There are many ecological diversity measures, but their suitability for use with highly diverse bacterial communities is unclear and seldom considered. We assessed a range of species richness and evenness/dominance indices, and the use of species abundance models using samples of bacteria from zinc-contaminated and control soils. Bacteria were assigned to operational taxonomic units (OTUs) using amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis of 236 clones from each soil. The reduced diversity apparent in the contaminated soil was reflected by the diversity indices to varying degrees. The number of clones analysed and the weighting given to rare vs. abundant OTUs are the most important considerations when selecting measures. Our preferences, arrived at using theory and practical experience, include: the log series index alpha; the Q statistic (but only if coverage is 50% or more); the Berger-Parker and Simpson's indices, although their ecological relevance may be limited; and, unexpectedly, the Shannon-Wiener and Shannon evenness indices, even though their meanings may not be clear and their values inaccurate when coverage is low. For extrapolation, the equation for the log series distribution seems the best for extrapolating from OTU accumulation curves while non-parametric methods, such as Chao 1, show promise for estimating total OTU richness. Due to a preponderance of single-occurrence OTUs, none of the five species abundance models fit the OTU abundance distribution of the control soil, but both the log and log normal models fit the less diverse contaminated soil. Species abundance models are useful, irrespective of coverage, because they address the whole distribution of a sample, aiding comparison by revealing overall trends as well as specific changes in particular abundance classes.

Around half a million tonnes of biosolids (sewage sludge dry solids) are applied to agricultural land in the United Kingdom each year, and this may increase to 732 000 t by 2005/6. The heavy metals contained in biosolids may permanently degrade the microbial decomposer communities of agricultural soils. We used amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis of the extractable bacterial fraction to compare the diversity of a zinc-contaminated soil (400 mg kg(-1) Zn; pH 5.7 and 1.36% C(org)) with that of a control soil (57 mg kg(-1) Zn; pH 6.2 and 1.40% C(org)) from a long-term sewage sludge experiment established in 1982 at ADAS Gleadthorpe. Comparison of the restriction fragment length polymorphisms of 236 clones from each soil suggested that the stress caused by zinc toxicity had lowered bacterial diversity. There were 120 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in the control soil, but only 90 in the treated soil, a decrease of 25%. While the control soil had 82 single-occurrence OTUs the contaminated soil had only 52. The fall in diversity was accompanied by a decrease in evenness. The most abundant OTUs in the contaminated soil (which tended to be common to both soils) accounted for a higher proportion of clones than in the control. The most dominant OTU, in both soils, belonged to the Rubrobacter radiotolerans group of the high G+C Gram-positive bacteria. The data was also used to develop efficient sampling strategies.

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Abstract. The interest in bioaerosols has traditionally been linked to health hazards for humans, animals and plants. However, several components of bioaerosols exhibit physical properties of great significance for cloud processes, such as ice nucleation and cloud condensation. To gain a better understanding of their influence on climate, it is therefore important to determine the composition, concentration, seasonal fluctuation, regional diversity and evolution of bioaerosols. In this paper, we will review briefly the existing techniques for detection, quantification, physical and chemical analysis of biological particles, attempting to bridge physical, chemical and biological methods for analysis of biological particles and integrate them with aerosol sampling techniques. We will also explore some emerging spectroscopy techniques for bulk and single-particle analysis that have potential for in-situ physical and chemical analysis. Lastly, we will outline open questions and further desired capabilities (e.g., in-situ, sensitive, both broad and selective, on-line, time-resolved, rapid, versatile, cost-effective techniques) required prior to comprehensive understanding of chemical and physical characterization of bioaerosols.