Microbial Extracellular Enzymatic Activity Unveils the Anthropic Impact on Riparian Ecosystems From Southern Romania

Abstract

The anthropization processes can cause complex, often irreversible changes in natural ecosystems. Several decades ago, on the upper course of the Arges River flowing in the Southern Romania, a series of anthropic interventions took place, which resulted in several new accumulation lakes. Above the socioeconomic benefit to the local communities along the watercourse, their construction also influenced the structure and functioning of the existing ecosystems. In the present study, we have analysed the rate of the detrital organic matter decomposition processes achieved by the heterotrophic microbial communities in several ecosystems located on the upper course of the river. The obtained results revealed that the intensity of these procceses was infleunced both by the type of anthropic area the sampled
ecosystems attain - rural or urban, and by the sampling time.