elucidate the dynamics of DOM in other ecosystems.

<img alt="Figure 3" src="/files/ftp_upload/54704/54704fig3.jpg" /> 
Figure 3: Example Results from Nitrate (NO3-) Additions with Dissolved Organic Nitrogen (DON) as the Response Variable. Analyses are linear regressions. Asterisks represent statistical significance at &#945; = 0.05. Note the dynamic range in NO3- concentration that was achieved with the nutrient pulse method. Different pane...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Understanding Dissolved Organic Matter Biogeochemistry Through In Situ Nutrient Manipulations in Stream Ecosystems at JoVE.com

Understanding Dissolved Organic Matter Biogeochemistry Through In Situ Nutrient Manipulations in Stream Ecosystems

Dissolved organic matter provides an important source of energy and nutrients to stream ecosystems. Here we demonstrate a field-based method to manipulate the ambient pool of dissolved organic matter in situ through easily replicable nutrient pulses.

Understanding Dissolved Organic Matter Biogeochemistry Through In Situ Nutrient Manipulations in Stream Ecosystems

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a highly diverse mixture of molecules providing one of the largest sources of energy and nutrients to stream ecosystems. ...

The overall goal of this nutrient pulse method is to indirectly manipulate the ambient pool of dissolved organic matter to understand how this pool of organic matter responds to changes in nutrient concentration. This method can help answer key questions in the stream biogeochemistry field, such as how organic matter and nutrient cycling are linked. The main advantage of this method is that it represents a whole ecosystem manipulation and can be easily replicated.The implications of this technique extend to watershed export of carbon and nitrogen as the interaction of these elements determines how they are retained within the stream. We first had the idea for this technique when we realized that the nutrient slug approach created a dynamic range of nutrient concentrations and that the concentrations of dissolved organic matter were sensitive to these changes. To begin, deploy the field conductivity meter, selecting a location approximately 0.5 to 1.0 meters upstream of the sample collection site.The meter will remain in place throughout the experiment. Next rinse acid-washed, high-density polyethylene bottles three times and use them to collect 125 milliliters of background grab samples in triplicate at the addition site and then at the collection site of the experimental reach. These are used to determine ambient concentrations prior to the addition of the solution.Record the instream background conductivity prior to the addition of solutes. Then record the time of collection and the conductivity of the collected background samples. First collect stream water with a large container.Then add all of the reagents and ensure that the solutes are completely dissolved. Keep track of the amount of water added. Rinse the reagent vessels three times with additional stream water and pour the rinse into the solution container.Stir the solution with a clean stir stick until all the reagents have dissolved. Label a 60 milliliter high-density, polyethylene bottle appropriately and into it, collect the 60 milliliter aliquot of the addition solution. Store it separately from other samples to avoid contamination.Next, pour the sample into the addition site in a smooth and quick motion to minimize travel lag time and to avoid splashing. Immediately rinse the container and stir the stick in the stream three times to release all reagents. Record the time in hours, minutes, and seconds.Record the masses of tracers added, alongside the time of release and take care not to disturb the stream benthos or solution until the conclusion of the experiment. At the collection site, first order labeled sampling bottles in ascending order while waiting for the solution. Use the field conductivity meter to take readings at the collection site.Arrival of the solution will be detected by an increase in conductivity. Once solution arrival has been detected, take a clean 125 milliliter bottle and rinse it in the stream water. Discard the rinse downstream of the sampling site, and then collect the sample by holding the bottle into the main flow of the water at the sampling point.Repeat this collection process, using one new bottle after another throughout the passage of the solution, and record the collection time and conductivity of each sample. Continue sampling until conductivity returns to within five microsiemens per centimeter of background level. Cap the samples and store them in a cooler.First arrange the samples for filtration so that the rising lim is filtered in ascending specific conductivity until the peak. Next arrange the falling lim samples to be filtered in ascending order of specific conductivity. To filter samples, take a 60 milliliter syringe, remove the plunger and then close the stopcock.Pour around 10 milliliters of sample into the syringe and replace the plunger. Shake the syringe so the sample rinses the internal walls. Next, attach a filter holder to the syringe and open the stopcock.Push the sample through the filter by depressing the plunger and discard the rinse. Remove the plunger and close the stopcock. This time, pour 30 milliliters of the same sample into the syringe and replace the plunger.With the syringe positioned to expel into a clean 60 milliliter sample bottle, open the stopcock and push around 10 milliliters through the filter. Cap the bottle, swirl it, and discard the filtrate. Repeat three times to ensure impurities are removed from the bottle and the walls are coated with sample.Remove the plunger again and close the stopcock. Pour around a 60 milliliter sample into the syringe and replace the plunger. Push the sample through the filter holder into the 60 milliliter sample bottle.Filling bottles no higher than the shoulder, cap the bottles and place the samples into a cooler. Finally, analyze samples for dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen and any other parameters of interest in order of low to high conductivity. These plots are linear regressions of measurements of dissolved organic nitrogen concentrations, or DON, after addition of nitrate via the pulse method.Results show that dissolved organic nitrogen concentrations change in response to nitrate addition. Variation in the response of dissolved organic nitrogen was also observed within sites at different sampling times, which suggests that aquatic microbial communities may be using different components of the dissolved organic matter at different times of the growing season. Positive correlations are interpreted to reflect dissolved organic nitrogen's role as a nutrient source, while negative correlations are interpreted to reflect dissolved organic nitrogen acting as an energy source.Experiments that showed non-significant relationships reflect a non-responsive DON pool or one in which the nutrient-based processes and energy-based processes are off-setting. Here, the plots show linear regressions of dissolved organic carbon, or DOC, after nitrate addition. Contrary to the DON plots, these show few instances of significant changes in the DOC concentration due to nitrate addition.This may indicate that the nitrogen-rich and carbon-rich fractions of the dissolved organic matter pool have their own particular set of ecological and biogeochemical controls and that the ambient pool of DOC is highly recalcitrant. Once mastered, this technique can take between three to six hours depending on the system. While performing this method, it is important to avoid contamination of low conductivity samples by high conductivity samples.Following this procedure, other methods, such as nutrient uptake connectics can be calculated to determine how the rate and flux of nutrient uptake determines the concentrations of dissolved organic carbon and dissolved organic nitrogen. After its development, this technique paved the way for researchers in the field of aquatic biogeochemistry to explore the controls on nutrient retention within stream ecosystems. Although this method can provide insights into stream nutrients cycling, it can potentially be applied to other environments, such as groundwater and estuarine systems.After watching this video, you should have a good understanding of how to perform nutrient addition experiments in headwater stream ecosystems.

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VacuSIP, an Improved InEx Method for In Situ Measurement of Particulate and Dissolved Compounds Processed by Active Suspension Feeders

Benthic suspension feeders play essential roles in the functioning of marine ecosystems. By filtering large volumes of water, removing plankton and detritus, and excreting particulate and dissolved compounds, they serve as important agents for benthic-pelagic coupling. Accurately measuring the compounds removed and excreted by suspension feeders (such as sponges, ascidians, polychaetes, bivalves) is crucial for the study of their physiology, metabolism, and feeding ecology, and is fundamental to determine the ecological relevance of the nutrient fluxes mediated by these organisms. However, the assessment of the rate by which suspension feeders process particulate and dissolved compounds in nature is restricted by the limitations of the currently available methodologies. Our goal was to develop a simple, reliable, and non-intrusive method that would allow clean and controlled water sampling from a specific point, such as the excurrent aperture of benthic suspension feeders, in situ. Our method allows simultaneous sampling of inhaled and exhaled water of the studied organism by using minute tubes installed on a custom-built manipulator device and carefully positioned inside the exhalant orifice of the sampled organism. Piercing a septum on the collecting vessel with a syringe needle attached to the distal end of each tube allows the external pressure to slowly force the sampled water into the vessel through the sampling tube. The slow and controlled sampling rate allows integrating the inherent patchiness in the water while ensuring contamination free sampling. We provide recommendations for the most suitable filtering devices, collection vessel, and storing procedures for the analyses of different particulate and dissolved compounds. The VacuSIP system offers a reliable method for the quantification of undisturbed suspension feeder metabolism in natural conditions that is cheap and easy to learn and apply to assess the physiology and functional role of filter feeders in different ecosystems.

VacuSIP, an Improved InEx Method for In Situ Measurement of Particulate and Dissolved Compounds Processed by Active Suspension Feeders

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Benthic suspension feeders play essential roles in the functioning of marine ecosystems. By filtering large volumes of water, removing plankton and ...

Production and Measurement of Organic Particulate Matter in a Flow Tube Reactor

Organic particulate matter (PM) is increasingly recognized as important to the Earth's climate system as well as public health in urban regions, and the production of synthetic PM for laboratory studies have become a widespread necessity. Herein, experimental protocols demonstrate approaches to produce aerosolized organic PM by &#945;-pinene ozonolysis in a flow tube reactor. Methods are described for measuring the size distributions and morphology of the aerosol particles. The video demonstrates basic operations of the flow tube reactor and related instrumentation. The first part of the video shows the procedure for preparing gas-phase reactants, ozonolysis, and production of organic PM. The second part of the video shows the procedures for determining the properties of the produced particle population. The particle number-diameter distributions show different stages of particle growth, namely condensation, coagulation, or a combination of both, depending on reaction conditions. The particle morphology is characterized by an aerosol particle mass analyzer (APM) and a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results confirm the existence of non-spherical particles that have grown from coagulation for specific reaction conditions. The experimental results also indicate that the flow tube reactor can be used to study the physical and chemical properties of organic PM for relatively high concentrations and short time frames.

This paper describes the operation procedure for the flow tube reactor and related data collection. It shows the protocols for setting the experiments, recording data and generating the number-diameter distribution as well as the particle mass information, which gives useful information about chemical and physical properties of the organic aerosols.

Organic particulate matter (PM) is increasingly recognized as important to the Earth's climate system as well as public health in urban regions, and the ...

Production and Measurement of Organic Particulate Matter in the Harvard Environmental Chamber

The production and the evolution of atmospheric organic particulate matter (PM) are insufficiently understood for accurate simulations of atmospheric chemistry and climate. The complex production mechanisms and reaction pathways make this a challenging research topic. To address these issues, an environmental chamber, providing enough residence time and close-to-ambient concentrations of precursors for secondary organic materials, is needed. The Harvard Environmental Chamber (HEC) was built to serve this need, simulating the production of gas and particle phase species from volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The HEC has a volume of 4.7 m3 and a mean residence time of 3.4 h under typical operating conditions. It is operated as a completely mixed flow reactor (CMFR), providing the possibility of indefinite steady-state operation across days for sample collection and data analysis. The operation procedures are described in detail in this article. Several types of instrumentation are used to characterize the produced gas and particles. A High-Resolution Time-of-Fight Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (HR-ToF-AMS) is used to characterize particles. A Proton-Transfer-Reaction Mass Spectrometer (PTR-MS) is used for gaseous analysis. Example results are presented to show the use of the environmental chamber in a wide variety of applications related to the physicochemical properties and reaction mechanisms of organic atmospheric particulate matter.

This paper describes operation procedures for the Harvard Environmental Chamber (HEC) and related instrumentation for measuring gaseous and particle species. The environmental chamber is used to produce and study secondary organic species produced from the organic precursors, especially related to atmospheric organic particulate matter.

The production and the evolution of atmospheric organic particulate matter (PM) are insufficiently understood for accurate simulations of atmospheric ...

Bioindication Testing of Stream Environment Suitability for Young Freshwater Pearl Mussels Using In Situ Exposure Methods

Knowledge of habitat suitability for freshwater mussels is an important step in the conservation of this endangered species group. We describe a protocol for performing in situ juvenile exposure tests within oligotrophic river catchments over one-month and three-month periods. Two methods (in both modifications) are presented to evaluate the juvenile growth and survival rate. The methods and modifications differ in value for the locality bioindication and each has its benefits as well as limitations. The sandy cage method works with a large set of individuals, but only some of the individuals are measured and the results are evaluated in bulk. In the mesh cage method, the individuals are kept and measured separately, but a low individual number is evaluated. The open water exposure modification is relatively easy to apply; it shows the juvenile growth potential of sites and can also be effective for water toxicity testing. The within-bed exposure modification needs a high workload but is closer to the conditions of a natural juvenile environment and it is better for reporting the real suitability of localities. On the other hand, more replications are needed in this modification due to its high-hyporheic environment variability.

Bioindication Testing of Stream Environment Suitability for Young Freshwater Pearl Mussels Using In Situ Exposure Methods

In situ bioindications enable determination of the suitability of an environment for endangered mussel species. We describe two methods based on the juvenile exposure of freshwater pearl mussels in cages to oligotrophic river habitats. Both methods are implemented in variants for open water and hyporheic water environments.

Knowledge of habitat suitability for freshwater mussels is an important step in the conservation of this endangered species group. We describe a protocol ...

Improving Infrared Spectroscopy Characterization of Soil Organic Matter with Spectral Subtractions

Soil organic matter (SOM) underlies numerous soil processes and functions. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy detects infrared-active organic bonds that constitute the organic component of soils. However, the relatively low organic matter content of soils (commonly &#60; 5% by mass) and absorbance overlap of mineral and organic functional groups in the mid-infrared (MIR) region (4,000-400 cm-1) engenders substantial interference by dominant mineral absorbances, challenging or even preventing interpretation of spectra for SOM characterization. Spectral subtractions, a post-hoc mathematical treatment of spectra, can reduce mineral interference and enhance resolution of spectral regions corresponding to organic functional groups by mathematically removing mineral absorbances. This requires a mineral-enriched reference spectrum, which can be empirically obtained for a given soil sample by removing SOM. The mineral-enriched reference spectrum is subtracted from the original (untreated) spectrum of the soil sample to produce a spectrum representing SOM absorbances. Common SOM removal methods include high-temperature combustion (&#39;ashing&#39;) and chemical oxidation. Selection of the SOM removal method carries two considerations: (1) the amount of SOM removed, and (2) absorbance artifacts in the mineral reference spectrum and thus the resulting subtraction spectrum. These potential issues can, and should, be identified and quantified in order to avoid fallacious or biased interpretations of spectra for organic functional group composition of SOM. Following SOM removal, the resulting mineral-enriched sample is used to collect a mineral reference spectrum. Several strategies exist to perform subtractions depending on the experimental goals and sample characteristics, most notably the determination of the subtraction factor. The resulting subtraction spectrum requires careful interpretation based on the aforementioned methodology. For many soil and other environmental samples containing substantial mineral components, subtractions have strong potential to improve FTIR spectroscopic characterization of organic matter composition.

SOM underlies many soil functions and processes, but its characterization by FTIR spectroscopy is often challenged by mineral interferences. The described method can increase the utility of SOM analysis by FTIR spectroscopy by subtracting mineral interferences in soil spectra using empirically obtained mineral reference spectra.

Soil organic matter (SOM) underlies numerous soil processes and functions. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy detects infrared-active organic ...

Single-throughput Complementary High-resolution Analytical Techniques for Characterizing Complex Natural Organic Matter Mixtures

Natural organic matter (NOM) is composed of a highly complex mixture of thousands of organic compounds which, historically, proved difficult to characterize. However, to understand the thermodynamic and kinetic controls on greenhouse gas (carbon dioxide [CO2] and methane [CH4]) production resulting from the decomposition of NOM, a molecular-level characterization coupled with microbial proteome analyses is necessary. Further, climate and environmental changes are expected to perturb natural ecosystems, potentially upsetting complex interactions that influence both the supply of organic matter substrates and the microorganisms performing the transformations. A detailed molecular characterization of the organic matter, microbial proteomics, and the pathways and transformations by which organic matter is decomposed will be necessary to predict the direction and magnitude of the effects of environmental changes. This article describes a methodological throughput for comprehensive metabolite characterization in a single sample by direct injection Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS), gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS), and proteomics analysis. This approach results in a fully-paired dataset which improves statistical confidence for inferring pathways of organic matter decomposition, the resulting CO2 and CH4 production rates, and their responses to environmental perturbation. Herein we present results of applying this method to NOM samples collected from peatlands; however, the protocol is applicable to any NOM sample (e.g., peat, forested soils, marine sediments, etc.).

This protocol describes a single throughput for complementary analytical and omics techniques culminating in a fully-paired characterization of natural organic matter and microbial proteomics in different ecosystems. This approach permits robust comparisons for identifying metabolic pathways and transformations important for describing greenhouse gas production and predicting responses to environmental change.

Natural organic matter (NOM) is composed of a highly complex mixture of thousands of organic compounds which, historically, proved difficult to ...

Fluorescently Labeled Bacteria as a Tracer to Reveal Novel Pathways of Organic Carbon Flow in Aquatic Ecosystems

Elucidating trophic interactions, such as predation and its effects, is a frequent task for many researchers in ecology. The study of microbial communities has many limitations, and determining a predator, prey, and predatory rates is often difficult. Presented here is an optimized method based on the addition of fluorescently labelled prey as a tracer, which allows for reliable quantitation of the grazing rates in aquatic predatory eukaryotes and estimation of nutrient transfer to higher trophic levels.

Presented here is a protocol for a single-cell, epifluorescence microscopy-based technique to quantify grazing rates in aquatic predatory eukaryotes with high precision and taxonomic resolution.

Elucidating trophic interactions, such as predation and its effects, is a frequent task for many researchers in ecology. The study of microbial ...

Modeling the Size Spectrum for Macroinvertebrates and Fishes in Stream Ecosystems

The size spectrum is an inverse, allometric scaling relationship between average body mass (M) and the density (D) of individuals within an ecological community or food web. Importantly, the size spectrum assumes that individual size, rather than species&#8217; behavioral or life history characteristics, is the primary determinant of abundance within an ecosystem. Thus, unlike traditional allometric relationships that focus on species-level data (e.g., mean species&#8217; body size vs. population density), size spectra analyses are &#8216;ataxic&#8217; &#8211; individual specimens are identified only by their size, without consideration of taxonomic identity. Size spectra models are efficient representations of traditional, complex food webs and can be used in descriptive as well as predictive contexts (e.g., predicting responses of large consumers to changes in basal resources). Empirical studies from diverse aquatic ecosystems have also reported moderate to high levels of similarity in size spectra slopes, suggesting that common processes may regulate the abundances of small and large organisms in very different settings. This is a protocol to model the community-level size spectrum in wadable streams. The protocol consists of three main steps. First, collect quantitative benthic fish and invertebrate samples that can be used to estimate local densities. Second, standardize the fish and invertebrate data by converting all individuals to ataxic units (i.e., individuals identified by size, irrespective of taxonomic identity), and summing individuals within log2 size bins. Third, use linear regression to model the relationship between ataxic M and D estimates. Detailed instructions are provided herein to complete each of these steps, including custom software to facilitate D estimation and size spectra modeling.

This is a protocol to model the size spectrum (scaling relationship between individual mass and population density) for combined fish and invertebrate data from wadable streams and rivers. Methods include: field techniques to collect quantitative fish and invertebrate samples; lab methods to standardize the field data; and statistical data analysis.

The size spectrum is an inverse, allometric scaling relationship between average body mass (M) and the density (D) of individuals within an ecological ...

Combining Fluidic Devices with Microscopy and Flow Cytometry to Study Microbial Transport in Porous Media Across Spatial Scales

Understanding the transport, dispersion and deposition of microorganisms in porous media is a complex scientific task comprising topics as diverse as hydrodynamics, ecology and environmental engineering. Modeling bacterial transport in porous environments at different spatial scales is critical to better predict the consequences of bacterial transport, yet current models often fail to up-scale from laboratory to field conditions. Here, we introduce experimental tools to study bacterial transport in porous media at two spatial scales. The aim of these tools is to obtain macroscopic observables (such as breakthrough curves or deposition profiles) of bacteria injected into transparent porous matrices. At the small scale (10-1000 &#181;m), microfluidic devices are combined with optical video-microscopy and image processing to obtain breakthrough curves and, at the same time, to track individual bacterial cells at the pore scale. At larger scale, flow cytometry is combined with a self-made robotic dispenser to obtain breakthrough curves. We illustrate the utility of these tools to better understand how bacteria are transported in complex porous media such as the hyporheic zone of streams. As these tools provide simultaneous measurements across scales, they pave the way for mechanism-based models, critically important for upscaling. Application of these tools may not only contribute to the development of novel bioremediation applications but also shed new light on the ecological strategies of microorganisms colonizing porous substrates.

Breakthrough curves (BTCs) are efficient tools to study the transport of bacteria in porous media. Here we introduce tools based on fluidic devices in combination with microscopy and flow cytometric counting to obtain BTCs.

Understanding the transport, dispersion and deposition of microorganisms in porous media is a complex scientific task comprising topics as diverse as ...

In Situ Chemotaxis Assay to Examine Microbial Behavior in Aquatic Ecosystems

Microbial behaviors, such as motility and chemotaxis (the ability of a cell to alter its movement in response to a chemical gradient), are widespread across the bacterial and archaeal domains. Chemotaxis can result in substantial resource acquisition advantages in heterogeneous environments. It also plays a crucial role in symbiotic interactions, disease, and global processes, such as biogeochemical cycling. However, current techniques restrict chemotaxis research to the laboratory and are not easily applicable in the field. Presented here is a step-by-step protocol for the deployment of the in situ chemotaxis assay (ISCA), a device that enables robust interrogation of microbial chemotaxis directly in the natural environment. The ISCA is a microfluidic device consisting of a 20 well array, in which chemicals of interest can be loaded. Once deployed in aqueous environments, chemicals diffuse out of the wells, creating concentration gradients that microbes sense and respond to by swimming into the wells via chemotaxis. The well contents can then be sampled and used to (1) quantify strength of the chemotactic responses to specific compounds through flow cytometry, (2) isolate and culture responsive microorganisms, and (3) characterize the identity and genomic potential of the responding populations through molecular techniques. The ISCA is a flexible platform that can be deployed in any system with an aqueous phase, including marine, freshwater, and soil environments.

Presented here is the protocol for an in situ chemotaxis assay, a recently developed microfluidic device that enables studies of microbial behavior directly in the environment.

Microbial behaviors, such as motility and chemotaxis (the ability of a cell to alter its movement in response to a chemical gradient), are widespread ...