Further Analysis of Anammox Bacterial Community Structures Along an Anthropogenic Nitrogen-Input Gradient from the Riparian Sediments of the Pearl River Delta to the Deep-Ocean Sediments of the South China Sea

Abstract

The community structures of anammox bacteria in sediments along an anthropogenic inorganic nitrogen input gradient were further delineated with the newly available information incorporated. Anammox bacterial 16S rRNA gene-amplified sequences retrieved from riparian sediments of the Pearl River, Mai Po coastal wetland, and the South China Sea (SCS) sediments were compiled, compared and analyzed. Results indicated that the community structures of anammox bacteria varied from the upstream of the Pearl River to deep-ocean sediment of the SCS along the anthropogenic input grandient. Mai Po wetland had the most diverse anammox bacteria, followed by the shallow SCS, deep SCS and the Pearl River. Genera of the anammox bacteria Kuenenia and Brocadia showed higher proportion in the riparian sediments of the Pearl River, while those of Kuenenia and Scalindua dominated the Mai Po coastal wetland. The Scalindua subclusters showed apparent segregation in coastal wetland (S. zhenghei-III and S. wagneri), shallow SCS (S. zhenghei-I and S3) and deep SCS (S. zhenghei-I, S2 and S. arabica). Pearson correlation analysis indicated nitrogen species [NH4+ and ∑(NO2−+NO3− )] negatively correlated with the diversity indices of anammox bacteria. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) showed that salinity, inorganic nitrogen [NH4+, ∑(NO2−+NO3−)], and ratio of NH4+/∑(NO2− +NO3−) significantly affected the bacterial community compositions. Results collectively support that the community composition of anammox bacteria can serve as a bio-indicator to the anthropogenic terrestrial N input or pollution.