Aquatic microbial community responses to stress: comparison of nontaxonomic and taxonomic indices

Three nontaxonomic indices; ATP/Chlorophyll <u>a</u>(ATP/Chla), ATP/ADP, and Chlorophyll <u>a</u>/Pheopigment (Chla/Pheo) were compared to the taxonomic measures of species diversity (d) and species richness as indicators of stress in aquatic environments. Field and laboratory microcosm responses of indigenous microbial communities exposed to municipal sewage treatment plant (STP) effluent were monitored. The STP effluent produced increased adenylate concentrations, ATP/ADP and ATP/Chla ratios, and decreased Chla, Chla/Pheo, d, and species richness relative to upstream reference communities. Nontaxonomic responses were consistent in four separate field tests. Significant differences in responses were discernible in 3 d when communities were transferred from reference to polluted sites. Chla/Pheo decreased more rapidly than other measurements. The predictive capability of laboratory flow through microcosm tests was examined by simultaneously transferring communities from upstream reference sites to downstream field sites and to various dilutions of field effluent in the laboratory.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Zoology

Department dc:contributor.department

Zoology

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

1985

Author dc:creator

• Toczydlowski, David G.

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Buikema, Arthur L. Jr.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Cairns, John Jr.
• Horner, Sally G.

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

etd-11142012-040232

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/45672