Response of biofilms-leaves of two submerged macrophytes to high ammonium

Abstract Submerged macrophytes can provide attached surface for biofilms (known as periphyton) growth. In the present study, the alterations in biofilms formation, and chemical compositions and physiological responses were investigated on leaves of Vallisneria asiatica and Hydrilla verticillata exposed to 0.1 mg L −1 (control) or with 10 mg L −1 NH 4 + -N for 13 days. Results from physiological and biochemical indices (content of H 2 O 2 , malondialdehyde, total chlorophyll and activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase and peroxidase) showed that high ammonium caused oxidative damage to leaves of two species of plant. Multifractal analysis (based on scanning electron microscope images) showed that for the same plant, the values of width △α (△α = α max -α min ) of the f (α) and Δ f (Δ f  =  f (α min )− f (α max )) were smaller on leaves surface of two species of plant treated with 10 mg L −1 NH 4 + -N for 13 days than their controls, suggesting high ammonium treatments reduced morphological heterogeneity of leaf surface and enhanced area of the colony-like biofilms. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis showed that C, O, N and P were dominant elements on leaves surface of two species of plant and ammonium application increased the percentage of C but decreased that of O. High ammonium increased C1 (C-C or C-H) percentage but decreased C2 (C-O) and C3 (O-C-O or C=O) percentage on leaves surface of two species of plant, indicating that ammonium stress changed the surface chemical states and thus might reduce the capacity of leaves to adsorb nutrients from water column. Our results provided useful information to understand ammonium induced toxicity to submerged macrophytes.