Interactive effects of aluminium and phosphorus on microbial leaf litter processing in acidified streams: A microcosm approach

• Published in: Environmental pollution (1987) 2014-03, Vol.186, p.67-74
• Main Authors: Clivot, Hugues, Charmasson, Faustine, Felten, Vincent, Boudot, Jean-Pierre, Guérold, François, Danger, Michael
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acidification; Alnus - microbiology; Aluminium; Aluminum; Aluminum - analysis; Aluminum - toxicity; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Aquatic hyphomycetes; Biodiversity and Ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Ecology, environment; Ecosystem; Ecosystems; Ecotoxicology; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Environmental Monitoring; Environmental Sciences; Food and Nutrition; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fungi; Fungi - drug effects; Fungi - physiology; Hyphomycetes; Interactive; Leaf litter decomposition; Life Sciences; Litter; Microbial ecology; Microorganisms; Phosphorus; Phosphorus - analysis; Phosphorus - toxicity; Plant Leaves - microbiology; Rivers - chemistry; Rivers - microbiology; Soil; Streams; Symbiosis; Terrestrial environment, soil, air; Toxicology; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis; Water Pollutants, Chemical - toxicity
• ISSN: 0269-7491; 1873-6424
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2013.11.024

Decline in pH, elevated aluminium (Al) concentrations, and base cations depletion often covary in acidified headwater streams. These parameters are considered as the main factors reducing microbial activities involved in detritus processing, but their individual and interactive effects are still unclear. In addition to its direct toxicity, Al can also reduce the bioavailability of phosphorus (P) in ecosystems through the formation of stable chemical complexes. A three week microcosm experiment was carried out in acid conditions to assess the interactive effects of Al (three levels: 0, 200, and 1000 μg L−1) and P (25, 100, and 1000 μg L−1) on alder leaf litter processing by an aquatic hyphomycete consortium. Our results showed that Al alone reduced fungal growth and altered fungal decomposer activities. High P levels, probably through an alleviation of Al-induced P limitation and a reduction of Al toxic forms, suppressed the negative effects of Al on detritus decomposition. •Hypothesis: In acid waters, Al induce a P limitation by reducing its bioavailability.•We tested interactive effects of Al and P on fungal leaf processing in acid water.•Al reduced fungal growth and alder leaf litter decomposition at low [P].•Phosphatase activity: increased by Al at low [P], reduced at high [P] whatever [Al].•The Al-induced P limitation could be alleviated by a high P supply. This microcosm-based experiment showed that, in acidified streams, Al could induce a P limitation for microbial decomposers that could be alleviated only by a high P supply.