title: Community level analysis: genetic and biogeochemical approaches to investigate community composition and function in aerobic ammonia oxidation.
abstract: Aerobic ammonia oxidation is the process that converts ammonium to nitrate and thus links the regeneration of organic nitrogen to fixed nitrogen loss by denitrification. It is performed by a phylogenetically restricted group of Proteobacteria (ammonia-oxidizing bacteria, AOB) that are autotrophic and obligately aerobic. This chapter describes methods for the measurement of ammonia oxidation in the environment, with a focus on seawater systems and stable isotopic tracer methods. It also summarizes the current state of molecular ecological approaches for detection of AOB in the environment and characterization of the composition of AOB assemblages.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geosciences, Princeton University, New Jersey 08544, USA.
authors.forename: Bess B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: Gregory D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: O'Mullan
mesh_terms: D000641:Ammonia / Q000378:metabolism*; D001420:Bacteria, Aerobic / Q000235:genetics*; D020562:Betaproteobacteria / Q000235:genetics*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification; D020563:Gammaproteobacteria / Q000235:genetics*; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000382:microbiology; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012623:Seawater / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D000641:Ammonia; D009585:Nitrogen Dioxide