Co-tolerance to zinc and copper of the soil nitrifying community and its relationship with the community structure

Soil microbial communities can develop trace metal tolerance upon soil contamination with corresponding metals. A few studies have reported co-tolerance in such cases, i.e. tolerance to other metals than those to which the microbial community had been exposed to. This study was set-up to test for co-tolerance of nitrifying communities to zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) and to relate tolerances to shifts in community structure using amoA AOB (ammonia oxidizing bacteria) DGGE. Seven sets of soils, each representing a Cu or Zn contamination gradient were sampled from four locations. At two locations, both Cu and Zn had been added as single contaminants. Increased Zn and Cu tolerance of the nitrifying communities was consistently observed in response to corresponding soil contamination. Co-tolerance to Zn was obtained in two of the three Cu gradients and that to Cu in one of the four Zn gradients. DGGE analysis and sequencing showed that contamination with either Zn or Cu selected for identical AOB phylotypes in soils at one location but not at the other location. The nitrifying community structures in soils from different locations did not become more similar upon Zn exposure than those in corresponding uncontaminated soils. Hence, trace metal tolerance development was not due to the emergence of specific AOB phylotypes, but due to the emergence of different AOB phylotypes bearing tolerance mechanisms for Zn, Cu or both metals.