TABLE 3.

Comparison of 16S rRNA-specific qPCR data with amoA-specific qPCR data, 16S rRNA-specific qPCR data with FISH data, and amoA-specific qPCR data with FISH data for the serial dilution samples^a

Model parameter	Estimate	SE	P	95% CI (maximum, minimum)
First dilution
16S rRNA-specific qPCR
Intercept	1.4	0.31	0.001**	0.83, 2.0
Coefficient of log qPCR amoA	0.68	0.040	0.000***	0.60, 0.76
16S rRNA-specific qPCR
Intercept	0.39	0.30	0.22	−0.20, 0.98
Coefficient of log FISH	0.86	0.042	0.000***	0.78, 0.94
amoA-specific qPCR
Intercept	0.45	0.43	0.32	−0.39, 1.3
Coefficient of log FISH	0.99	0.060	0.000***	0.87, 1.1
Second dilution
16S rRNA-specific qPCR
Intercept	–1.8	0.41	0.000***	−2.6, −1.0
Coefficient of log qPCR amoA	0.97	0.051	0.000***	0.87, 1.1
16S rRNA-specific qPCR
Intercept	–0.78	0.12	0.000***	−1.0, −0.54
Coefficient of log FISH	0.86	0.042	0.000***	0.78, 0.94
amoA-specific qPCR
Intercept	0.45	0.43	0.32	−0.39, 1.3
Coefficient of log FISH	0.99	0.060	0.000***	0.87, 1.1

^aCoefficients and corresponding standard errors, P values, and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the model parameters of the comparison of the 16S rRNA-specific qPCR data with the amoA-specific qPCR data, 16S rRNA-specific qPCR data with the FISH data, and amoA-specific qPCR data with the FISH data for the serial dilution samples are shown. **, very significant P value; ***, highly significant P value.