POSTER: Characterizing Metabolic Behavior of Aquatic Microbial Communities Impacted by Septic Pollution
Research Mentor: Dr. Nora Demers
Additional Authors:
Abstract:
The overutilization of septic tanks poses a threat to the aquatic ecosystem by introducing nutrients and potentially harmful pollutants, altering the behavior and composition of the microbiome. To investigate the characterization and impact of these chemicals on microbiota in these systems, this study utilized Biolog EcoPlates (Biolog, Inc., Hayward, CA, USA) to observe patterns in carbon utilization among these microbial communities to assess larger patterning in relation to proximity to septic tanks. Four sites in the San Carlos Park community were chosen due to the high volume of septic tank utilizing properties. Two are canals running alongside septic properties, while the other two were lakes with one encircles with septic properties and the other two surrounded by houses running on city sewer. An additional site outside the San Carlos Park community at FGCU Outfall was taken for comparison. Sample sets display differences in substrate utilization between locations and substrate types but there was no significant difference between samples depending on seasonal weather patterns. Samples taken at FGCU Outfall outside of the septic community displayed significantly lower rates of substrate utilization across all groups and had very little overlap with other clusters in PCA analyses. The lack of seasonal patterning within the microbial community and high substrate utilization are behaviors consistent with prior investigations on the potential impact of septic pollution. These results indicate that observing patterns in microbial communities using EcoPlates may detect long term symptoms of septic pollution within communities based on those characterizations.