Soil microbial communities are disturbed by aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals leading to mold growth. This was reported by the press service of the RNF.
Besides heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are formed in industrial processes and internal combustion engines. They are considered a soil and air pollutant, and environmental services monitor the emissions of these substances so that their concentration does not exceed the established norms. In particular, PAHs and heavy metals impair fertility and affect microorganisms, but their exact effects have not yet been studied.
In this regard, the Southern Federal University researchers followed the effect of these substances on the ecology of the Taganrog Bay. Two types of samples were collected: from clean areas away from cities and from polluted areas near buildings and factories. The authors identified the presence of sixteen different PAHs in them, as well as heavy metals such as chromium, zinc, cadmium. It turns out that the suburban lands can be characterized as clean, and some areas of Taganrog itself are somewhat dirty and very polluted.
The authors also estimated the number of microorganisms in soil samples taken from different regions. The most susceptible to pollution were spore-forming bacteria and copiotrophs, microorganisms that require large amounts of nutritious organic matter for life. The number of representatives of these groups decreased 10 times in regions with high levels of PAHs and heavy metals. Actinomycetes – branching bacteria – yeasts and molds, on the contrary, were the most resistant, and the latter preferred the most polluted areas. This can be explained by the fact that these groups of microorganisms quickly adapt to pollution and begin to replace less adapted species.
The authors hope that their findings will not only serve basic science, but will also make it possible to quickly determine the state of soils simply by analyzing the microbiome, without chemical analysis.
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