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Freshwater Aquatic and Terrestrial Microbial Community Functional Responses to Chronic Nutrient Limited Environments

Kirchner, Nicole M.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1462480177

Abstract Details

2016, Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, Plant Biology (Arts and Sciences).
Landscape studies of separate aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems have been less prevalent to the detriment of scientific understanding of large-scale ecological questions. Under nutrient limited conditions, microorganisms increase the production of extracellular enzymes to breakdown organically bound resources. Nutrients and carbon can become biologically unavailable in acid stressed environments, such as those in southeastern Ohio, that have been affected by more than a century of acidic deposition. In this leaf litter decomposition study, total fatty acid and extracellular enzyme laboratory analyses were utilized to compare forest and benthic stream microbial structure and enzymatic function in response to chronic acid stress. Based on phosphorus acquiring enzyme activity, forests of southeastern Ohio may be phosphorus limited; however, proximal freshwater streams did not exhibit the same functional response. The dynamic nature of lotic freshwater systems may partially explain the unexpected insensitivity to phosphorus enrichment. Microbial structure was also not found to shift under acid stressed conditions.
Jared DeForest (Advisor)
64 p.
Biogeochemistry; Ecology
microbial community; extracellular enzymes; landscape scale; acid stress; nutrient limitation; ecosystem function; AMD; phosphorus; acid mine drainage

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Kirchner, N. M. (2016). Freshwater Aquatic and Terrestrial Microbial Community Functional Responses to Chronic Nutrient Limited Environments [Master's thesis, Ohio University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1462480177

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Kirchner, Nicole. Freshwater Aquatic and Terrestrial Microbial Community Functional Responses to Chronic Nutrient Limited Environments. 2016. Ohio University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1462480177.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Kirchner, Nicole. "Freshwater Aquatic and Terrestrial Microbial Community Functional Responses to Chronic Nutrient Limited Environments." Master's thesis, Ohio University, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1462480177

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ohiou1462480177
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© 2016, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Ohio University and OhioLINK.