Subj : Microbial predators cause seasonal fluct To : All From : ScienceDaily Date : Mon Jul 10 2023 22:30:22 Microbial predators cause seasonal fluctuations in wastewater treatment Date: July 10, 2023 Source: University of Cologne Summary: Seasonal temperature fluctuations only have an indirect influence on the bacterial community in wastewater. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIN Email ========================================================================== FULL STORY ========================================================================== The community of microbial predators influences the composition of the bacterial community in wastewater. This explains seasonal variations in the microbial community that affect the efficiency of water treatment. This is the result of a study conducted by Nils Heck and PD Dr Kenneth Dumack from the University of Cologne's Institute of Zoology. The study has been published under the title 'Microeukaryotic predators shape the wastewater microbiome' in the journal Water Research. In wastewater treatment plants, a precisely coordinated interaction of different microorganisms takes place in order to effectively treat wastewater. However, a large part of the microorganisms involved in water treatment is still unknown. In addition to the beneficial bacteria that are responsible for purifying wastewater, many of their predators can also be found in the bioreactors. However, little is known so far about whether and to what extent these predators influence wastewater treatment. Since the introduction of wastewater treatment plants, it has been known that the seasons influence the bacterial community in wastewater, and thus also the efficiency of water treatment. But why is this so? After all, bacteria do not possess an inbuilt sense of time. This question is by no means trivial, as seasonal changes are the result of a variety of factors. The best-known factors are certainly temperature and light conditions. However, the chemical composition of the wastewater, precipitation amounts and many other factors also vary with the changes throughout the year. So which of these factors causes the bacterial community to change over the seasons? PD Dr Kenneth Dumack, the leader of the study, explained, "We found that seasonal variation in ambient temperature cannot explain the variation in the bacterial community. This surprised us, so we looked for another factor that could explain the variation in the bacterial community." Nils Heck, first author of the study, added, "We found that the community of microbial predators, such as amoebae, ciliates and also rotifers, can explain the composition of the bacterial community to a certain extent. These predators are in turn dependent on the ambient temperature. Thus, the temperature factor represents an indirect influence on the bacteria through the community of predators." The new findings contribute to a better understanding of the so-called 'black box' of wastewater treatment in order to avoid, among other things, health risks that can arise from inadequately treated wastewater. * RELATED_TOPICS o Plants_&_Animals # Bacteria # Microbes_and_More # Microbiology # Biology o Earth_&_Climate # Hazardous_Waste # Recycling_and_Waste # Pollution # Environmental_Science * RELATED_TERMS o Temperature o Instrumental_temperature_record o El_Nin~o-Southern_Oscillation o Temperature_record o Planetary_boundary_layer o Attribution_of_recent_climate_change o Seasonal_affective_disorder o Streptococcus ========================================================================== Print Email Share ========================================================================== ****** 1 ****** ***** 2 ***** **** 3 **** *** 4 *** ** 5 ** Breaking this hour ========================================================================== * 36-Million-Year_Geological_Cycle_Drives_... * Six_Foods_to_Boost_Cardiovascular_Health * Cystic_Fibrosis:_Lasting_Improvement * Artificial_Cells_Demonstrate_That_'Life_... * Advice_to_Limit_High-Fat_Dairy_Foods_Challenged * First_Snapshots_of_Fermion_Pairs * Why_No_Kangaroos_in_Bali;_No_Tigers_in_Australia * New_Route_for_Treating_Cancer:_Chromosomes * Giant_Stone_Artefacts_Found:_Prehistoric_Tools * Astonishing_Secrets_of_Tunicate_Origins Trending Topics this week ========================================================================== PLANTS_&_ANIMALS Endangered_Plants Botany Food EARTH_&_CLIMATE Environmental_Policy Sustainability Hazardous_Waste FOSSILS_&_RUINS Fossils Early_Mammals Early_Climate ========================================================================== Strange & Offbeat ========================================================================== PLANTS_&_ANIMALS Bees_Make_Decisions_Better_and_Faster_Than_We_Do,_for_the_Things_That_Matter_to Them These_Lollipops_Could_'Sweeten'_Diagnostic_Testing_for_Kids_and_Adults_Alike Why_There_Are_No_Kangaroos_in_Bali_(and_No_Tigers_in_Australia) EARTH_&_CLIMATE Turning_Old_Maps_Into_3D_Digital_Models_of_Lost_Neighborhoods Squash_Bugs_Are_Attracted_to_and_Eat_Each_Other's_Poop_to_Stock_Their Microbiome How_Urea_May_Have_Been_the_Gateway_to_Life FOSSILS_&_RUINS Giant_Stone_Artefacts_Found_on_Rare_Ice_Age_Site_in_Kent,_UK Fossils_Reveal_How_Ancient_Birds_Molted_Their_Feathers_--_Which_Could_Help Explain_Why_Ancestors_of_Modern_Birds_Survived_When_All_the_Other_Dinosaurs Died Apex_Predator_of_the_Cambrian_Likely_Sought_Soft_Over_Crunchy_Prey Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Cologne. Note: Content may be edited for style and length. ========================================================================== Journal Reference: 1. Nils Heck, Jule Freudenthal, Kenneth Dumack. Microeukaryotic predators shape the wastewater microbiome. Water Research, 2023; 242: 120293 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120293 ========================================================================== Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/07/230710113335.htm --- up 1 year, 19 weeks, 10 hours, 50 minutes * Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1337:3/111) .