Functional stability despite structural changes in freshwater biofilm communities exposed to an antibiotic and an herbicide - the role of nutrient conditions.

ABSTRACT: Freshwater autotrophic biofilms play a vital role in primary production and nutrient cycling in freshwater ecosystems but are increasingly exposed to chemical stressors such as antibiotics or herbicides. Although nutrient availability may modulate biofilm sensitivity, its impact on biofilm responses to these stressors remains poorly understood. In four independent experiments, we investigated the functional (ash-free dry weight and chlorophyll a, b and c) and structural (16S/18S rRNA metabarcoding) responses of stream-derived biofilms under low- and high-nutrient levels to chronic exposure (14 days) to the antibiotic ciprofloxacin and the herbicide propyzamide in laboratory stream microcosms. High-nutrient levels strongly increased biofilms functional responses and altered the community co

SUBMITTER: Oster S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12481197 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature