Epibenthic microbial mats behavior as phosphorus sinks or sources in relation to biological and physicochemical conditions

Microbial mats are complex microecosystems that have shown promise as possible green filters to remediate polluted seawater. This usage would possibly require changing the natural conditions under which these microbial mats prosper in order to maximize their contact with the water. Thus, it is necessary to evaluate the adaptation of the mats to different environmental conditions, while monitoring their short-term efficiency at nutrient removal. To that aim, epibenthic microbial mats collected from a tidal flat in the Bahia Blanca Estuary, were incubated under different flooding conditions (periodically exposed to the air or continuously flooded), with and without the addition of a high phosphorus concentration (5 mg PO43- L-1), and with and without the presence of penicillin. This last condition was added to understand the influence of penicillin-sensitive microbes on cyanobacteria and diatom communities and their importance for P remediation. The presence of high P concentrations as well as the continual flooding of the mats resulted in the decrease of the dominant cyanobacterium, Coleofasciculus (Microcoleus) chthonoplastes, giving rise to the dominance of other genera such as Arthrospira sp. Or Oscillatoria sp., depending on the presence or absence of the antibiotic, respectively. Water P removal was highly efficient (60-87%) when the mats were treated with the high-P water. However, microbial mat behavior changed from P sink to source when mats where incubated in seawater with no P addition, suggesting that mats can both function as P sinks and sources, depending on the condition of the water they come in contact with.

Automated summary

Microbial mats have potential as green filters to remediate polluted seawater. However, changing the natural conditions may be necessary to maximize their contact with water. Results showed that high phosphorus concentration and continuous flooding affected the dominant microbial species in the mats, and they can function both as sinks and sources for phosphorus, depending on the water conditions.