The microbial diversity and functioning around oceanic islands is poorly described, despite its importance for ecosystem homeostasis. Here, we aimed to verify the occurrence of microbe-driven phenanthrene co-oxidation in the seawater surrounding the Trindade Island (Brazil). We also used Next-Generation Sequencing to evaluate the effects of aliphatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on these microbial community assemblies. Microcosms containing seawater from the island enriched with either labelled (9-14C) or non-labelled phenanthrene together with hexadecane, weathered oil, fluoranthene or pyrene, and combinations of these compounds were incubated. Biodegradation of phenanthrene-9-14C was negatively affected in the presence of weathered oil and PAHs but increased in the presence of hexadecane. PAH contamination caused shifts in the seawater microbial community-from a highly diverse one dominated by Alphaproteobacteria to less diverse communities dominated by Gammaproteobacteria. Furthermore, the combination of PAHs exerted a compounded negative influence on the microbial community, reducing its diversity and thus functional capacity of the ecosystem. These results advance our understanding of bacterial community dynamics in response to contrasting qualities of hydrocarbon contamination. This understanding is fundamental in the application and monitoring of bioremediation strategies if accidents involving oil spillages occur near Trindade Island and similar ecosystems.

Centro para Pesquisa Interdisciplinar em Biotecnologia CIP Biotec Universidade Federal do Pampa São Gabriel Rio Grande do Sul Brazil

Department of Sustainable Soils and Grassland Systems Rothamsted Research Harpenden Hertfordshire UK

Laboratório de Biofísica Ambiental Departamento de Biologia Universidade Federal de Viçosa Viçosa Minas Gerais Brazil

Laboratório de Biotecnologia e Biodiversidade para o Meio Ambiente Departamento de Microbiologia Universidade Federal de Viçosa Viçosa Minas Gerais Brazil

Laboratório de Ecologia e Biologia Molecular de Microrganismos Departamento de Biologia Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora Juiz de Fora Minas Gerais Brazil

Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Institute of Sciences Prague Czech Republic

Soil Microbiology Laboratory Department of Soil Science Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture ESALQ USP Piracicaba São Paulo Brazil

See more in PubMed

Microb Ecol. 2016 Aug;72 (2):443-7 PubMed

Microbiology. 2009 Oct;155(Pt 10):3362-70 PubMed

Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 1995 Oct;43(5):952-60 PubMed

Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 1995 Apr;43(1):156-64 PubMed

Front Microbiol. 2012 Oct 11;3:357 PubMed

J Microbiol Methods. 2014 Dec;107:30-7 PubMed

Environ Sci Technol. 2012 Jul 17;46(14 ):7731-40 PubMed

Environ Microbiol. 2004 Mar;6(3):191-7 PubMed

Bioinformatics. 2010 Jan 1;26(1):139-40 PubMed

Environ Sci Technol. 2002 Jun 1;36(11):2429-35 PubMed

Environ Sci Technol. 2001 Feb 1;35(3):471-9 PubMed

ISME J. 2013 Nov;7(11):2091-104 PubMed

Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2015 Jun;33:95-102 PubMed

Genome Biol. 2010;11(10):R106 PubMed

PLoS One. 2012;7(7):e41305 PubMed

Appl Environ Microbiol. 2013 Jan;79(1):205-14 PubMed

Mar Pollut Bull. 2015 Dec 30;101(2):517-25 PubMed

Appl Environ Microbiol. 2014 Jan;80(2):618-28 PubMed

J Hazard Mater. 2009 Sep 30;169(1-3):1-15 PubMed

Microbiology. 2011 Jan;157(Pt 1):179-88 PubMed

Environ Sci Technol. 2013 Oct 1;47(19):10860-7 PubMed

Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2007 Jun;18(3):257-66 PubMed

Biodegradation. 2006 Oct;17(5):423-35 PubMed

Environ Sci Technol. 2011 Aug 15;45(16):6709-15 PubMed

Environ Microbiol. 2008 Aug;10 (8):2138-49 PubMed

Microb Ecol. 2014 Feb;67(2):237-41 PubMed

J Environ Manage. 2015 Jun 1;156:15-22 PubMed

Appl Environ Microbiol. 2011 Nov;77(22):7962-74 PubMed

Nat Commun. 2016 Jan 28;7:10541 PubMed

Microbiologyopen. 2013 Jun;2(3):492-504 PubMed

Trends Biotechnol. 2002 Jun;20(6):243-8 PubMed

Appl Environ Microbiol. 2002 Jun;68(6):2858-68 PubMed

PeerJ. 2016 Feb 18;4:e1733 PubMed

Mar Pollut Bull. 2012 Jan;64(1):138-43 PubMed

Nat Methods. 2010 May;7(5):335-6 PubMed

Mar Pollut Bull. 2015 Jan 15;90(1-2):334-8 PubMed

Environ Microbiol. 2011 May;13(5):1168-78 PubMed

Aquat Biosyst. 2012 May 16;8(1):10 PubMed

Environ Microbiol. 2007 Jan;9(1):177-86 PubMed

Appl Environ Microbiol. 2011 Nov;77(21):7856-60 PubMed

Appl Environ Microbiol. 2005 Dec;71(12):8228-35 PubMed

Front Microbiol. 2016 Jan 07;6:1511 PubMed

Int J Syst Evol Microbiol. 2003 Sep;53(Pt 5):1495-501 PubMed

J Appl Microbiol. 1999 Mar;86(3):421-8 PubMed

Front Microbiol. 2014 Feb 27;5:76 PubMed

Bioresour Technol. 2012 Aug;117:208-13 PubMed

Environ Microbiol. 2001 Feb;3(2):81-91 PubMed

Nat Rev Microbiol. 2015 Jun;13(6):388-96 PubMed

Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2007 May;75(1):175-86 PubMed

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2012 Dec 11;109(50):20292-7 PubMed

Bioinformatics. 2010 Oct 1;26(19):2460-1 PubMed

Science. 2003 Dec 19;302(5653):2082-6 PubMed

Extremophiles. 2010 Mar;14(2):225-31 PubMed

Appl Environ Microbiol. 2004 Jan;70(1):114-20 PubMed

Environ Int. 2006 Jan;32(1):28-33 PubMed

Appl Environ Microbiol. 2005 Nov;71(11):7008-18 PubMed

J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol. 2001 Aug;27(2):72-9 PubMed

Curr Opin Biotechnol. 2004 Jun;15(3):205-14 PubMed

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2011 Mar 15;108 Suppl 1:4516-22 PubMed

FEMS Microbiol Ecol. 2010 Aug;73(2):349-62 PubMed

Braz J Microbiol. 2015 Jun 01;46(2):377-87 PubMed

Nat Rev Microbiol. 2006 Mar;4(3):173-82 PubMed