Spatio-temporal shifts in community structure and activity of nirS-type denitrifiers in the sediment cores of Pearl River Estuary.

ABSTRACT: Denitrification, an important process in microbial mediated nitrogen cycle, plays important roles in nitrogen loss in estuarine sediments. However, the function of denitrifiers in the estuarine subsurface sediments remained poorly understood. In this study, we analyzed the potential activity, abundance and community structure of nirS-type denitrifiers using 15N-labeled incubation quantitative-PCR and high throughput sequencing techniques in sediment cores from Pearl River Estuary (PRE). Results showed that subsurface sediments had nearly same level denitrification potential activity compare to surface sediments, although the abundance of nirS gene decreased sharply from surface to bottom in sediment cores. Meanwhile, nirS gene abundance exhibit significant temporal variations, which is con

SUBMITTER: Xie H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7173864 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature