Gaseous hydrocarbons associated with black layer induced by the interaction of cyanobacteria and Desulfovibrio desulfuricans

Black layer is a condition of high-sand-content golf greens that results in a subsurface blackened layer in the sand produced by sulfate-reducing bact eria. Black layer can be the product of an interaction of cyanobacteria and sulfate-reducing bacteria and may or may not be toxic to the grass growing on the sand. The organic byproducts of the cyanobacteria coat and plug the sand thereby creating an anoxic environment for development of the sulfate -reducing bacteria. The present study was initiated to determine the range of gaseous hydrocarbons evolved from black layered sand produced by the int eraction of two genera of cyanobacteria, Nostoc and Oscillatoria, and Desul fovibrio desulfuricans. The gaseous hydrocarbons measured included methane, ethane, ethylene, and propylene. In nonblackened sand, Nostoc evolved the highest levels of these gases, Oscillator ia evolved relatively low levels except for propylene, and D. desulfuricans evolved the smallest quantities of the gases. When the cyanobacteria and D. desulfuricans were combined to develop black layered sand some changes occurred in the evolution of the ga ses. Evolution of the gases from Nostoc + D. desulfuricans decreased or rem ained the same relative to Nostoc alone, and increased relative to D, desul furicans alone. Except for propylene evolution, gases from Oscillatoria + D . desulfuricans increased relative to Oscillatoria or D. desulfurican alone . Propylene evolution from Oscillatoria + D. desulfuricans remained unchang ed relative to Oscillatoria alone, bur increased relative to D. desulfurica ns alone. The gases measured are discussed relative to the organisms observ ed and the conditions of the study.