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Aquatic Microbial Ecology


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AME 74:121-141 (2015)  -  DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/ame01727

Eutrophication of peatbogs: consequences of P and N enrichment for microbial and metazoan communities in mesocosm experiments

Tomasz Mieczan*, Małgorzata Adamczuk, Barbara Pawlik-Skowrońska, Magdalena Toporowska

Department of Hydrobiology, University of Life Sciences, Dobrzańskiego 37, 20-262 Lublin, Poland
*Corresponding author:

ABSTRACT: Complex interactions between bacteria and protists are essential to the ecosystem ecology of peatbogs. However, little is known about how short-term changes in environmental conditions may influence microbial and metazoan communities. Microbial processes and parameters may be used as sensitive indicators of eutrophication. We address the hypothesis that an increase in the concentration of nutrients (in an experiment simulating eutrophication) will affect species richness and abundance of microorganisms and small metazoans and will cause changes in food web structure in different types of peatbogs. The experiments were performed in a Sphagnum peatland and a carbonate fen. Four experimental treatments were established (control and fertilised: +P, +N, P+N). An increase in habitat fertility was found to modify the taxonomic composition and functioning of microbial communities. This was reflected in a decrease in the species richness of testate amoebae and a substantial increase in the abundance of bacteria, flagellates and ciliates in both types of peatbogs. A better understanding of which parameters regulate microbial populations in peatbogs is critical for more accurate prediction of how peatbogs will respond to global change or anthropogenic disturbances.


KEY WORDS: Bog · Algae · Bacteria · Protists · Rotifers · Cladocera · Copepoda · Microbial food webs


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Cite this article as: Mieczan T, Adamczuk M, Pawlik-Skowrońska B, Toporowska M (2015) Eutrophication of peatbogs: consequences of P and N enrichment for microbial and metazoan communities in mesocosm experiments. Aquat Microb Ecol 74:121-141. https://doi.org/10.3354/ame01727

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