Bacterial population and biodegradation potential in chronically crude oil-contaminated marine sediments are strongly linked to temperature.

ABSTRACT: Two of the largest crude oil-polluted areas in the world are the semi-enclosed Mediterranean and Red Seas, but the effect of chronic pollution remains incompletely understood on a large scale. We compared the influence of environmental and geographical constraints and anthropogenic forces (hydrocarbon input) on bacterial communities in eight geographically separated oil-polluted sites along the coastlines of the Mediterranean and Red Seas. The differences in community compositions and their biodegradation potential were primarily associated (P < 0.05) with both temperature and chemical diversity. Furthermore, we observed a link between temperature and chemical and biological diversity that was stronger in chronically polluted sites than in pristine ones where accidental oil spills occurred

SUBMITTER: Bargiela R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4484246 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature