Comparative analysis of the microbial community in the sediments of two constructed wetlands differentially influenced by the concentrated poultry feeding operations

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2-1-2017

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to observe how the effluents from a massive poultry farming facility influence the microbial community in the sediment of the nearby constructed wetland, which functions as a reservoir for poultry wastes. Materials and methods: The microbial community structures and compositions in the two neighboring constructed wetlands of Louisiana (named Big Pond and Corner Pond) were characterized and compared through a metagenomics approach using the high-throughput sequence data of a conserved 16S rDNA region (V4 region) obtained from the sediment DNA samples and the metagenomics analysis tool QIIME. Big Pond is connected to a poultry farming facility, directly influenced by the poultry wastes, while its neighboring Corner Pond is separated from the poultry house. Results and discussion: Among the 74 phyla of prokaryotes detected from the sediments of the two wetlands, four phyla (Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi, Euryarchaeota, and Proteobacteria) were predominant in both conditions. Proteobacteria, the most predominant phylum in both wetlands, was not significantly different in its relative abundance between the two conditions. However, Alphaproteobacteria, one of the four major classes within Proteobacteria, was almost depleted in Big Pond. Within another major phylum Euryarchaeota, all the three classes known as methanogenic organisms (Methanobacteria, Methanomicrobia, and Thermoplasmata) were more abundant in Big Pond. In addition, the relative abundance of Acidobacteria was significantly reduced in Big Pond, while that of the class Dehalococcoidetes within the phylum Chloroflexi was significantly higher in Big Pond compared to Corner Pond. Conclusions: Wastes released from an intensive poultry farming facility change significantly the relative abundance of some taxonomic groups of microorganisms in the microbial community of the wetland sediment. This study provided valuable information about the global changes of microbial community in the wetland sediments caused by the infusion of poultry wastes at various taxonomic levels.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

Journal of Soils and Sediments

First Page

557

Last Page

566

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