Motivated by the previous studies that indicated well-constrained carbon:nitrogen:phosphorus (C:N:P) ratios in planktonic biomass, and their importance to improve our understanding on the biological processes and nutrient cycling in marine ecosystems, ecologists have endeavored to search for similar patterns and relationship in terrestrial ecosystems. Recent analyses indicated that "Redfield-like" ratios existed in plants; such data might provide insight into the nature of nutrient limitation in terrestrial ecosystems. We attempted to determine if analogous C:N:P stoichiometrical ratios exist in the soil and plant in the reed-dominated coastal wetlands of the Yellow River Delta (YRD). Under the influences of anthropogenic cultivation in the YRD, the reeddominated wetlands could be classified into three categories, new-born wetland (NW), farmland converted into wetland (FW) and cotton wetland (CW). In these three wetland categories, our results showed that atomic C:N:P ratios (R CNP ) in both the soil (42.6:1.6:1, 71.2:2.0:1 and 63.2:1.9:1, respectively) and the plant (1753:22.4:1, 1539:23.0:1 and 1196:23.8:1, respectively) were not well-constrained. Though C:N ratios (R CN ) and C:P ratios (R CP ) were of relatively large variation among different wetland soils and plants, average atomic N:P ratios (R CN ) in both the soil (~1.9:1) and the plant (~23:1) were well-constrained in the reed-dominated wetlands at the YRD scale, suggesting that the N limitation and P limitation were found in the soils and the plants, respectively. The results potentially provide a useful reference for ongoing wetland conservation and restoration in the YRD.

The characteristic of particle size distribution (PSD) in the newly formed wetlands in coast has seldom been studied. We applied fractal-scaling theory in assessing soil particle size distribution (PSD) features of newly formed wetlands in the Yellow River Delta (YRD), China. The singular fractal dimensions (D) values ranged from 1.82 to 1.90, the capacity dimension (D0) values ranged from 0.84 to 0.93, and the entropy dimension (D1) values ranged from 0.66 to 0.84. Constrained corresponding analysis revealed that 43.5% of the variance in soil PSD can be explained by environmental factors, including 14.7% by seasonal variation, 8.6% by soil depth, and 8.0% by vegetation type. The fractal dimensions D and D1 were sensitive with fine particles with size ranging less than 126 μm, and D0 was sensitive with coarse particles with size ranging between 126 μm to 2000 μm. Fractal analysis makes full use of soil PSD information, and offers a useful approach to quantify and assess the soil physical attributes in the newly formed wetland.

Bioaugmentation often involves an invasion process requiring the establishment and activity of a foreign microbe in the resident community of the target environment. Interactions with resident micro-organisms, either antagonistic or cooperative, are believed to impact invasion. However, few studies have examined the variability of interactions between an invader and resident species of its target environment, and none of them considered a bioremediation context. Aminobacter sp. MSH1 mineralizing the groundwater micropollutant 2,6-dichlorobenzamide (BAM), is proposed for bioaugmentation of sand filters used in drinking water production to avert BAM contamination. We examined the nature of the interactions between MSH1 and 13 sand filter resident bacteria in dual and triple species assemblies in sand microcosms. The residents affected MSH1-mediated BAM mineralization without always impacting MSH1 cell densities, indicating effects on cell physiology rather than on cell number. Exploitative competition explained most of the effects (70%), but indications of interference competition were also found. Two residents improved BAM mineralization in dual species assemblies, apparently in a mutual cooperation, and overruled negative effects by others in triple species systems. The results suggest that sand filter communities contain species that increase MSH1 fitness. This opens doors for assisting bioaugmentation through co-inoculation with “helper” bacteria originating from and adapted to the target environment.

The ecological problems caused by dry and wet deposition of atmospheric nitrogen have been widespread concern in the world. In this study, wet and dry atmospheric depositions were monitored in plant growing season in the coastal zone of the Yellow River Delta (YRD) using automatic sampling equipment. The results showed that SO4 2− and Na+ were the predominant anion and cation, respectively, in both wet and dry atmospheric depositions. The total atmospheric nitrogen deposition was ~2264.24 mg m−2, in which dry atmospheric nitrogen deposition was about 32.02%. The highest values of dry and wet atmospheric nitrogen deposition appeared in May and August, respectively. In the studied area, NO3 −–N was the main nitrogen form in dry deposition, while the predominant nitrogen in wet atmospheric deposition was NH4 +–N with ~56.51% of total wet atmospheric nitrogen deposition. The average monthly attribution rate of atmospheric deposition of NO3 −–N and NH4 +–N was ~31.38% and ~20.50% for the contents of NO3 −–N and NH4 +–N in 0–10 cm soil layer, respectively, suggested that the atmospheric nitrogen was one of main sources for soil nitrogen in coastal zone of the YRD.

Modified Hedley fraction method was used to study the forms and profile distribution in the tidal river network region subjected to rapid deposition and hydrologic disturbance in the Yellow River Delta (YRD) estuary, eastern China. The results showed that the total P (Pt) ranged from 612.1 to 657.8 mg kg−1. Dilute HCl extractable inorganic P (Pi) was the predominant form in all profiles, both as absolute values and as a percentage of total extracted Pi. The NaOH extractable organic P (Po) was the predominant form of total extracted Po, while Bicarb-Pi and C.HCl-Po were the lowest fractions of total extracted Pi and Po in all the P forms. The Resin-P concentrations were high in the top soil layer and decreased with depth. The Pearson correlation matrix indicated that Resin-P, Bicarb-Pi, NaOH-Pi, and C.HCl-Pi were strongly positively correlated with salinity, TOC, Ca, Al, and Fe but negatively correlated with pH. The significant correlation of any studied form of organic P (Bicarb-Po, NaOH-Po, and C.HCl-Po) with geochemical properties were not observed in the study. Duncan multiple-range test indicated that the P forms and distribution heterogeneity in the profiles could be attributed to the influences of vegetation cover and hydrologic disturbance.