The microbial community structure in petroleum-contaminated sediments corresponds to geophysical signatures.

ABSTRACT: The interdependence between geoelectrical signatures at underground petroleum plumes and the structures of subsurface microbial communities was investigated. For sediments contaminated with light non-aqueous-phase liquids, anomalous high conductivity values have been observed. Vertical changes in the geoelectrical properties of the sediments were concomitant with significant changes in the microbial community structures as determined by the construction and evaluation of 16S rRNA gene libraries. DNA sequencing of clones from four 16S rRNA gene libraries from different depths of a contaminated field site and two libraries from an uncontaminated background site revealed spatial heterogeneity in the microbial community structures. Correspondence analysis showed that the presence of distinct m

SUBMITTER: Allen JP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1892848 | biostudies-literature | 2007 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature