Salinity-tolerant nitrogen-fixing Enterobacteriaceae in the lune estuary

Nitrogen-fixing strains of the Enterobacteriaceae are the most numerous nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the waters and sediments of the Lune estuary. However, their contribution to the nitrogen status of the sediments has been questioned as they have been shown to be intolerant of sea-water salinities. Results presented here show that salinity-tolerant strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae are common and are capable of fixing nitrogen (acetylene reduction) in the sediments.