Impact of abiotic stressors on nutrient removal and rhizomicrobiome composition in floating treatment wetland with Equisetum hyemale

Abstract

Floating treatment wetlands (FTW) are receiving growing interest as a phyto-technology. However, there are significant research gaps regarding the actual role of plant species and plant-microbiome interactions. In this study, the nutrient uptake of Equisetum hyemale was examined in FTW microcosms under the influence of abiotic stressors: As (3 mg/L) and Pb (3 mg/L) as well as Cl− (300 and 800 mg/L) in reference to a control during a short screening experiment. High removal efficiency of nutrients in water solutions, up to 88 % for TN and 93 % for PO4-P, was observed. However, PO4-P removal was inhibited in the As reactor, with a maximum efficiency of only 11 %. Lead and As were removed with high efficiency, reaching 98 % and 79 % respectively. At the same time only Pb was effectively bound to root biomass, reaching up to 51 %. Limited As accumulation of 0.5 % in plant roots suggests that microbial processes play a major role in its reduction. The development and structure of microbiome in the microcosms was analysed by means of 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, proving that Pb was the most influential factor in terms of selection pressure on specified bacterial groups. In the As treatment, the emergence of a Serratia subpopulation was observed, while the Cl− treatment preserved a rhizobiome composition most closely resembling the control. This study indicates that E. hyemale is a suitable species for use in FTWs treating Pb polluted water that at the same time is capable to withstand periodic increases in salinity. E. hyemale exhibits low As binding in biomass; however, extended exposure might amplify this effect because of the slow-acting, but beneficial, mechanism of As uptake by roots and shoots. Microbiome analysis complements insights into mechanisms of FTW performance and impact of stress factors on bacterial structure and functions.