Depth-specific distribution and importance of nitrite-dependent anaerobic ammonium and methane-oxidising bacteria in an urban wetland

Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) and nitrite-dependent anaerobic methane oxidation (n-damo) are two recently discovered processes in the nitrogen cycle that are catalysed by anammox bacteria and n-damo bacteria, respectively. Here, the depth-specific distribution and importance of anammox bacteria and n-damo bacteria were studied in an urban wetland, Xixi Wetland, Zhejiang Province (China). Anammox bacteria related to Candidatus Brocadia, Candidatus Kuenenia and Candidatus Anammoxoglobus, and n-damo bacteria related to “Candidatus Methylomirabilis oxyfera” were present in the collected soil samples. The abundance of anammox bacteria (2.6–8.6 × 10⁶ copies g⁻¹ dry soil) in the shallow soils (0–10 cm and 20–30 cm) was higher than that (2.5–9.8 × 10⁵ copies g⁻¹ dry soil) in the deep soils, whereas the abundance of n-damo bacteria (0.6–1.3 × 10⁷ copies g⁻¹ dry soil) in the deep soils (50–60 cm and 90–100 cm) was higher than that (3.4–4.5 × 10⁶ copies g⁻¹ dry soil) in the shallow soils. Anammox activity was detected at all depths, and higher potential rates (12.1–21.4 nmol N₂ g⁻¹ dry soil d⁻¹) were observed at depths of 0–10 cm and 20–30 cm compared with the rates (3.5–8.7 nmol N₂ g⁻¹ dry soil d⁻¹) measured at depths of 50–60 and 90–100 cm. In contrast, n-damo was mainly occurred at depths of 50–60 cm and 90–100 cm with potential rates of 0.7–5.0 nmol CO₂ g⁻¹ dry soil d⁻¹. This study suggested the niche segregation of the anammox bacteria and n-damo bacteria in wetland soils, with anammox bacteria being active primarily in deep soils and n-damo bacteria being active primarily in shallow soils.