Can Bacillus-based bioaugmentation alter the structure of the bacterioplankton community in a freshwater pond?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12775/EQ.2026.048Keywords
bacterioplankton, microbial activity, microbial diversity, biopreparations, restoration, BacillusAbstract
Freshwater ecosystems are increasingly exposed to anthropogenic pressures that may disrupt microbial processes essential for their functioning. Bioaugmentation with beneficial microorganisms is considered a potential method of supporting aquatic ecosystem functioning and protection. This study aimed to assess the effect of pond bioaugmentation with a commercial Bacillus-based biopreparation on bacterioplankton taxonomic structure and physiological condition. The study was conducted in 2024–2025 in a pond at the Botanical Garden of Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz, Poland. Bacterioplankton abundance and cell membrane integrity were assessed using cytological methods and the LIVE/DEAD® BacLight™ assay. Taxonomic composition was analyzed by sequencing the V1–V9 regions of the 16S rRNA gene using Oxford Nanopore Technology. Following biopreparation application, bacterioplankton abundance and the proportion of cells with intact cytoplasmic membranes increased transiently. Taxonomic structure remained stable throughout the study, with Betaproteobacteria, Flavobacteria, Cyanophyceae, Cytophagia, and Gammaproteobacteria as the dominant groups. Bacillus represented a small proportion of the community, with only a temporary increase after treatment. The absence of persistent community changes and the low, transient abundance of Bacillus suggest that introduced bacteria did not establish a sustained competitive advantage. Changes in bacterioplankton abundance and physiological condition may instead reflect an indirect effect on indigenous bacteria through temporary modifications in environmental conditions or substrate availability, potentially promoting bacterial growth and maintaining cell membrane integrity.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Tomasz Domowicz, Wiktoria Piotrowska, Łukasz Kubera
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