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Background and aims
Olive mill wastewater (OMW) generated in Mediterranean countries is partly disposed of on soil. Its underlying fate mechanisms and influences on plant growth are still largely unknown. Our goal was to understand OMW organic matter (OMW-OM) degradation in soil and its phytotoxic effects. We hypothesized that OMW phytotoxicity decreased with degradation of its phenolic components.
Methods
In a 60 day incubation study, we monitored soil respiration, extractable total phenolic content (TPC) and carbon isotope ratio (δ13C) of OMW treated Israeli soil. The soil was extracted using accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) and its extracts were exemplarily analyzed for four phenolic substances by LC/MS. Phytotoxicity of soil and soil extracts were tested using a Lepidium sativum seed germination bioassay.
Results
Soil respiration was 2.5 times higher for OMW treated soil with two respiration maxima and indicated a degradation of up to 27 % of the added OMW-OM. Four phases of OMW-OM degradation were identified: (i) degradation of easily degradable OMW-OM and transformation of phenolic compounds, (ii) intermediate suppression of phytotoxicity, (iii) degradation of phytotoxic phenolic compounds and (iv) significant physical immobilization of phytotoxic compounds.
Conclusion
Environmental conditions during and after OMW disposal on soil ought to favor fast degradation of OMW-OM, minimizing their physical immobilization and phytotoxic effects.
The white-rot fungus Hypholoma fasciculare coexists with a bacterial community that uses low-molecular weight carbon sources provided by fungal, extracellular enzyme activities. Since fungal development on wood is limited by the availability of nitrogen (N), bacteria could contribute to the N supply. To prove or disapprove an interaction in terms of N transfer, N sources of the fungus and the coexisting bacterial isolates were investigated, and the bacterial N2 fixation was quantified. Fungal, fungal—bacterial and bacterial wood decomposition was analysed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), mass loss and surface pH. Microbial N preferences were investigated by elemental analysis isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS). In addition, diazotrophic activity was explored after cultivation under a 15N2/O2 atmosphere. Decomposition was similar with and without bacteria and both H. fasciculare and coexisting bacteria preferred reduced N species, such as urea, ammonium and organic N. In most of the bacteria, the 15N abundance in the biomass increased significantly but to a low extent if they were cultivated under a 15N2/O2 atmosphere. This effect is considered an artefact and attributed to adsorption rather than to bacterial N2 fixation activity. Hence, the bacteria coexisting with H. fasciculare rather competed for the same N sources than supported fungal N supply by diazotrophic activity.
Isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) is an advanced method to investigate carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) in organic samples. In particular, the N content, its isotope signature and the C/N ratio reveal important facts of nutrient cycling, niche separation and ecological food webs. In this study, the characteristics of N turnover of wood decomposing microorganisms were investigated.
The growth of the white rot causing basidiomycete Trametes versicolor is enhanced after addition of ammonia or urea, whereas the brown rot causing Oligoporus placenta is not accelerated. In addition, an interaction of each fungus with atmospheric N2 assimilating (diazotrophic) bacteria was investigated. Cultivation experiments with a gas mixture of 15N2/O2 and subsequent IRMS analysis of dry biomass of the diazotrophs Azotobacter croococcum, Beijerinckia acida and Novosphingobium nitrogenifigens revealed that they assimilated up to 12% of their N from N2. The experiments reflected N availability as a prerequisite for efficient growth of decomposing basidiomycetes and diazotrophs. Fungal–bacterial co-cultivation experiments showed that depending on the growth characteristics and bacterial N2 assimilation activity N is transferred from certain bacteria into fungal biomass. Thus, the experiments gave a first indication of an interaction between wood decomposing basidiomycetes and diazotrophs, which is a novel pathway of fungal N acquisition.
Saprotrophic basidiomycetes decompose wood in aerobic environments and can cause economic damage. The availability of nitrogen is determining for decomposition, and diazotrophic bacteria might enhance the nitrogen availability by fixation of atmospheric N2. Simultaneous decomposition by basidiomycetes and diazotrophs may intensify decomposition, because N2 fixation requires ATP, which could be provided during cellulose decomposition. In this study, the interaction was analysed by measurements of the nitrogen content and the δ15N values in biomass. Besides, the activity of basidiomycetes, influenced by different nitrogen sources, was determined. The analysis of the nitrogen content in biomass of Oligoporus placenta and Trametes versicolor proved the efficient uptake of organic nitrogen by wood-decomposing fungi even if only traces were available. In the presence of urea and ammonium chloride, the growth of T. versicolor was intensified. At cultivations in a 15N2/O2 atmosphere, the diazotrophic bacteria Azotobacter croococcum, Beijerinckia acida and Novosphingobium nitrogenifigens covered 1 to 13% of the nitrogen in their biomass by N2 fixation. If basidiomycetes and diazotrophs were co-cultivated, only B. acida fixed N2 and transferred it to both fungi. A. croococcum and N. nitrogenifigens did not coexist with the fungi. The effects of the nitrogen sources, i.e., organic nitrogen in the medium, organic nitrogen in sapwood and N2 from air, on the biomass of the mentioned basidiomycetes were determined in experiments according to full-factorial experimental plans. Organic nitrogen in the medium increased the growth of both basidiomycetes significantly. In additional experiments, the nitrogen source in the medium was replaced by an inoculum of B. acida. Then, atmospheric N2 supported the bacterial growth, which caused a significant decrease of basidiomycetal biomass compared to N2-free conditions. The presence of B. acida increased the biomass of T. versicolor to a low extent, but had no effect on the biomass of O. placenta. In contrast to the previously mentioned organisms, Hypholoma fasciculare and proteobacteria occur together in nature. In experiments, the growth of biomass of H. fasciculare and proteobacteria was supported by organic nitrogen, urea and ammonium chloride. The N2 fixation of the bacteria was significant but amounted to a low extent and was therefore explained by adsorption and not by nitrogenase activity. Competition between H. fasciculare and proteobacteria for the same nitrogen sources appeared more probable than N enrichment by diazotrophic activity.