Damage of heavy metals to Vallisneria natans (V. natans) and characterization of microbial community in biofilm

Heavy metals can cause a significant damage to submerged macrophytes and affect its periphyton biofilms in aquatic environments. This study investigated the effects of heavy metals such as copper (Cu), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and their mixture on physiological and biochemical responses and ultrastructure characteristics of Vallisneria natans (V. natans). Furthermore, differences in structures of microbial communities were observed in biofilms. The results showed that Cu²⁺, Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺ and their mixture could destroy cell structure and photosynthetic system, and directly caused oxidative damage to submerged macrophyte and induced antioxidant enzyme system. In general, biomass and total chlorophyll content of V. natans noticeably decreased, while the activities of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase and catalase were enhanced by heavy metal stress inducement in restricted range, and the malondialdehyde content increased with the aggravation of the damage. The single heavy metal stress played a negative impact, however, the combined stress was not always synergistic effects on plants. High-throughput sequencing analysis suggested that heavy metals changed the abundance and structure of the microbial biofilm community. Proteobacteria and Bacteroidete were the dominant bacteria under heavy metal stress and other species and abundance of bacteria such as Firmicute, Cyanobacteria, Chloroflexi, Actinobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, Acidobacteria, Deinococcus-Thermus, Chlamydiae were also present. These findings provided useful information for further understanding about submerged macrophytes and periphyton biofilms responsed to heavy metal stress in aquatic environments in the future.

Keywords: Combined pollution; Heavy metals; Microbial community; Vallisneria natans.