Influence of hydraulic conductivity on communities of microorganisms and invertebrates in porous media : a case study in drinking water slow sand filters

The impact of reduced hydraulic conductivity on the abundance and diversity of microorganisms and invertebrates was examined in an artificial ecosystem consisting of a slow sand-filter. Sand-filters processed pre-treated lake water under high flow rates and acted as small ecosystems inhabited by a c...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Aquatic sciences 2006-01, Vol.68 (1), p.100-108
Main Authors: MAUCLAIRE, Laurie, SCHÜRMANN, Andreas, MERMILLOD-BLONDIN, Florian
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Biological and medical sciences
Bioturbation
domain_sde.mcg.eco
domain_sde.mcg.mil
Drinking water
Environmental Sciences
Filters
Flow rates
Freshwater
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
General aspects
Global Changes
High flow
Invertebrata
Invertebrates
Microorganisms
Porous media
Sand
Sand filters
Synecology
Trophic levels
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Summary:The impact of reduced hydraulic conductivity on the abundance and diversity of microorganisms and invertebrates was examined in an artificial ecosystem consisting of a slow sand-filter. Sand-filters processed pre-treated lake water under high flow rates and acted as small ecosystems inhabited by a complex community. The first trophic level consisting of microorganisms serves as a food source for a dense community of protists, micro- and macro-invertebrates. The reduction of hydraulic conductivity due to the development of larger bacterial and fungal biomass induced a shift of the microbial community towards anaerobiosis that may increase clogging by carbonate precipitation. The presence of more bacterial prey seems to favour the development of higher trophic levels. Predation and bioturbation by eukaryotes were not able to counteract the reduction of hydraulic conductivity due to prokaryotic clogging.
ISSN:1015-1621
1420-9055
DOI:10.1007/s00027-005-0811-4