Effect of the dilution rate on microbial competition: r-strategist can win over k-strategist at low substrate concentration.

ABSTRACT: The conditions present in both in vitro and in vivo ecosystems determine the microbial population harbouring it. One commonly accepted theory is that a species with a high substrate affinity and low growth rate (k-strategist) will win the competition against a second species with a lower substrate affinity and higher growth rate (r-strategist) if both species are subjected to low substrate concentrations. In this study two nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB), Nitrospira defluvii (k-strategist) and Nitrobacter vulgaris (r-strategist), were cultivated in a continuous reactor systems. The minimal hydraulic retention time (HRT) required for maintaining the slower growing Nitrospira was first determined. A reactor containing Nitrobacter was set to the same HRT and Nitrospira was injected to evalua

SUBMITTER: Winkler MH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5363889 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature