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Microbial biofilm structure and organic matter use in mediterranean streams

  • MEDITERRANEAN CLIMATE STREAMS
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Abstract

River and stream biofilms in mediterranean fluvial ecosystems face both extreme seasonality as well as arrhythmic fluctuations. The hydrological extremes (droughts and floods) impose direct changes in water availability but also in the quantity and quality of organic matter and nutrients that sustain the microbial growth. This review analyzes how these ecological pulses might determine unique properties of biofilms developing in mediterranean streams. The paper brings together data from heterotrophic and autotrophic community structure, and extracellular enzyme activities in biofilms in mediterranean streams. Mediterranean stream biofilms show higher use of peptides during the favorable period for epilithic algae development (spring), and preferential use of cellulose and hemicellulose in autumn as a response to allochthonous input. The drying process causes the reduction in bacterial production and chlorophyll biomass, but the rapid recovery of both autotrophs and heterotrophs with rewetting indicates their adaptability to fluctuations. Bacteria surviving the drought are mainly associated with sediment and leaf litter which serve as “humid refuges”. Some algae and cyanobacteria show resistant strategies to cope with the drought stress. The resistance to these fluctuations is strongly linked to the streambed characteristics (e.g., sediment grain size, organic matter accumulation, nutrient content).

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by the projects CGL2011-30151-C02-01, and SCARCE (Consolider-Ingenio 2010 CSD2009-00065) of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness; the Italy–Spain Exchange Project CNR-CSIC 2006IT0010; and the EU project MIRAGE (FP7-ENV-2007-1 n.211732). We also thank the comments from two anonymous reviewers as well as editors’ suggestions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Aquatic Ecology, University of Girona, Campus de Montilivi, 17071, Girona, Spain

    Anna M. Romaní, Sergi Sabater, Xisca Timoner & Irene Ylla

  2. Water Research Institute (IRSA), National Research Council (CNR), Via Salaria km 29.3-CP10, 00015, Monterotondo, Italy

    Stefano Amalfitano, Stefano Fazi & Annamaria Zoppini

  3. Irstea, 3 Quai Chauveau CP 220, 69336, Lyon, France

    Joan Artigas

  4. Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), Emili Grahit 101, Edifici H2O Parc Científic i Tecnològic de la Universitat de Girona, 17003, Girona, Spain

    Sergi Sabater & Xisca Timoner

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Correspondence to Anna M. Romaní.

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Guest editors: N. Bonada & V. H. Resh / Streams in Mediterranean climate regions: lessons learned from the last decade

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Romaní, A.M., Amalfitano, S., Artigas, J. et al. Microbial biofilm structure and organic matter use in mediterranean streams. Hydrobiologia 719, 43–58 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-012-1302-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-012-1302-y

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