Trunk River Sulfide Oxidizing Bacteria

A study of the sulfide oxidizing bacteria and the water/sediment chemistry at two sites in the Trunk River. The Trunk River was selected to study sulfide oxidizing bacteria due to the strong sulfide smell that was observed at the site. The Cline assay was used to determine the sulfide concentration and a sulfate assay to determine sulfate concentration in the pore water and enrichment cultures. The profile of the cores showed that the concentration of sulfide increased with depth and sulfate decreased with depth. The salinity and pH of the two sites varied between each other and with the tides. Overall the Mouth site had a lower pH and higher salinity while the Deep had a higher pH and lower salinity. The differences between the two sites suggests that the organisms that live near the Mouth must be more adapted to high salinity and a lower pH while in the Deep the organisms are adapted to a high pH and lower salinity. However, because the two sites are not drastically different it is possible for some organisms to live in both communities which is supported by the clone library and TRFLP results. The colorless sulfu