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Dynamics of Microbial Metabolic Activities During Stream Ecosystem Succession: Insights from Field Observations and Flume Experiments

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Dynamics of Microbial Metabolic Activities During Stream Ecosystem Succession: Insights from Field Observations and Flume Experiments Dynamics of microbial metabolic activities during stream ecosystem succession: insights from field observations and flume experiments Von der Fakultät für Umweltwissenschaften und Verfahrenstechnik der Brandenburgischen Technischen Universität Cottbus zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades eines Doktor der Naturwissenschaften (Dr. rer. nat.) genehmigte Dissertation vorgelegt von Diplom-Geographin Linda Gerull aus Berlin Gutachter: PD Dr. rer. nat. habil. Michael Mutz Gutachter: Prof. Dr. rer. nat. habil. Mark O. Gessner Tag der mündlichen Prüfung: 11. Juli 2011 Abstract Processes of microbial carbon transformation and accumulation during initial stream succession were investigated. Studies were carried out in the experimental watershed Chicken Creek, constructed to investigate ecosystem succession, and additionally in experimental flumes simulating sand-bed streams. In a one year investigation, microbial respiration in soils and sediments along the hydrologic flow path of three stream corridors in the Chicken Creek watershed was measured. Contrary to expectation, respiration rates of rewetted soil and sediment from dry stream channels were similar to rates measured with sediments collected in the perennial channel sections. This suggested that permanent water availability was not a main factor determining metabolic potential in this early successional watershed. In an outdoor flume experiment it was determined whether shallow (1cm) and deep (4cm) sediment disturbances in small sand-bed streams have similar effects on whole- stream metabolism, and whether autotrophic and heterotrophic processes and organisms respond in similar ways. Results suggested that disturbing sediments during early successional stages had no effect on whole-stream metabolism, whereas in advanced stages, deep but not shallow sediment disturbance could lead to a transitory shift towards heterotrophy. Changes in riparian and in-stream vegetation during stream succession come along with different amounts and types of organic matter input in stream ecosystems. It was tested to determine if increasing quality and quantity of litter input changes whole-stream metabolism and activity and structure of microbial communities associated with sediments and leaves. Whole-stream metabolism was found to be similar in all treatments because sediments and leaves were constrained by oxygen and nutrient availability. There seemed to be compensation between the effect of algae fueling microbial activity in open-land treatments and microbial use of allochthonous carbon sources in the litter treatments. Fungal and bacterial activity associated with leaves was unaffected by the background litter standing stock, but the structure of communities was affected. However, leaf quality had a clear effect on microbial activity and community structure with higher activity on tree compared to grass leaves. 2 Zusammenfassung In dieser Arbeit wurden Prozesse des mikrobiellen Kohlenstoffumsatzes während der initialen Gewässerentwicklung untersucht. Die Arbeiten wurden im experimentellen Wassereinzugsgebiet „Hühnerwasser“ durchgeführt, welches eigens dafür angelegt wurde, initiale Ökosystementwicklung zu untersuchen. Zusätzlich wurde eine experimentelle Fließrinnenanlage verwendet. In drei Gewässerkorridoren des Hühnerwasser-Einzugsgebiets wurde über einen einjährigen Beprobungszeitraum die mikrobielle Respiration in Böden und Gewässersedimenten entlang von Fließpfaden gemessen. Entgegen aller Annahmen, gab es keine Unterschiede in den Respirationsraten zwischen Sedimenten aus permanent fließenden und wiedervernässten, trockenen Gewässerabschnitten oder Bodenproben. Die sedimentgebundene mikrobielle Aktivität wurde demnach nicht hauptsächlich durch dauerhafte Wasserverfügbarkeit bestimmt. In einem Rinnenexperiment wurde getestet, ob flache (1cm) und tiefe (4cm) Sedimentumlagerungen sich ähnlich auf den Gesamtmetabolismus von Sandbächen auswirken, und ob autotrophe und heterotrophe Organismen und Prozesse ähnlich auf diese Störung reagieren. Die Ergebnisse zeigten, dass die Störung durch Sedimentumlagerung zu einem frühen Zeitpunkt keinen Einfluss auf den Gesamtmetabolismus hatte. Während des späteren Sukzessionsstadiums führte jedoch die tiefe, nicht aber die flache Sedimentumlagerung zu einem temporären Übergang des Systems in die Heterotrophie. Während der Gewässerentwicklung führt die Sukzession der Vegetation sowohl im Gerinne als auch im Uferbereich dazu, dass zunehmend Streu in Fließgewässer eingetragen wird, zunächst vor allem Gräser, später vor allem von Bäumen stammendes Laub. Es wurde experimentell getestet, ob die zunehmende Qualität und Quantität von Streu den Gesamtmetabolismus und die an Sedimente und Laubblätter gebundene mikrobielle Aktivität und Struktur der mikrobiellen Gemeinschaften verändern. Der Gesamtmetabolismus zeigte sich vom Streueintrag unabhängig, wurde aber offenbar durch Sauerstoff und Nährstoffe limitiert. Die Ergebnisse deuten darauf hin, dass im Offenlandstadium labiler Kohlenstoff von benthischen Algen die Aktivität von bakteriellen Gemeinschaften antreibt, während in den simulierten Gehölzstadien die heterotrophe Aktivität durch den von der Streu stammenden Kohlenstoff angetrieben wird. Der Eintrag von Streu mit steigender Qualität und Quantität hatte keinen Einfluss auf die mikrobielle Aktivität am einzelnen Blatt. Die Qualität der Blätter selbst hatte hingegen starke Auswirkungen auf die Zusammensetzung der mikrobiellen Gemeinschaft, was sich durch eine erhöhte mikrobielle Aktivität am Birkenlaub im Vergleich zur Grasstreu zeigte. 3 Contents List of figures ................................................................................................................... 6 List of tables ..................................................................................................................... 7 1 General introduction ................................................................................................. 8 1.1 Ecosystem and stream succession ...................................................................... 8 1.2 Factors driving carbon transformation during stream succession .................... 11 1.3 Scope of the thesis ........................................................................................... 14 1.4 Methodological considerations ........................................................................ 15 1.5 List of publications and author contributions .................................................. 16 2 Variability of heterotrophic metabolism in small stream corridors of an early successional watershed ................................................................................................... 18 2.1 Abstract ............................................................................................................ 18 2.2 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 18 2.3 Material and methods ....................................................................................... 21 2.4 Results .............................................................................................................. 29 2.5 Discussion ........................................................................................................ 35 3 Effects of shallow and deep sediment disturbance on whole-stream metabolism in experimental sand-bed flumes ........................................................................................ 41 3.1 Abstract ............................................................................................................ 41 3.2 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 42 3.3 Material and methods ....................................................................................... 44 3.4 Results .............................................................................................................. 48 3.5 Discussion ........................................................................................................ 55 4 Remarkably stable ecosystem metabolism during simulated stream ecosystem succession ....................................................................................................................... 60 4.1 Abstract ............................................................................................................ 60 4.2 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 60 4.3 Material and methods ....................................................................................... 62 4.4 Results .............................................................................................................. 70 4.5 Discussion ........................................................................................................ 77 5 Leaf quality as driver of microbial metabolism and community structure during simulated stream ecosystem succession ......................................................................... 83 4 5.1 Abstract ............................................................................................................ 83 5.2 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 84 5.3 Material and methods ....................................................................................... 87 5.4 Results .............................................................................................................
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