Microorganisms colonizing aquatic macrophytes roots in South Western France : diversity, impact on mercury methylation and environmental risks assessment

Le mercure (Hg) est un polluant métallique préoccupant de par sa toxicité et son omniprésence dans les écosystèmes aquatiques. Sous sa forme méthylée, il est capable de se bioaccumuler dans les organismes et d’être bioamplifié le long de la chaîne trophique. La méthylation du Hg est un processus biotique principalement attribué aux microorganismes sulfato-réducteurs (MSR). La rhizosphère des plantes aquatiques a été récemment identifiée comme un compartiment privilégié de la méthylation du Hg dans certains écosystèmes tropicaux et boréaux. Les objectifs de cette étude étaient de déterminer l’influence des plantes aquatiques sur la biogéochimie et la bioaccumulation du Hg et le rôle que jouent les MSR dans ce processus au sein des écosystèmes aquatiques landais. L’utilisation de traceurs isotopiques stables du Hg a permis d’identifier le compartiment « plantes aquatiques » comme un lieu privilégié des transformations des espèces mercurielles (méthylation/ déméthylation du Hg) et comme la principale source de méthylmercure (MeHg) dans ces écosystèmes tempérés. La combinaison des approches moléculaires (T-RFLP, clonage, séquençage) et culturales (isolement, détection de MeHg par biosenseur) a démontré l’implication de MSR du genre Desulfovibrio dans le processus de méthylation du Hg au sein de la rhizoplane aquatique. D’après une expérience menée en microcosmes utilisant un traceur isotopique du Hg, le MeHg formé au niveau de la rhizosplane aquatique serait biodisponible pour la chaîne trophique. Cette dernière observation est à relier à des concentrations en Hg significatives, observées in situ, pour certains poissons de fin de chaîne alimentaire.Mercury (Hg) is a metallic pollutant worrying because of its toxicity and ubiquity in aquatic ecosystems. Its organic form is easily bioaccumulated in organisms and biomagnified along food webs. Hg methylation is a biotic process mainly attributed to sulfate-reducing prokaryotes (SRP). The rhizoplane of aquatic plants has recently been identified as the principal compartment involved in Hg methylation in some tropical and boreal ecosystems. The objectives of this study were to determine the influence of aquatic plants on the biogeochemistry and bioaccumulation of Hg and the role of SRP in this process in the aquatic ecosystems of the Landes (South Western France). The use of Hg stable isotopic tracers allowed to identify the "aquatic plants" compartment as the main place for Hg species transformations (methylation / demethylation of Hg) and the main source of methylmercury (MeHg) in these temperate ecosystems. The combination of molecular (T-RFLP, cloning, sequencing) and cultural (isolation, MeHg detection by biosensor) approaches demonstrated the involvement of populations related to the genus Desulfovibrio in the process of Hg methylation in the aquatic rhizoplane. According to an experiment conducted in microcosms using a Hg isotopic tracer, MeHg formed in the aquatic rhizoplane seems to be bioavailable to the food chain. This last observation is linked to significant Hg concentrations, observed in situ, for some carnivorous fishes (end of the food chain)

Bacterial periphytic communities related to mercury methylation within aquatic plant roots from a temperate freshwater lake (South-Western France)

cited By 0International audienceMacrophyte floating roots are considered as hotspots for methylmercury (MeHg) production in aquatic ecosystems through microbial activity. Nevertheless, very little is known about periphyton bacterial communities and mercury (Hg) methylators in such ecological niches. The ability to methylate inorganic Hg is broadly distributed among prokaryotes; however, sulfate-reducers have been reported to be the most important MeHg producers in macrophyte floating roots. In the present work, the periphyton bacterial communities colonizing Ludwigia sp. floating roots were investigated through molecular methods. Among the 244 clones investigated, anaerobic microorganisms associated with the sulfur biogeochemical cycle were identified. Notably, members of the sulfur-oxidizing prokaryotes and the anoxygenic, purple non-sulfur bacteria (Rhodobacteraceae, Comamonadaceae, Rhodocyclaceae, Hyphomicrobiaceae) and the sulfate reducers (Desulfobacteraceae, Syntrophobacteraceae, and Desulfobulbaceae) were detected. In addition, 15 sulfate-reducing strains related to the Desulfovibrionaceae family were isolated and their Hg-methylation capacity was tested using a biosensor. The overall results confirmed that Hg methylation is a strain-specific process since the four strains identified as new Hg-methylators were closely related to non-methylating isolates. This study highlights the potential involvement of periphytic bacteria in Hg methylation when favorable environmental conditions are present in such ecological micro-niches

Keystone seabird may face thermoregulatory challenges in a warming Arctic

Abstract Climate change affects the Arctic more than any other region, resulting in evolving weather, vanishing sea ice and altered biochemical cycling, which may increase biotic exposure to chemical pollution. We tested thermoregulatory impacts of these changes on the most abundant Arctic seabird, the little auk ( Alle alle ). This small diving species uses sea ice-habitats for foraging on zooplankton and resting. We equipped eight little auks with 3D accelerometers to monitor behavior, and ingested temperature recorders to measure body temperature (T b ). We also recorded weather conditions, and collected blood to assess mercury (Hg) contamination. There were nonlinear relationships between time engaged in different behaviors and T b . T b increased on sea ice, following declines while foraging in polar waters, but changed little when birds were resting on water. T b also increased when birds were flying, and decreased at the colony after being elevated during flight. Weather conditions, but not Hg contamination, also affected T b . However, given our small sample size, further research regarding thermoregulatory effects of Hg is warranted. Results suggest that little auk T b varies with behavior and weather conditions, and that loss of sea ice due to global warming may cause thermoregulatory and energic challenges during foraging trips at sea

Influence of Macrophyte and Gut Microbiota on Mercury Contamination in Fish: A Microcosms Study

International audienceThe freshwater lakes of southwestern France are subject to the development of invasive macrophytes which are associated with mercury (Hg) contamination of the food web. The aim of this study was to determine the bioavailability of methylmercury (MeHg) produced by plant roots in aquatic ecosystems. A microcosm experiment was performed using isotopically enriched inorganic Hg at environmental concentrations (1 μg 199IHg L-1). For all conditions, total Hg in fish as well as Hg species associated with different compartments (water, sediments, plant roots, fish) were analyzed by gas chromatography-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (GC-ICP-MS). In addition, sediment, plants, and fish gut microbiota were studied by MiSEQ sequencing. Some strains were isolated and tested for their ability to methylate Hg. The results revealed 199MeHg production in plant roots and the presence of this form in fish (tissues and gut), highlighting a MeHg trophic transfer. Moreover, methylator bacteria were identified from the gut contents of the fish when they were in the presence of plants. Some of them were related to bacteria found in the plant roots. On the basis of these results, the transfer of MeHg and bacteria from plants to fish is highlighted; in addition, Hg methylation is strongly suspected in the fish gut, potentially increasing the Hg bioaccumulation

Mercury bioaccumulation along food webs in temperate aquatic ecosystems colonized by aquatic macrophytes in south western France

International audienceMercury (Hg) is considered as an important pollutant for aquatic systems as its organic form, methylmercury (MeHg), is easily bioaccumulated and bioamplified along food webs. In various ecosystems, aquatic periphyton associated with macrophyte was identified as an important place for Hg storage and methylation by microorganisms. Our study concerns temperate aquatic ecosystems (South Western France) colonized by invasive macrophytes and characterized by high mercury methylation potentials. This work establishes original data concerning Hg bioaccumulation in organisms (plants, crustaceans, molluscs and fish) from five contrasting ecosystems. For low trophic level species, total Hg (THg) concentrations were low (from 277 2 ng THg g À 1 dw in asiatic clam Corbicula fluminea to 418 7 114 ng THg g À 1 dw in crayfish Procambarus clarkii). THg concentrations in some carnivorous fish (high trophic level) were close to or exceeded the International Marketing Level (IML) with values ranging from 10497 220 ng THg g À 1 dw in pike perch muscle (Sander lucioperca) to 3910 7 1307 ng THg g À 1 dw in eel muscle (Anguilla Anguilla). Trophic levels for the individuals were also evaluated through stable isotope analysis, and linked to Hg concentrations of organisms. A significant Hg biomagnification (r 2 ¼ 0.9) was observed in the Aureilhan lake, despite the absence of top predator fish. For this site, Ludwigia sp. periphyton, as an entry point of Hg into food webs, is a serious hypothesis which remains to be confirmed. This study provides a first investigation of Hg transfer in the ecosystems of south western France and allows the assessment of the risk associated with the presence of Hg in aquatic food webs

Incidence of invasive macrophytes on methylmercury budget in temperate lakes: Central role of bacterial periphytic communities

International audienceSeveral studies demonstrated high mercury (Hg) methylation and demethylation in the periphyton associated with floating roots in tropical ecosystems. The importance of aquatic plants on methylmercury production in three temperate ecosystems from southwestern France was evaluated through Hg species concentrations, and Hg methylation/demethylation activities by using stable isotopic tracers (199 Hg(II), Me 201 Hg). Hg accumulation and high methylation and demethylation yields were detected in plant roots and periphyton, whereas results for sediment and water were low to insignificant. The presence of sulfate reducing prokaryotes was detected in all compartments (T-RFLP based on dsrAB amplified through nested PCR) and their main role in Hg methylation could be demonstrated. In turn, sulfate reduction inhibition did not affect demethylation activities. The estimation of net MeHg budgets in these ecosystems suggested that aquatic rhizosphere is the principal location for methylmercury production and may represent an important source for the contamination of the aquatic food chain

Drivers of variability in mercury and methylmercury bioaccumulation and biomagnification in temperate freshwater lakes

International audienceThe four largest freshwater lakes in southwestern France are of both ecological and economic importance. However, some of them are subjected to mercury (Hg) contamination, resulting in the ban of human consumption of piscivorous fish. Moreover, beyond predatory fish, little information exist regarding Hg levels in other species of these ecosystems. In this context, we used a food web analytical approach to investigate Hg bioaccumulation and biomagnification in relation to the trophic structure of these four lakes. More specifically, various organisms (macrophytes, epiphyton, invertebrates and fish) were collected at the four lakes and analysed for carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes as well as for total Hg (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg). A spatial variability of bioaccumulation in organisms was observed, particularly in carnivorous fish, with higher Hg levels being found in the two more northern lakes (median±SE: 3491 ± 474 and 1113 ± 209 ng THg.g−1 dw in lakes HC and L, respectively) than in the southern pair (600 ± 117 and 911 ± 117 ng THg.g−1 dw in lakes CS and PB, respectively). Methylmercury biomagnification was observed through the food webs of all four lakes, with different trophic magnification slopes (HC = 0.16; L = 0.33; CS = 0.27; PB = 0.27), even though the length of the food chains was similar between the lakes. Our results suggest that rather than the food web structure, anthropogenic inputs (sulfate in northern lakes and phosphorus inputs in southern ones) may have a strong impact, more or less directly, on Hg methylation in freshwater environments, and lead to concentrations exceeding environmental recommendations despite low Hg backgrounds in sediment and water

La perception des risques et des comportements spécifiques des pêcheurs à la ligne concernant la contamination au mercure des poissons

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