Environmental factors influencing the distribution of ammonifying and denitrifying bacteria and water qualities in 10 lakes and reservoirs of the Northeast, China

This study presents seasonal and spatial variations of the ammonifying bacteria (AB) and denitrifying bacteria (DNB) and physicochemical parameters in 10 lakes and reservoirs in the northeast of China. Water samples were collected in winter (January), spring (March), summer (July) and fall (November) in 2011. The study revealed that physicochemical parameters such as pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), NH(4)(+)-N and nitrate as nitrogen were closely related with the distribution of AB and DNB. Seasonally, the levels of AB presents gradually upward trend from winter to summer, and declines in fall and DNB were higher in spring and fall than summer and lowest in winter. Spatially, the annual average of AB among 10 lakes and reservoirs showed insignificant difference (P > 0.05), for DNB, Udalianchi and Lianhuan Lake were lower than others (P < 0.05). Regression correlation analysis showed that the levels of AB and DNB had a close relationship with nitrogen nutrition. Three principal components were identified of total variances which are conditionally classified by the ‘natural’ factor (PC1) and ‘nitrogen nutrients’ (PC2, PC3). According the principal component scores, cluster analysis detected two distinct groups: (C1) mainly affected by nitrogen nutrients and (C2) natural environmental factors.