Dynamics and predictive modelling of Vibrio spp. in the Neuse River Estuary, North Carolina, USA

Abstract

Vibrio spp. are naturally occurring bacteria in marine and estuarine environments around the world. The genus includes several human and animal pathogens that can negatively impact human health, seafood and aquaculture. Vibrio spp. populations are capable of rapid adaptation in response to changing environmental conditions, making them dynamic over short-term and seasonal scales. Temperature, vertical mixing, tidal flushing, climate, precipitation and nutrient loading can change the estuarine environment and subsequently alter microbial community structure, including Vibrio spp., affecting estuarine water quality and public health. To describe these dynamics, Vibrio spp. concentrations and a range of microbial, physical and chemical measures were monitored every 2 weeks and after storm events for 19 months in the Neuse River Estuary (NRE). Results showed clear seasonal and geographic trends in Vibrio spp. abundance. Multiple regression analysis revealed a strong relationship to temperature and salinity, with additional minor influences of chlorophyll a and dissolved organic carbon. Similar models based on easily measured environmental parameters should be pursued for individual Vibrio species in the NRE and other estuarine environments. Predictive models provide useful information for managers, researchers and modellers of estuarine ecosystems.

Reproducibility of Vibrionaceae population structure in coastal bacterioplankton

“…Whether this was due to shifts in eukaryotic plankton or other water parameters remains unknown. Indeed, chemical parameters differed considerably among Table 2), and Vibrio abundance can be strongly correlated with temperature (Heidelberg et al, 2002;Randa et al, 2004;Thompson et al, 2004;Hsieh et al, 2008). Overall, our results show that when populations are recovered at similar relative abundances in consecutive years, the habitat predictions are robust and reproducible, suggesting that similar stages of defined population cycles or lifestyles were sampled (for example, bloom versus attachment to a specific host).…”

Effects of Global Warming onVibrioEcology

“…Field studies conducted worldwide over the last 40 years have shown such a relationship (42,43,44,45). As an example, results from different studies conducted over the period from 1995 to 2004 along the central-northern Italian Adriatic coast (46,47,48,49) showed that culturable vibrios (mainly the species Vibrio alginolyticus) were abundant in this area during the warmest months, when SST ranged from about 18°C to about 25°C.…”

Influence of Environmental Factors onVibriospp. in Coastal Ecosystems

“…Although these studies have not focused on the top three human pathogens, they are important because they shed light on the ecology of naturally occurring vibrios and because of the relationships with pathogens with which they may exchange genetic material. Positive relationships have been described between temperature and total vibrios in the waters of Germany (58,59), North Carolina (31,55,60,61), the country of Georgia (62), the state of Georgia (63), Italy (64,65), South Africa (66), and Germany (47). Interestingly, negative correlations have also been described between temperature and total vibrios in the waters of India (46,67) and Louisiana (68).…”