Processes and community structure in microbial biofilms of the River Elbe: relation to nutrient dynamics and particulate organic matter

The conceptual subject of this study was to investigate the effects of microbial biofilms of the hyporheic zone of the river Elbe on nutrient dynamics and elimination. This resulted in four aspects, which were carried out separately. One aspect was the investigation of the dynamics of inorganic nitrogen compounds in the upper sediment layers, as highest microbial activity could be expected due to increased import of nutrients. Dissolved oxygen is suggested to control the nitrogen dynamics in the hyporheic zone, as dissolved oxygen in the flowing water varied seasonally and diurnally due to the photosynthetic activity of the algae and infiltrated in the hyporheic zone. The second aspect was the investigation of advective transport of algal cells through porous media. In laboratory columns the retention and retardation of morphological different algae was estimated. In the year 2001, it was possible to use the diving bell of the Office of Water and Navigation Magdeburg. Samples of the river bed at two different sites (Dresden-Übigau and Coswig near Lutherstadt-Wittenberg) were taken. Microbial activity rates, detrital and grain size parameters were detected. This sample material was also used for the detection of the microbial biocoenosis at the two sites. The microorganisms of the flowing water, the interstitial water and associated to the sediment were characterized by means of the fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technique. Multivariate statistical analysis was performed on the FISH data at different spatial and phylogenetic scales.

Level thesis:degree_level

thesis.doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher

Technische Universität Dresden

Year

2002

Author dc:creator

• Kloep, Frank

Contributors dc:contributor

• Röske, Isolde
• Uhlmann, Dietrich
• Manz, Werner

• Elbe
• Hyporheal
• Sediment
• Mikrobiologie
• Biofilme
• River Elbe
• hyporheic zone
• microbiology
• biofilms