From an operational standpoint, the presence/absence of higher life form organisms such as water bears does not warrant any operational changes. Some species of water bear are even known to be cannibalistic and prey on other water bears.įrom a practical standpoint, in wastewater processes, the presence of water bears typically indicates a higher sludge retention time and low ammonia concentrations (good nitrification), as ammonia is a recognized stressor. In wastewater, water bears may prey on bacteria, plant matter, algae, or may be carnivorous, preying on nematodes and rotifers. When conditions again become conductive to normal life functions, they simply reanimate and resume their life functions within a matter of hours.Īs a metazoan, water bears are higher up on the food chain in activated sludge processes, while bacteria are responsible for the majority of biological wastewater treatment. Water bears have a unique ability through a process called cryptobiosis to enter a “tun” state in which they can suspend their metabolism for up to 10 years or longer when exposed to stressful conditions. The skin of a water bear is transparent, and it is often possible to view the contents of what it has recently eaten.Ī scanning electron microscope image of a water bear.Ī normal lifespan of a water bear (uninterrupted by stressful conditions) is anywhere from 3 months to a little over 2 years. The mouth of a water bear has hard little stylets, which it uses to pierce its prey and suck the contents out. Water bears vary in size and are one of the larger critters we see under the microscope in activated sludge processes (typically at 200x magnification, the size of the water bear will be larger or fairly close to the size of the entire field of view). Water bears have eight legs with claws and a gait (head) that resembles a bear. Because of the resiliency of these organisms, it only seems appropriate they could also survive in activated sludge wastewater processes. They can also survive radiation, boiling liquids and even massive amounts of pressure of up to six times the pressure of the deepest part of the ocean. According to Smithsonian magazine, tardigrades can withstand environments as cold as minus 328 degrees F (minus 200 degrees C) or highs of more than 300 degrees F (148.9 degrees C). Water bears have been known to adapt to extreme temperatures and a wide range of environmental conditions including mountains, volcanoes, the Antarctic, and even have survived exposure in outer space. Tardigrades are famous for their extreme adaptability and may perhaps be nature’s most durable creature. The name tardigrade originated from a Spanish translation of “slow stepper.” There are approximately 1,300 known species of water bear within the phylum Tardigrada, which is believed to have originated over 500 million years ago. You may know tardigrades by another name, whether it’s water bear or even moss piglets (thanks to an episode of the South Park TV show).
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