Effect of hillslope position and manure application rates on the persistence of fecal source tracking indicators in an agricultural soil.

The influence of liquid dairy manure (LDM) application rates (12.5 and 25 kL ha) and soil type on the decay rates of library-independent fecal source tracking markers (host-associated and mitochondrial DNA) and persistent (>58 d) population structure was examined in a field study. The soils compared were an Aquic Haplorthod and a Typic Haplorthod in Nova Scotia, Canada, that differed according to landscape position and soil moisture regime.

Reach specificity in sediment E. coli population turnover and interaction with waterborne populations.

Sediment-borne Escherichia coli can elevate waterborne concentrations through sediment resuspension or hyporheic exchange. This study sought to correlate hydrological, sediment transport, and water quality variables with: (i) the temporal stability of sediment E. coli populations [concentrations, strain richness and similarity (Raup-Crick index)]; and (ii) the contribution of sediment E.

Evaluation of statistical models for predicting Escherichia coli particle attachment in fluvial systems.

Modeling surface water Escherichia coli fate and transport requires partitioning E. coli into particle-attached and unattached fractions. Attachment is often assumed to be a constant fraction or is estimated using simple linear models.

Characterizing spatial structure of sediment E. coli populations to inform sampling design.

Escherichia coli can persist in streambed sediments and influence water quality monitoring programs through their resuspension into overlying waters. This study examined the spatial patterns in E. coli concentration and population structure within streambed morphological features during baseflow and following stormflow to inform sampling strategies for representative characterization of E.