Distribution of nitrogenous nutrients and denitrifiers strains in estuarine sediment profiles of the Tanshui River, northern Taiwan

Chemical profiles of both oxidized (nitrate and sulfate) and reduced (ammonium, sulfide, acid-volatile sulfide AVS], and pyrite) materials and the corresponding distribution of denitrifier microbial communities were measured at low tide in sediments at Guandu in the estuary of the Tanshui River, northern Taiwan in August 2002. Denitrifier strains were isolated for physiological and phylogenic analyses. Based on the distribution of nitrogenous compounds and denitrifier abundances, the vertical profile of Guandu sediments could be separated into four layers: a mixed layer (the top 1 cm of depth, respectively containing 0.82–2.37 and 535.9–475.0 μM of nitrate and ammonium), a nitrate-concentrated layer (1–5 cm in depth, 2.37–0.53 and 475.0–1192.1 μM, respectively), a denitrifier-aggregation layer (5–7 cm in depth, 0.53–0.72 and 1192.1–1430.1 μM, respectively), and an ammonium-enriched layer (7–12 cm in depth, 0.72–0.78 and 1430.1–2196.6 μM, respectively). Denitrifier strains were detected in all layers except for the mixed layer. A variety of metabolic processes by these strains may occur in different layers. Bacillus jeotgali-, Bacillus sphaericus-, and Bacillus firmus-related strains isolated from the nitrate-concentrated layer may be involved in the nitrification-denitrification coupling process due to the relatively low nitrate concentrations (maximum = 2.37 μM), and may contribute to denitrification not nitrification. Bacillus bataviensis- and B. jeotgali-related strains isolated from the denitrifier-aggregation layer comprised the predominant denitrifier population (3.64 × 10⁴ cells/g of denitrifier abundance). They possess the ability of dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA). Bacillus jeotgali-related strains and two newly identified strains of GD0705 and GD0706 isolated from the ammonium-enriched layer possibly use fermentative processes as the main metabolic pathway instead of denitrification when nitrate is scarce, and this further supports the high ammonium concentrations (up to 2.20 mM) found in the Guandu sediments. In addition, spore formation also enhances the chance of survival of these strains in the face with such a nitrate-deficient environment.