title: Nutrient limitation and adaptation of microbial populations to chemical transformations.
abstract: Using field-collected periphyton and bacterial isolates, we determined adaptation lag periods for microbial transformation of p-cresol. Lag periods were longer for periphyton samples collected from field sites that were low in dissolved inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus. Moreover, lag periods decreased in samples amended with N or P. Our data suggest that adaptation lag periods for microbial transformation of low concentrations of chemicals may correlate with limiting nutrient concentrations, and this correlation may provide a basis for predictive mathematical modeling of lag periods.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Athens, Georgia 30613, and Department of Microbiology and Institute of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602.
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Kollig
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Hodson