Periphyton and Flocculent Materials Are Important Ecological Compartments Supporting Abundant and Diverse Mercury Methylator Assemblages in the Florida Everglades.

ABSTRACT: Mercury (Hg) methylation in the Florida Everglades is of great environmental concern because of its adverse effects on human and wildlife health through biomagnification in aquatic food webs. Periphyton and flocculant materials (floc) overlaying peat soil are important ecological compartments producing methylmercury (MeHg) in this ecosystem. These compartments retain higher concentrations of MeHg than did soil at study sites across nutrient and/or sulfate gradient(s). To better understand what controls Hg methylation in these compartments, the present study explored the structures and abundances of Hg methylators using genes hgcAB as biomarkers. The hgcA sequences indicated that these compartments hosted a high diversity of Hg methylators, including Deltaproteobacteria

SUBMITTER: Bae HS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6581163 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature