Salinity as a major influence on groundwater microbial communities in agricultural landscapes

Tess Nelson; Grant C. Hose; Jodie Dabovic; Kathryn L. Korbel

doi:10.1071/MF23014

Salinity as a major influence on groundwater microbial communities in agricultural landscapes

Tess Nelson, Grant C. Hose^*, Jodie Dabovic, Kathryn L. Korbel

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Natural Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

47 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Context: Understanding the impacts of salinity on groundwater microbial communities is imperative, because these communities influence groundwater chemistry, quality, and its suitability for use by humans and the environment.

Aim: To assess groundwater salinisation and its influence on groundwater microbial communities within the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB), Australia.

Methods: Alluvial aquifers were sampled from 41 bores, within the Lachlan, Murrumbidgee and Murray catchments. Environmental DNA (eDNA), microbial activity and water-quality variables were measured to evaluate microbial communities, which were then correlated with electrical conductivity (EC) and other environmental variables.

Results: Our results indicated widespread groundwater salinisation within the MDB, with EC ranging from 63 to 51 257 μS cm^-1. The highest EC values were recorded in the Murray catchment; however, mean EC values did not differ significantly among catchments (P > 0.05). The composition of microbial communities differed significantly between sites with low (<3000 μS cm^-1) and high (>3000 μS cm^-1) EC. Microbial activity, richness and abundances were all greater at low- than high-EC sites.

Conclusions: Changes to microbial communities as demonstrated here may have impacts on biogeochemical cycling and ecosystem resilience.

Implications: The detrimental ecological impacts of salinity are not limited to groundwater microbes, but present a larger ecological issue affecting all groundwater-dependent ecosystems.

Original language	English
Article number	MF23014
Pages (from-to)	1-16
Number of pages	16
Journal	Marine and Freshwater Research
Volume	75
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1071/MF23014
Publication status	Published - 8 Jan 2024

Bibliographical note

Copyright the Author(s) 2024. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

Keywords

16S rRNA
agricultural landscape
aquifer
groundwater quality
microbial community
Murray-Darling Basin
salinisation
subterranean ecosystems

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10.1071/MF23014

Publisher version (open access)Final published version, 2.64 MBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

Cite this

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title = "Salinity as a major influence on groundwater microbial communities in agricultural landscapes",

abstract = "Context: Understanding the impacts of salinity on groundwater microbial communities is imperative, because these communities influence groundwater chemistry, quality, and its suitability for use by humans and the environment. Aim: To assess groundwater salinisation and its influence on groundwater microbial communities within the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB), Australia. Methods: Alluvial aquifers were sampled from 41 bores, within the Lachlan, Murrumbidgee and Murray catchments. Environmental DNA (eDNA), microbial activity and water-quality variables were measured to evaluate microbial communities, which were then correlated with electrical conductivity (EC) and other environmental variables. Results: Our results indicated widespread groundwater salinisation within the MDB, with EC ranging from 63 to 51 257 μS cm-1. The highest EC values were recorded in the Murray catchment; however, mean EC values did not differ significantly among catchments (P > 0.05). The composition of microbial communities differed significantly between sites with low (<3000 μS cm-1) and high (>3000 μS cm-1) EC. Microbial activity, richness and abundances were all greater at low- than high-EC sites. Conclusions: Changes to microbial communities as demonstrated here may have impacts on biogeochemical cycling and ecosystem resilience. Implications: The detrimental ecological impacts of salinity are not limited to groundwater microbes, but present a larger ecological issue affecting all groundwater-dependent ecosystems.",

keywords = "16S rRNA, agricultural landscape, aquifer, groundwater quality, microbial community, Murray-Darling Basin, salinisation, subterranean ecosystems",

author = "Tess Nelson and Hose, {Grant C.} and Jodie Dabovic and Korbel, {Kathryn L.}",

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AU - Nelson, Tess

AU - Hose, Grant C.

AU - Dabovic, Jodie

AU - Korbel, Kathryn L.

N1 - Copyright the Author(s) 2024. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

PY - 2024/1/8

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N2 - Context: Understanding the impacts of salinity on groundwater microbial communities is imperative, because these communities influence groundwater chemistry, quality, and its suitability for use by humans and the environment. Aim: To assess groundwater salinisation and its influence on groundwater microbial communities within the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB), Australia. Methods: Alluvial aquifers were sampled from 41 bores, within the Lachlan, Murrumbidgee and Murray catchments. Environmental DNA (eDNA), microbial activity and water-quality variables were measured to evaluate microbial communities, which were then correlated with electrical conductivity (EC) and other environmental variables. Results: Our results indicated widespread groundwater salinisation within the MDB, with EC ranging from 63 to 51 257 μS cm-1. The highest EC values were recorded in the Murray catchment; however, mean EC values did not differ significantly among catchments (P > 0.05). The composition of microbial communities differed significantly between sites with low (<3000 μS cm-1) and high (>3000 μS cm-1) EC. Microbial activity, richness and abundances were all greater at low- than high-EC sites. Conclusions: Changes to microbial communities as demonstrated here may have impacts on biogeochemical cycling and ecosystem resilience. Implications: The detrimental ecological impacts of salinity are not limited to groundwater microbes, but present a larger ecological issue affecting all groundwater-dependent ecosystems.

AB - Context: Understanding the impacts of salinity on groundwater microbial communities is imperative, because these communities influence groundwater chemistry, quality, and its suitability for use by humans and the environment. Aim: To assess groundwater salinisation and its influence on groundwater microbial communities within the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB), Australia. Methods: Alluvial aquifers were sampled from 41 bores, within the Lachlan, Murrumbidgee and Murray catchments. Environmental DNA (eDNA), microbial activity and water-quality variables were measured to evaluate microbial communities, which were then correlated with electrical conductivity (EC) and other environmental variables. Results: Our results indicated widespread groundwater salinisation within the MDB, with EC ranging from 63 to 51 257 μS cm-1. The highest EC values were recorded in the Murray catchment; however, mean EC values did not differ significantly among catchments (P > 0.05). The composition of microbial communities differed significantly between sites with low (<3000 μS cm-1) and high (>3000 μS cm-1) EC. Microbial activity, richness and abundances were all greater at low- than high-EC sites. Conclusions: Changes to microbial communities as demonstrated here may have impacts on biogeochemical cycling and ecosystem resilience. Implications: The detrimental ecological impacts of salinity are not limited to groundwater microbes, but present a larger ecological issue affecting all groundwater-dependent ecosystems.

KW - 16S rRNA

KW - agricultural landscape

KW - aquifer

KW - groundwater quality

KW - microbial community

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KW - salinisation

KW - subterranean ecosystems

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Salinity as a major influence on groundwater microbial communities in agricultural landscapes

Abstract

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Keywords

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