#Question id: 12084

In bottom sediments of lakes and streams, organic matter is broken down by heterotrophic microorganisms and ammonia is released. Under aerobic conditions, specialized bacteria convert ammonia to nitrate (nitrification). This nitrate, together with nitrate from other sources, diffuses into the deeper sediments, where it may undergo anaerobic conversion to nitrogen gas (denitrification). These sediments typically contain oligochaete worms that live with their heads buried and their tails waving back and forth in the overlying water. Plastic columns were packed with freshly collected  stream  sediments  and  then  covered  with  layers  of  nitrate enriched  water.  A  similar  set  of  columns  was packed with sediment that had been sterilized and then covered with either nitrate-enriched water or distilled water. Oligochaete  worms  were  collected  and  acclimated  to  20°(C)Following  acclimation,  worms  were  rinsed  in  distilled water and then added to three sediment columns. The columns were incubated in the dark at 20°C and monitored every three days for changes in the concentration of nitrate in the overlying water. Nitrate concentrations in each of the experimental treatments were plotted against time, as shown in the graph below.

The best explanation for the increase in nitrate concentration in one treatment is that