title: Microbial and plant ecology of a long-term TNT-contaminated site.
abstract: The contamination of the environment with explosive residues presents a serious ecological problem at sites across the world, with the highly toxic compound trinitrotoluene (TNT) the most widespread contaminant. This study examines the soil microbial community composition across a long-term TNT-contaminated site. It also investigates the extent of nitroaromatic contamination and its effect on vegetation. Concentrations of TNT and its metabolites varied across the site and this was observed to dramatically impact on the extent and diversity of the vegetation, with the most heavily contaminated area completely devoid of vegetation. Bryophytes were seen to be particularly sensitive to TNT contamination. The microbial population experienced both a reduction in culturable bacterial numbers and a shift in composition at the high concentrations of TNT. DGGE and community-level physiological profiling (CLPP) revealed a clear change in both the genetic and functional diversity of the soil when soil was contaminated with TNT.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Bower Building, Glasgow, UK. e.travis@bio.gla.ac.uk
authors.forename: Emma R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Travis
authors.forename: Neil C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Bruce
authors.forename: Susan J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Rosser
mesh_terms: D017753:Ecosystem; D004782:Environmental Health; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D053834:Explosive Agents / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D010944:Plants; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D013997:Time Factors; D014303:Trinitrotoluene / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*