Journal article
Fungal diversity and key functional gene abundance in Iowa bioretention cells: implications for stormwater remediation potential
Environmental science--processes & impacts, Vol.26(10), pp.1796-1810
08/20/2024
DOI: 10.1039/d4em00275j
PMID: 39192758
Appears in UI Libraries Support Open Access
Abstract
Stormwater bioretention cells are green stormwater infrastructure systems that can help mitigate flooding and remove contaminants. Plants and bacteria improve nutrient removal and degrade organic contaminants; however, the roles of fungi in bioretention cells are less known. Although mycorrhizal fungi aid in plant growth/improve nutrient uptake, there is a notable lack of research investigating fungal diversity in bioretention cells. Other types of fungi could benefit bioretention cells (e.g., white rot fungi degrade recalcitrant contaminants). This study addresses the knowledge gap of fungal function and diversity within stormwater bioretention cells. We collected multiple soil samples from 27 different bioretention cells in temperate-climate eastern Iowa USA, characterized soil physicochemical parameters, sequenced the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) amplicon to identify fungal taxa from extracted DNA, and measured functional gene abundances for two fungal laccases (Cu1, Cu1A) and a fungal nitrite reductase gene (nirKf). Fungal biodegradation functional genes were present in bioretention soils (mean copies per g: 7.4 × 105nirKf, 3.2 × 106Cu1, 4.0 × 108Cu1A), with abundance of fungal laccase and fungal nitrite reductase genes significantly positively correlated with soil pH and organic matter (Pearson's R: >0.39; rho < 0.05). PERMANOVA analysis determined soil characteristics were not significant explanatory variables for community composition (beta diversity). In contrast, planting specifications significantly impacted fungal diversity; the presence/absence of a few planting types and predominant vegetation type in the cell explained 89% of variation in fungal diversity. These findings further emphasize the importance of plants and media as key design parameters for bioretention cells, with implications for fungal bioremediation of captured stormwater contaminants.Stormwater bioretention cells are green stormwater infrastructure systems that can help mitigate flooding and remove contaminants. Plants and bacteria improve nutrient removal and degrade organic contaminants; however, the roles of fungi in bioretention cells are less known. Although mycorrhizal fungi aid in plant growth/improve nutrient uptake, there is a notable lack of research investigating fungal diversity in bioretention cells. Other types of fungi could benefit bioretention cells (e.g., white rot fungi degrade recalcitrant contaminants). This study addresses the knowledge gap of fungal function and diversity within stormwater bioretention cells. We collected multiple soil samples from 27 different bioretention cells in temperate-climate eastern Iowa USA, characterized soil physicochemical parameters, sequenced the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) amplicon to identify fungal taxa from extracted DNA, and measured functional gene abundances for two fungal laccases (Cu1, Cu1A) and a fungal nitrite reductase gene (nirKf). Fungal biodegradation functional genes were present in bioretention soils (mean copies per g: 7.4 × 105nirKf, 3.2 × 106Cu1, 4.0 × 108Cu1A), with abundance of fungal laccase and fungal nitrite reductase genes significantly positively correlated with soil pH and organic matter (Pearson's R: >0.39; rho < 0.05). PERMANOVA analysis determined soil characteristics were not significant explanatory variables for community composition (beta diversity). In contrast, planting specifications significantly impacted fungal diversity; the presence/absence of a few planting types and predominant vegetation type in the cell explained 89% of variation in fungal diversity. These findings further emphasize the importance of plants and media as key design parameters for bioretention cells, with implications for fungal bioremediation of captured stormwater contaminants.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Fungal diversity and key functional gene abundance in Iowa bioretention cells: implications for stormwater remediation potential
- Creators
- Erica A WienerJessica M EwaldGregory H LeFevre
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Environmental science--processes & impacts, Vol.26(10), pp.1796-1810
- DOI
- 10.1039/d4em00275j
- PMID
- 39192758
- NLM abbreviation
- Environ Sci Process Impacts
- ISSN
- 2050-7895
- eISSN
- 2050-7895
- Publisher
- Royal Society of Chemistry
- Grant note
- National Science Foundation (NSF): 1546595 NSF Division of Graduate Education: 1633098 NSF CBET CAREER: 1844720
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship under Grant No. 1546595. Additional support for this work was provided by the NSF Division of Graduate Education under Grant No. 1633098 and by the NSF CBET CAREER under Grant No. 1844720. Any opinion, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. Additional financial support was provided by the University of Iowa Graduate College Post-Comprehensive Research Fellowship. We thank Jim Greene, Amy Foster, Kasey Hutchinson, Cara Matteson, and Mike Wolfe for assisting with locating and acquiring permission to sample at bioretention cells as well as their enthusiastic engagement with our work. We thank Grant Hemphill and Rachel Smoak for assistance with bioretention cell soil sampling. We also thank Qin Dong and Dr Tim Mattes for their guidance in laboratory and data analysis procedures. Our gratitude goes out to Dr Sten Anslan (University of Tartu) for responding to inquiries about DEICODE implementation in PipeCraft. We express our appreciation for the University of Iowa Institute of Human Genetics Genomics Division for qPCR sample processing.
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 08/20/2024
- Academic Unit
- Civil and Environmental Engineering; IIHR--Hydroscience and Engineering
- Record Identifier
- 9984699060202771
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