Do biofilm communities respond to the chemical signatures of fracking? A test involving streams in North-central Arkansas

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorJohnson, Wilson H.en
dc.contributor.authorDouglas, Marlis R.en
dc.contributor.authorLewis, Jeffrey A.en
dc.contributor.authorStuecker, Tara N.en
dc.contributor.authorCarbonero, Franck G.en
dc.contributor.authorAustin, Bradley, J.en
dc.contributor.authorEvans-White, Michelle A.en
dc.contributor.authorEntrekin, Sally A.en
dc.contributor.authorDouglas, Michael E.en
dc.contributor.departmentEntomologyen
dc.date.accessioned2019-01-25T16:04:03Zen
dc.date.available2019-01-25T16:04:03Zen
dc.date.issued2017en
dc.description.abstractBackground: Unconventional natural gas (UNG) extraction (fracking) is ongoing in 29 North American shale basins (20 states), with ~6000 wells found within the Fayetteville shale (north-central Arkansas). If the chemical signature of fracking is detectable in streams, it can be employed to bookmark potential impacts. We evaluated benthic biofilm community composition as a proxy for stream chemistry so as to segregate anthropogenic signatures in eight Arkansas River catchments. In doing so, we tested the hypothesis that fracking characteristics in study streams are statistically distinguishable from those produced by agriculture or urbanization. Results: Four tributary catchments had UNG-wells significantly more dense and near to our sampling sites and were grouped as ‘potentially-impacted catchment zones’ (PICZ). Four others were characterized by significantly larger forested area with greater slope and elevation but reduced pasture, and were classified as ‘minimally-impacted’ (MICZ). Overall, 46 bacterial phyla/141 classes were identified, with 24 phyla (52%) and 54 classes (38%) across all samples. PICZ-sites were ecologically more variable than MICZ-sites, with significantly greater nutrient levels (total nitrogen, total phosphorous), and elevated Cyanobacteria as bioindicators that tracked these conditions. PICZ-sites also exhibited elevated conductance (a correlate of increased ion concentration) and depressed salt-intolerant Spartobacteria, suggesting the presence of brine as a fracking effect. Biofilm communities at PICZ-sites were significantly less variable than those at MICZ-sites. Conclusions: Study streams differed by Group according to morphology, land use, and water chemistry but not in biofilm community structure. Those at PICZ-sites covaried according to anthropogenic impact, and were qualitatively similar to communities found at sites disturbed by fracking. The hypothesis that fracking signatures in study streams are distinguishable from those produced by other anthropogenic effects was statistically rejected. Instead, alterations in biofilm community composition, as induced by fracking, may be less specific than initially predicted, and thus more easily confounded by agriculture and urbanization effects (among others). Study streams must be carefully categorized with regard to the magnitude and extent of anthropogenic impacts. They must also be segregated with statistical confidence (as herein) before fracking impacts are monitored.en
dc.description.sponsorshipThis research was supported by endowments to the University of Arkansas (MRD: Bruker Professorship in Life Sciences; MED: 21st Century Chair in Global Change Biology), and the Arkansas Biosciences Institute (Arkansas Settlement Proceeds Act of 2000). Ecological data were collected under Arkansas State Wildlife Grants T31-03 and T33-01 (MAEW and SAE) from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service through an agreement with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.en
dc.description.versionPublished versionen
dc.format.extent12 pagesen
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.citationJohnson et al. BMC Microbiology (2017) 17:29 DOI 10.1186/s12866-017-0926-5en
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1186/s12866-017-0926-5en
dc.identifier.issue1en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/86896en
dc.identifier.volume17en
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherBMCen
dc.rightsCreative Commons Attribution 4.0 Internationalen
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/en
dc.subject16S ribosomal RNAen
dc.subjectAnthropogenic impactsen
dc.subjectBioindicatorsen
dc.subjectFayetteville shaleen
dc.subjectGroundwateren
dc.subjectMicrobiomeen
dc.titleDo biofilm communities respond to the chemical signatures of fracking? A test involving streams in North-central Arkansasen
dc.title.serialBMC Microbiologyen
dc.typeArticle - Refereeden
dc.type.dcmitypeTexten

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
s12866-017-0926-5.pdf
Size:
1.11 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download

Collections

Scholarly Works, Entomology
Destination Area: Global Systems Science (GSS)
Journal Articles, BioMed Central and SpringerOpen