The potential linkage between sediment oxygen demand and microbes and its contribution to the dissolved oxygen depletion in the Gan River

Abstract

The role of sediment oxygen demand (SOD) in causing dissolved oxygen (DO) depletion is widely acknowledged, with previous studies mainly focusing on chemical and biological SOD separately. However, the relationship between the putative functions of sediment microbes and SOD, and their impact on DO depletion in overlying water, remains unclear. In this study, DO depletion was observed in the downstream of the Gan River during the summer. Sediments were sampled from three downstream sites (YZ, Down1, and Down2) and one upstream site (CK) as a control. Aquatic physicochemical parameters and SOD levels were measured, and microbial functions were inferred from taxonomic genes through analyses of the 16S rRNA gene. The results showed that DO depletion sites exhibited a higher SOD rate compared to CK. The microbial community structure was influenced by the spatial variation of Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, and Bacteroidota, with total organic carbon (TOC) content acting as a significant environmental driver. A negative correlation was observed between microbial diversity and DO concentration (p < 0.05). Aerobic microbes were more abundant in DO depletion sites, particularly Proteobacteria. Microbes involved in various biogeochemical cycles, such as carbon (methane oxidation, methanotrophs, and methylotrophs), nitrogen (nitrification and denitrification), sulfur (sulfide and sulfur compound oxidation), and manganese cycles (manganese oxidation), exhibited higher abundance in DO depletion sites, except for the iron cycle (iron oxidation). These processes were negatively correlated with DO concentration and positively with SOD (p < 0.05). Overall, the results highlight that aerobic bacteria’s metabolic processes consume oxygen, increasing the SOD rate and contributing to DO depletion in the overlying water. Additionally, the study underscores the importance of targeting the removal of in situ microbial molecular mechanisms associated with toxic H2S and CH4 to support reoxygenation efforts in rehabilitating DO depletion sites in the Gan River, aiding in identifying factors controlling DO consumption and offering practical value for the river’s restoration and management.