2026-10-12T18:36:32Z https://api.figshare.com/v2/oai

oai:figshare.com:article/34030165 2026-09-30T06:01:09Z category_4 category_8 category_21 category_272 category_39 category_502 category_69 category_132 portal_87 item_type_6 month_year_09_2026

Consequences of winter salinization in urban freshwater reservoirs – its role in microbial diversity decline and water quality deterioration Sebastian Szklarek (25142002) Elżbieta Mierzejewska-Sinner (22654151) Wojciech Tołoczko (25142005) Krzysztof Kukuła (496508) Magdalena Urbaniak (3165843) Biochemistry Microbiology Biotechnology Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified Ecology Astronomical and Space Sciences not elsewhere classified Inorganic Chemistry Infectious Diseases Ecosystem resilience freshwater salinization microbial diversity Road Salt urban freshwater <p>Despite increasing winter road-salt application, its effects on microbial functioning in urban freshwater sediments are not fully understood. This study analysed seasonal changes in microbial functional diversity in four urban ponds exposed to different chloride regimes. Microbial metabolic capacity was assessed using Biolog® EcoPlates™, based on average well color development (AWCD), substrate richness and Shannon diversity. All indices exhibited strong seasonal variation, with significantly lower functional diversity in winter, coinciding with peak chloride concentrations. In pond S3, characterised by prolonged salinity exposure, microbial functioning remained suppressed into spring, indicating persistent effects of chronic stress. Redundancy analysis identified chloride concentration as the main driver of functional changes, independent of organic carbon content (Corg), Corg/nitrogen (N) ratio and nutrient availability. Organic carbon enhanced microbial activity, whereas high Corg/N ratios reduced substrate utilisation. These findings demonstrate that winter salinization impairs microbial metabolic potential, with chronic chloride exposure posing the greatest risk to ecosystem functioning.</p> 2026-09-30T06:01:09Z Text Journal contribution 10.6084/m9.figshare.34030165.v1 https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Consequences_of_winter_salinization_in_urban_freshwater_reservoirs_its_role_in_microbial_diversity_decline_and_water_quality_deterioration/34030165 CC BY 4.0