Microcystis blooms aggravate the diurnal alternation of nitrification and nitrate reduction in the water column in Lake Taihu

Abstract

To explore the effects of Microcystis blooms on nitrogen (N) cycling in the water column, the community structures of the Microcystis-attached and free-living bacteria in Lake Taihu were assessed and a mesocosm experiment was further conducted on the shore of Lake Taihu. The bacterial communities of Microcystis-attached and free-living bacteria were dominated by heterotrophic bacteria, such as Pseudomonas and Massilia, while the relative abundances of the genera related to traditional autotrophic nitrification were surprisingly low. However, the dramatic increase in nitrate (NO3−) levels at the daytime suggested that in the mesocosms nitrification did occur, during which the heterotrophic nitrifiers played a predominant role as revealed by the acetylene inhibition experiment. The ammonium (NH4+) concentrations were always maintained at a low level, indicating that most of the substrates for daytime nitrification originated from organic N. The total N being removed during the experiment was much less than the sum of daily NO3− reduction, while the decrease in NO3− concentration was much higher than the increase in NH4+ concentration during the night, indicating that assimilation was the main explanation for nocturnal NO3− reduction. Thus, the cycling of organic N (remineralization) – heterotrophic nitrification – NO3− assimilation (reduction) promoted by Microcystis blooms aggravates the diurnal variation of NO3− in the water column.