Advances in Microbial Ecology

260 Pages·1980·13.047 MB·English

by  John D. Stout (auth.), M. Alexander (eds.)

Advances in
MICROBIAL ECOLOGY
Volume 4
ADVANCES IN MICROBIAL ECOLOGY
Sponsored by International Commission on Microbial Ecology,
a unit of International Association of Microbiological Societies
and the Division of Environmental Biology of the
International Union of Biological Societies
Editorial Board
Thomas Rosswall
Institutionen for Mikrobiologi
Uppsala, Sweden
K. C. Marshall
University ofN ew South Wales
Kensington, Australia
Hans Veldkamp
University of Groningen
Haren, The Netherlands
A Continuation Order Plan is available for this series. A continuation order will bring
delivery of each new volume immediately upon publication. Volumes are billed only upon
actual shipment. For further information please contact the publisher.
Advances in
MICROBIAL ECOLOGY
Volume 4
Edited by
M. Alexander
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York
PLENUM PRESS· NEW YORK AND LONDON
The Library of Congress cataloged the lust volume of this title as follows:
Advances in microbial ecology. v. 1-
New York, Plenum Press c1977-
v. ill. 24 cm.
Key title: Advances in microbial ecology, ISSN 0147-4863
1. Microbial ecology-Collected works.
576 .15 77-649698
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 77-649698
ISBN-13: 978-1-4615-8293-9 e-ISBN: 978-1-4615-8291-5
DOl: 10.1007/978-1-4615-8291-5
© 1980 Plenum Press, New York
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st Edition 1980
A Division of Plenum Publishing Corporation
227 West 17th Street, New York, N.Y. 10011
All rights reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted,
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming,
recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher
Contributors
B. Ben Bohlool, Department of Microbiology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu,
Hawaii 96822
C. Furusaka, Institute of Agricultural Research, Tohoku University, Sendai,
Japan
Henry S. Lowendorf, Department of Agronomy, Cornell University, Ithaca, New
York 14853
Birgitta Norkrans, Department of Marine Microbiology, Botanical Institute,
Upjversity of Goteborg, Carl Skottsbergs Gata 22, S-413 19 Goteborg,
Sweden
Edwin L. Schmidt, Departments of Microbiology and Soil Science, University of
Minnesota, St. Paul/Minneapolis, Minnesota 55108
John D. Stout, Soil Bureau, New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial
Research, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
Robert L. Tate m, University of Florida Agricultural Research and Education
Center, Belle Glade, Florida 33430
I. Watanabe, The International Rice Research Institute, Los Banos, Laguna,
Philippines
v
Preface
The literature in microbial ecology is growing rapidly. Journals in many countries
dealing with microbiology, ecology, environmental sciences, and environmental
technology are publishing an ever-increasing number of papers, and these reports
are providing microbial ecologists with a wealth of information. This body of
data is now so large and the research is published in so many journals and mono
graphs that maintaining an overview of the development of the field grows more
difficult. The role of Advances in Microbial Ecology thus becomes more obvious
with time.
The articles in the present volume encompass an array of topics appropriate to
the development of the discipline of microbial ecology. Both terrestrial and
aquatic ecosystems are subjects of attention, and a variety of microbiological
groups come under review. Furthermore, methodological problems and ap
proaches are not overlooked.
The ecology of protozoa, constraints on their populations, and their role in
nutrient cycling and energy flow are considered by J. D. Stout. A unique micro
environment is discussed by B. Norkrans, the surface microlayer of aquatic eco
systems, and Dr. Norkrans presents information on a field that has blossomed in
the last few years. The subject of the review by H. S. Lowendorf is the genus
Rhizobium, a group of bacteria whose importance has grown as the cost of fuel
for production of nitrogen fertilizers and ultimately for protein production has
increased. Two special terrestrial ecosystems are also considered in the present
volume, flooded soils that are common in much of Asia for rice production and
Histosols, a related ecosystem in that it is flooded but one that is dominated by
organic rather than inorganic materials. I. Watanabe and C. Furusaka are the
authors of the former review, and R. L. Tate III is the author of the latter.
B. B. Bohlool and E. L. Schmidt present a thorough evaluation of immunofluo
rescence as a technique for study of the ecology of microorganisms.
The Editorial Board of Advances in Microbial Ecology and the sponsors ofthe
series hope to maintain the standards and the direction of the earlier volumes.
Advances is designed to serve an international audience and to provide reviews
written by scientists from various countries. The various reviews that are pub-
vii
viii Preface
lished are selected because they include the basic and applied aspects of microbial
ecology and properties of diverse ecosystems and various microorganisms. We
believe that the series has been useful in accomplishing this goal, and we express
our thanks to our colleagues for their contributions, comments, and suggestions.
M. Alexander, Editor
K. C. Marshall
T. Rosswall
H. Veldkamp
Contents
Chapter 1
The Role of Protozoa in Nutrient Cycling and Energy Flow
John D. Stout
1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
2. Nutrient Dynamics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2.1. Nutrient Cycles and Energy Flow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
3. Ecological Constraints of the Microhabitat ................. 14
3.1. Physical Constraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
3.2. Nutrient Transport and Turnover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
3 .3. Energetics ................................... 17
4. Population Structure and Dynamics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
4.1. Population Density, Trophic Structure, and Available
Resource . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
4.2. Marine Ecosystems ............................. 21
4.3. Freshwater and Polluted Ecosystems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
4.4. Terrestrial Ecosystems ............. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
5. Conclusions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
References ........................................ 40
Chapter 2
Surface Microlayers in Aquatic Environments
Birgitta Norkrans
1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
2. The Surface Microlayer(s) ............................ 52
2.1. Sampling Devices for Collection of the Surface Microlayers . . . 53
2.2. The Lipid Film . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
ix
x Contents
2.3. Polysaccharide-Protein Complex Layer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
2.4. Bacterioneuston Layer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
3. Some General Concepts for Lipid Films-Gaseous, Liquid, and Solid
States. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
4. Microbial Interaction at the Surface Lipid Film .............. 63
4.1. Bacterial Accumulation at the Surface Lipid Film . . . . . . . . . 64
4.2. Physicochemical Characterization of the Microbial Interaction
at the Surface Lipid Film ......................... 66
4.3. Some Remarks about the Microbial Interaction at Gas-Liquid
and Solid-Liquid Interfaces. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
5. Factors Affecting Microbial Structure and Function of the Surface
Microlayers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
5.1. Availiability of Nutrients for Bacterial Growth . . . . . . . . . . . 70
5.2. Biochemical Activity of Netistonic Bacteria ............. 71
5.3. Potentially Detrimental Factors for Survival and Growth in
Surface Microlayers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
6. Phytoneuston Layers: Some Characteristics ................ 78
References ........................................ 79
Chapter 3
Factors Affecting Survival of Rhizobium in Soil
Henry S. Lowendorf
1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
2. Terminology and Methods Used for Enumerating and Distinguishing
Strains of Rhizobium in the Soil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
2.1. Terminology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
2.2. Methods .................................... 89
3. Factors Affecting Rhizobial Survival ..................... 90
3.1. Observed Persistence in the Field .................... 90
3.2. Stimulation of Rhizobium in the Rhizosphere . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
3.3. Soil Factors .................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
3.4. Rhizobium Strain Differences ...................... 113
4. Conclusions and Recommendations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
References ........................................ 117
Chapter 4
Microbial Ecology of Flooded Rice Soils
I. Watanabe and C. Furusaka
1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
2. Floodwater. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Contents xi
2.1. Organisms Inhabiting the Floodwater ................. 127
2.2. Photosynthesis and Respiration ..................... 129
2.3. N2 Fixation by Photoautotrophs .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
3. Surface Oxidized Layer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
3.1. Nitrification at the Surface Soil Layer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
3.2. Methane Oxidation ............................. 132
3.3. Photosynthetic Bacteria .......... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
4. Reduced Layer ................................... 133
4.1. Sequential Reductions and Microorganisms Responsible for
Each Reduction Process ...... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
4.2. Nature of Aerobic and Anaerobic Bacteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
4.3. Other Microorganisms ........................... 144
4.4. Heterogeneous Distribution of Microorganisms and Role of
Organic Debris ................................ 147
4.5. Water Percolation and Microbial Activity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
5. Subsoil. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
5.1. Microbial Emichment as Affected by Leaching . . . . . . . . . . . 148
5.2. Manganese Oxidation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
6. Root Zone of Rice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
6.1. Physiological and Morphological Characteristics of Wetland
Rice Roots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
6.2. Organic Substances Released from Rice Roots and "Reducing
Power" of Rice Roots ........................... 150
6.3. Characteristics of Microflora of Rice Rhizosphere . . . . . . . . . 151
6.4. Invasion of Rice Root Tissues by Microorganisms ......... 154
7. Perspective and Conclusion ........................... 155
References ........................................ 156
Chapter 5
Microbial Oxidation of Organic Matter of Histosols
Robert L. Tate III
1. Introduction .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
1 .1. Subsidence-The Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
1.2. Products of Subsidence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
2. Microbial Activities in Newly Drained Peats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
2.1. Microbial Population ..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
2.2. Changes of Microbial Activity in Soil ProfIle. . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
2.3. Biomass Variation in the Soil ProfIle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
2.4. Chemical Nature of the Soil Organic Matter Following the
Transition Period . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
3. Carbon Metabolism in Well-Humified, Cultivated Histosols. . . . . . . 181
3.1. The Substrate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181