Abstract

VALENCIA-G., Sandra M.  and  LIZARAZO-M., Pilar X.. CHARACTERIZACION OF THE MICROBIAL COMPOSITION OF FOUR STREAMS GORGONA NATURAL NATIONAL PARK. Actu Biol [online]. 2009, vol.31, n.91, pp.213-226. ISSN 0304-3584.

In the tropics and particularly in Colombia, studies about microbial composition in islands and their possible use as bioindicators are scarce. This work contributes to fill in the current information gaps by establishing the composition of the microorganisms in three stream microhabitats in Gorgona Island. This study determined the abundance of fungi, heterotrophic bacteria and coliforms in leaf litter, biofilms on submerged stones, and in water samples. This samples were collected in both pools and riffles, located at 10 and 50 msnm, in four streams in Gorgona Island: La Camaronera y Cocal Norte located at undisturbed areas, and Iguapoga and Ilú located at disturbed areas. Disturbance was related to past deforestation and proximity to the current zone of high building and use density. Physico-chemical factors of the water were measured. Microbial abundance showed differences relative to the two island's drainages being higher in streams that suffered past disturbances. The analysis of microbial counts and the physico-chemical variables of the water of the streams using Non Metric Multidimensional Scaling separated the streams according to disturbance. The analysis showed that the number of fungi in leaf litter and water, coliforms in the biofilm and in water are the main variables explaining the ordination. The environmental parameters better explaining the ordination were: water conductivity, pH, and temperature. Multiple Response Permutation Procedure showed that streams in undisturbed areas differed significantly in their composition of the streams in disturbed areas. All habitats presented high accounts of heterotrophic bacteria and fungi. The leaf litter presented a higher abundance of heterotrophic bacteria and fungi, followed by the biofilm on stones and water samples. The leaf litter contributed heterotrophic bacteria and fungi to both riffles and pools. This work suggests that the microbial groups studied in this work can be used as bioindicators of disturbance in the Gorgona Island.

Keywords : biofilm; coliforms; fungi; heterotrophic bacteria; leaf litter; microorganisms; stream.

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