Daily and vertical dynamics of rotifers under the impact of diatom blooms in the Three Gorges Reservoir,China

The Three Gorges Dam was built in 2005 with a storage capacity of 39.3 billion m³, ranking 22nd in the world. However, since the impoundment of the reservoir, serious blooms of phytoplankton have occurred. Rotifers, having a key role in the freshwater aquatic food web, are important grazers of phytoplankton and an essential food resource to higher trophic consumers. To explore the impacts of phytoplankton blooms on the rotifer community, daily and vertical surveys of rotifers were conducted in a bay of the Three Gorges Reservoir (Xiangxi Bay). Altogether 46 rotifer species were registered, and Synchaeta tremula, Polyarthra vulgaris, and Brachionus calyciflorus were the most abundant species accounting for 36, 26, and 16% of the mean rotifer densities, respectively. Although these dominant species always prevailed in the rotifer community, their proportions changed significantly from non-bloom phase to bloom phase, e.g., the significance of S. tremula deceased from 46.8 to 33.2%, while P. vulgaris and B. calyciflorus increased from 23.9 and 13.9% to 26.2 and 16.2%, respectively. In the vertical water column, all the rotifer following phytoplankton displayed an aggregated distribution, concentrating at the upper layers (0.5–5 m), especially during the bloom phase. From the non-bloom phase to the bloom phase, rotifer densities, the dominant rotifers, Shannon–Wiener and Margalef’s diversity increased significantly, while the evenness displayed the opposite trend. Non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis (NMDS) revealed that the samples in the non-bloom phase were well separated from those in the bloom phase. This means that the outbreak of the diatom bloom in the Xiangxi Bay had significant impacts on the rotifer community. Further investigations are needed to address the impacts of the changes of rotifer community on higher trophic levels.     

Enumeration of bacteria from a Trichodesmium spp. bloom of the Eastern Arabian Sea: elucidation of their possible role in biogeochemistry

The carbon-flux via algal bloom events involves bacteria as an important mediator. The present study, carried out during the spring inter-monsoon month of April 2008 onboard CRV Sagar Manjusha-06 in the Eastern Arabian Sea, addresses the bloom-specific flow of carbon to bacteria via chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM). Eleven stations monitored were located in the coastal, shelf and open-ocean areas off Ratnagiri (16°59′N, 73°17′E), Goa (15°30′N, 73°48′E) and Bhatkal (13°58′N, 74°33′E) coasts. Visible bloom of “saw-dust” color in the Ratnagiri shelf were microscopically examined and the presence of cyanobacteria Trichodesmium erythraeum and T. thieabautii with cell concentrations as high as 3.05 × 10⁶ trichomes L⁻¹ was recorded. Total bacterial counts (TBC) varied between 94.09 × 10⁸ cells L⁻¹ in the bloom to 1.34 × 10⁸ cells L⁻¹ in the non-bloom area. Chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) concentrations averaged 2.27 ± 3.02 m⁻¹ (absorption coefficient 325 nm) in the bloom to 0.28 ± 0.07 m⁻¹ in the non-bloom waters respectively. CDOM composition varied from a higher molecular size with lower aromaticity in the bloom to lower molecular size and increased aromaticity in the non-bloom areas respectively. Strong positive relationship of TBC with Chlorophyll a (R ² = 0.65, p < 0.01) and CDOM concentrations (R ² = 0.8373, p = 0.01) in the bloom area indicated hydrolysis and/or uptake of CDOM by bacteria. Absorption by mycosporine-like amino acid palythene (λ _max = 360 nm) was recorded in the filtrate of bloom. Morphotypes of Trichodesmium-associated bacteria revealed a higher frequency of Gram-positive rods. The role of bacteria in relation to changing CDOM nature and as a factor in affecting oxygen content of the water column is discussed in context of the Arabian Sea.     

Ecology of phytoplankton communities dominated by Aureococcus anophagefferens: the role of viruses, nutrients, and microzooplankton grazing

We investigated the impact of viruses, nutrient loading, and microzooplankon grazing on phytoplankton communities in two New York estuaries that hosted blooms of the brown tide alga Aureococcus anophagefferens during 2000 and 2002. The absence of a bloom at one location during 2002 allowed for the fortuitous comparison of a bloom and non-bloom year at the same location as well as a comparison of two sites experiencing bloom and non-bloom conditions during the same year. During the study, blooms were found at locations with high levels of dissolved organic nitrogen and lower nitrate concentrations compared to a non-bloom location. Experimental additions of inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus yielded growth rates within the total phytoplankton community which significantly exceeded control treatments in 83% of experiments, while A. anophagefferens experienced significantly increased growth during only 20% of experimental inorganic nutrient additions. Consistent with prior research, these results suggest brown tides are not caused by eutrophication, but instead are more likely to occur when sources of labile DOM are readily available. Microzooplankton grazing rates on the total phytoplankton community during a bloom were lower than grazing rates at a non-bloom site, and grazing rates on A. anophagefferens were lower than grazing rates on the total community on some dates, suggesting that reduced grazing mortality may also promote brown tides. Mean densities of viruses during blooms (3 × 10⁸ ml⁻¹) were elevated compared to most estuarine environments and were twice the levels found at a non-bloom site. Experimental enrichment of the natural viral densities yielded a significant increase in A. anophagefferens growth rates relative to control treatments when background levels of viruses were low (<1.7 × 10⁸ ml⁻¹), suggesting that viruses may promote bloom occurrence by regenerating DOM or altering the composition of microbial communities.     

Dynamics of aerobic anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria in the East China Sea

Aerobic anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria (AAPB) are a group of heterotrophic bacteria capable of photosynthesis. The dynamics of AAPB in the East China Sea, a typical marginal sea characterized by diverse physical-chemical and ecological conditions, were investigated from April 2002 to September 2003. The results showed that the abundance of AAPB varied from 0.16 to 7.9 x 10(4) cells mL(-1) and the percentage of AAPB (AAPB%) in the total heterotrophic bacterial abundance varied from 0.5% to 11.6% over a gradient of environmental conditions. The abundance of AAPB and AAPB% was higher in coastal and continental shelf waters than in oceanic waters. An interesting seasonal pattern was observed in the Yangtze River estuary: the abundance of AAPB was highest in summer and lowest in winter; however, AAPB% was higher in winter than in the other seasons. Throughout the investigation period, variation of AAPB abundance with temperature was much less than that of nonAAPB abundance, suggesting that low temperature was not a limiting factor for AAPB in this case. Close correlation between AAPB and chlorophyll a was observed in each season, suggesting that dependence of AAPB on dissolved organic carbon produced by phytoplankton (PDOC) may be one key factor controlling AAPB distribution.     

Protist abundance and carbon concentration during a Phaeocystis-dominated bloom at an Antarctic coastal site

Summary Changes in the concentrations of bacteria, phytoplankton, protozoa, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), particulate organic carbon (POC), particulate carbohydrate (PCHO) and particulate organic nitrogen (PON) were followed throughout the summer at an Antarctic coastal site. The colonial prymnesiophyte Phaeocystis pouchetii was the first major phytoplankton species to bloom, reaching concentrations of 6 × 10⁷ cells · 1^–1 and remained numerically dominant for most of the summer. During the P. pouchetii bloom the concentration of most other autotrophs did not increase. Microheterotroph abundance peaked during or immediately after the Phaeocystis bloom. Their peak coincided with very high concentrations of organic carbon, particularly DOC which exceeded 100 mg · 1^–1, and low bacterial abundance. Maximum bacterial abundance was reached after the decline in microheterotroph numbers. Bacterial utilization of carbon substrates and microheterotroph grazing of bacteria and uptake of DOC may form an important link to higher trophic levels during Antarctic Phaeocystis blooms.     

Temporal and spatial variation of the phytoplankton assemblage in the eastern Indian sector of the Southern Ocean in summer 2001/2002

The abundance and species composition of phytoplankton were investigated at stations in a permanently ice-free (61°S) and seasonally ice-covered area (64°S and 66°30′S) in the eastern Indian sector of the Southern Ocean between November 2001 and March 2002. Although a phytoplankton bloom occurred just after retreat of the sea ice at both stations in the seasonally ice-covered area, vertical stability of the water column during the bloom was weak at the most southerly station. This shows that a bloom can form even under weak vertical stability. In the bloom, diatoms dominated under weak vertical stability and Phaeocystis under strong vertical stability. In the latter case, ice algae largely contributed to development of the bloom. In the later observation period, a subsurface chlorophyll maximum (SCM) was observed at 61°S and 64°S. Species composition was different between the mixed layer and SCM at 64°S, but was uniform with depth at 61°S, indicating that the SCM is formed by different mechanisms.     

Response of phytoplankton and bacteria to nutrients and zooplankton: a mesocosm experiment

Although both nutrient inputs and zooplankton grazing are importantto phytoplankton and bacteria in lakes, controversy surroundsthe relative importance of grazing pressure for these two groupsof organisms. For phytoplankton, the controversy revolves aroundwhether zooplankton grazers, especially large cladocerans likeDaphnia, can effectively reduce phytoplankton populations regardlessof nutrient conditions. For bacteria, little is known aboutthe balance between possible direct and indirect effects ofboth nutrients and zooplankton grazing. However, there is evidencethat bacteria may affect phytoplankton responses to nutrientsor zooplankton grazing through direct or apparent competition.We performed a mesocosm experiment to evaluate the relativeimportance of the effects of nutrients and zooplankton grazingfor phytoplankton and bacteria, and to determine whether bacteriamediate phytoplankton responses to these factors. The factorialdesign crossed two zooplankton treatments (unsieved and sieved)with four nutrient treatments (0, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 µgphosphorus (P) l^–1 day^–1 together with nitrogen(N) at a N:P ratio of 20:1 by weight). Weekly sieving with 300µm mesh reduced the average size of crustacean zooplanktonin the mesocosms, decreased the numbers and biomass of Daphnia,and increased the biomass of adult copepods. Nutrient enrichmentcaused significant increases in phytoplankton chlorophyll a(4–5x), bacterial abundance and production (1.3x and 1.6x,respectively), Daphnia (3x) and total zooplankton biomass (2x).Although both total phytoplankton chlorophyll a and chlorophylla in the <35 µm size fraction were significantly lowerin unsieved mesocosms than in sieved mesocosms, sieving hadno significant effect on bacterial abundance or production.There was no statistical interaction between nutrient and zooplanktontreatments for total phytoplankton biomass or bacterial abundance,although there were marginally significant interactions forphytoplankton biomass <35 µm and bacterial production.Our results do not support the hypothesis that large cladoceransbecome less effective grazers with enrichment; rather, the differencebetween phytoplankton biomass in sieved versus unsieved zooplanktontreatments increased across the gradient of nutrient additions.Furthermore, there was no evidence that bacteria buffered phytoplanktonresponses to enrichment by either sequestering P or affectingthe growth of zooplankton.     

Abundance, size distribution and bacterial colonization of transparent exopolymeric particles (TEP) during spring in the Kattegat

The abundance, size distribution and bacterial colonizationof transparent exopolymeric particles (TEP) were monitored inthe Kattegat (Denmark) at weekly intervals throughout the spring(February-May) encompassing the spring diatom bloom. These recentlydiscovered particles are believed to be formed from colloidalorganic material exuded by phytoplankton and bacteria, and mayhave significant implications for pelagic flux processes. Duringthis study, the number concentration of TEP (>1 µm)ranged from 3 x 10³ to 6 x 10⁴ ml^–1 and the volume concentrationbetween 0.3 and 9.0 p.p.m.; they were most abundant in the surfacewaters subsequent to the spring phytoplankton bloom. The rangeof TEP (encased) volume concentration was similar to that ofthe phytoplankton, although at times TEP volume concentrationexceeded that of the phytoplankton by two orders of magnitude.The TEP size distribution followed a power law, with the abundanceof particles scaling with particle diameter^–(ß+1).The seasonal average estimate of ß (2.3) was not significantlydifferent from three, consistent with TEP being formed by shearcoagulation from smaller particles. However, date-specific estimatesof ß differed significantly from three, probably becauseTEP are fractal. All TEP were colonized by bacteria, and bacteriawere both attached to the surface of and embedded in TEP. Yetthe number of attached bacteria per TEP was related neitherto the surface area nor the volume, but rather scaled with TEPsize raised to an exponent of     

Size‐spectrum based differential response of phytoplankton to nutrient and iron‐organic matter combinations in microcosm experiments in a Chilean Patagonian Fjord

The Patagonian fjords have been recognized as a major region of relatively high primary productivity systems during spring–summer bloom periods, where iron‐organic matter forms may be essential complexes involved in key growth processes connected to the carbon and nitrogen cycles. We used two dissolved organic matter (DOM) types, marine polysaccharide and siderophore, as a model to understand how they affect the bioavailability of Fe to phytoplankton and bacteria and to assess their ecological role in fjord systems. A 10‐day microcosm study was performed in the Comau Fjord during summer conditions (March 2012). Pico‐, nano‐, and microphytoplankton abundance, total chlorophyll‐a and bacteria abundance, and bacterial secondary production estimates were analyzed in five treatments: (i) control (no additions), (ii) only nutrients (NUT: PO₄, NO₃, Si), (iii) nutrients + Fe(II), (iv) polysaccharide (natural diatoms extracted: 1–3 beta Glucan), and (v) Hexandentate Desferroxiamine B (DFB, siderophore). Our results showed that while DFB reduced Fe bioavailability for almost all phytoplankton assemblages in the fjord, polysaccharide did not have effects on the iron bioavailability. At Nutrients + Fe and Polysaccharide treatments, chlorophyll‐a concentration abruptly increased from 0.9 to 20 mg m^?3 during the first 4–6 days of the experimental period. Remarkably, at the Nutrients + Fe treatment, the development of the bloom was accompanied by markedly high abundances of Synechococcus, picoeukaryotes, and autotrophic nanoflagellates within the first 4 days of the experiment. Our study indicated that small plankton (phytoplankton <20 μm and bacteria) were the first to respond to dissolved Nutrients + Fe compared to large sized micro‐phytoplankton cells (>20 μm). This could be at least partially attributed to biological utilization of Fe (2 to 3 nM) by <20 μm phytoplankton and bacteria through the interaction with organic ligands released by bacteria that eventually could increase solubility of the Fe dissolved fraction thus having a positive effect on the small‐sized phytoplankton community.     

Impact of warming on phyto‐bacterioplankton coupling and bacterial community composition in experimental mesocosms

Global warming is assumed to alter the trophic interactions and carbon flow patterns of aquatic food webs. The impact of temperature on phyto‐bacterioplankton coupling and bacterial community composition (BCC) was the focus of the present study, in which an indoor mesocosm experiment with natural plankton communities from the western Baltic Sea was conducted. A 6°C increase in water temperature resulted, as predicted, in tighter coupling between the diatom‐dominated phytoplankton and heterotrophic bacteria, accompanied by a strong increase in carbon flow into bacterioplankton during the phytoplankton bloom phase. Suppressed bacterial development at cold in situ temperatures probably reflected lowered bacterial production and grazing by protists, as the latter were less affected by low temperatures. BCC was strongly influenced by the phytoplankton bloom stage and to a lesser extent by temperature. Under both temperature regimes, Gammaproteobacteria clearly dominated during the phytoplankton peak, with Glaciecola sp. as the single most abundant taxon. However, warming induced the appearance of additional bacterial taxa belonging to Betaproteobacteria and Bacteroidetes. Our results show that warming during an early phytoplankton bloom causes a shift towards a more heterotrophic system, with the appearance of new bacterial taxa suggesting a potential for utilization of a broader substrate spectrum.     

Spatial variability in Florida Bay particulate organic matter composition: combining flow cytometry with stable isotope analyses

Long-term management plans for restoration of natural flow conditions through the Everglades increase the importance of understanding potential nutrient impacts of increased freshwater delivery on Florida Bay biogeochemistry. Planktonic communities respond quickly to changes in water quality, thus spatial variability in community composition and relationships to nutrient parameters must be understood in order to evaluate future downstream impacts of modifications to Everglades hydrology. Here we present initial results combining flow cytometry analyses of phytoplankton and bacterial populations (0.1–50 μm size fraction) with measurements of δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N composition and dissolved inorganic nutrient concentrations to explore proxies for planktonic species assemblage compositions and nutrient cycling. Particulate organic material in the 0.1–50 μm size fraction was collected from five stations in Northeastern and Western Florida Bay to characterize spatial variability in species assemblage and stable isotopic composition. A dense bloom of the picocyanobacterium, Synechococcus elongatus, was observed at Western Florida Bay sites. Smaller Synechococcus sp. were present at Northeast sites in much lower abundance. Bacteria and detrital particles were also more abundant at Western Florida Bay stations than in the northeast region. The highest abundance of detritus occurred at Trout Creek, which receives freshwater discharge from the Everglades through Taylor Slough. In terms of nutrient availability and stable isotopic values, the S. elongatus population in the Western bay corresponded to low DIN (0.5 μM NH ₄ ⁺ ; 0.2 μM NO ₃ ⁻ ) concentrations and depleted δ¹⁵N signatures ranging from +0.3 to +0.8‰, suggesting that the bloom supported high productivity levels through N₂-fixation. δ¹⁵N values from the Northeast bay were more enriched (+2.0 to +3.0‰), characteristic of N-recycling. δ¹³C values were similar for all marine Florida Bay stations, ranging from −17.6 to −14.4‰, however were more depleted at the mangrove ecotone station (−25.5 to −22.3‰). The difference in the isotopic values reflects differences in carbon sources. These findings imply that variations in resource availability and nutrient sources exert significant control over planktonic community composition, which is reflected by stable isotopic signatures.     

Seasonal variation in composition and production of planktonic communities in the lower River Rhine

1. The composition and activity of phytoplankton, zooplankton and bacterioplankton in the lower River Rhine were measured in 1990 as part of an international biological inventory of the river. A seasonal study was carried out on two stations: one in the river mouth (km 1019) and one at the German/Dutch border (km 863). 2. High densities of phytoplankton (with up to 140 μg chlorophyll a 1-^?1) and occasional depletion of dissolved silicate were observed at the upstream station. Phosphate concentrations were also lowered during blooms. 3. Phytoplankton blooms, dominated by a few species of centric diatoms, declined one order of magnitude during downstream transport. During non-bloom conditions (low) algal densities were maintained during transport, or increased slightly, indicating the suitability of the river reach for algal growth. 4. Bacterial cell number and production (measured by the ³H-thymidine method) showed a broad summer maximum with activity peaks (0.5 nK < M thymidine h^?1) coincident with declining phytoplankton blooms. Winter values of bacterial production (0.02–0.05 n < Mh^?1) were substantial, probably as a result of allochthonous input of organic matter. 5. Rotifers and crustaceans made up the greater part of the zooplankton biovolume, but at the upstream station the contribution of Dreissena larvae and rhizopods was also substantial. High zooplankton biovolumes, of over 500 × 10⁶μm³1-^?1, were observed only during the phytoplankton spring bloom. 6. Quantitative relationships between the high phytoplankton production (2.1–3.4 gCm^?2 day^?1), the high bacterial substrate uptake (0.5–1gCm^?2 day^?1), and grazing were analysed for the growing season 1990. Algal grazing by metazoan herbivores was substantial only during spring, while the role of phagotrophic microplankton and cell lysis were indicated as major factors responsible for the downstream decline of phytoplankton blooms in the lower Rhine.     

Distribution of viruses and their impact on bacterioplankton in mesotrophic and eutrophic reservoirs

Spatial distribution of planktonic viral particles (virioplankton) and mortality of heterotrophic bacteria caused by viral lysis were studied in the eutrophic Ivan’kovskoe and mesotrophic Uglichskoe reservoirs (the Upper Volga). During the summer peak of phytoplankton, the number of viral particles was higher in the Ivan’kovskoe Reservoir ((55.1 ± 9.5) × 10⁶ ml⁻¹ on average) than in the Uglichskoe Reservoir ((42.9 ± 5.1) × 10⁶ ml⁻¹ on average). The ratio of viral to bacterial abundances ranged from 2.5 to 7.0. The average number of mature phages in infected heterotrophic bacteria varied from 17 to 109 particles/cell. Most of the infected bacterial cells in the Ivan’kovskoe Reservoir were rod-shaped, and, in the Uglichskoe Reservoir, they were mainly vibrio-shaped. In the Ivan’kovskoe Reservoir, from 8.3 to 22.4% of planktonic bacteria were infected by phages, suggesting phage-induced mortality of bacterioplankton equal to 10.5–34.8% (19.1% on average) of the daily bacterial production. In the Uglichskoe Reservoir, from 9.4 to 33.5% of bacteria were phage-infected, suggesting phage-induced bacterial mortality of 13.7–40.2% (23.5% on average) of the daily bacterial production. The obtained results testify to an important role of autochthonous viruses in the regulation of bacterioplankton abundance and production in the reservoirs.     

Phytoplankton community structure derived from HPLC analysis of pigments in the Faroe-Shetland Channel during summer 1999: the distribution of taxonomic groups in relation to physical/chemical conditions in the photic zone

A study of the phytoplankton community in the Faroe-ShetlandChannel was conducted in July 1999. Samples were collected atvarious depths in the photic zone along three transects (thenorthern entrance, the center and the southern entrance). Exceptfor a few easterly stations where nitrate and silicate werebelow 1 µM, all nutrients (phosphate, silicate, ammonium,nitrite and nitrate) were non-limiting for phytoplankton growth.HPLC pigment analysis revealed a pronounced (>50%) dominanceof Prymnesiophyceae at all stations. Their pigment ratio ofdiatoxanthin + diadinoxanthin/Chl a (DDX/Chl a) indicated thatthe phytoplankton community was controlled by light. Primaryproduction in the delayed spring bloom varied from 1.2 to 1.8g C m^–2 day^–1 along the northern transect. Alongthe other two transects, primary production ranged from 1.6to 3.8 g C m^–2 day^–1. Associated with the characteristicsindicating the establishment of a bloom, the relative contributionof diatoms and Prymnesiophyceae increased, whereas that of Prasinophyceae,Cryptophyceae, Chrysophyceae and Cyanobacteriaceae decreased.With respect to their vertical distribution, Cyanobacteriaceae,Chrysophyceae and Dinophyceae tended to have a higher abundance,relative to other taxonomic groups, in the surface layers. Therelative abundance of diatoms and Chlorophyceae increased withdepth. The DDX/Chl a ratio of the Prymnesiophyceae decreasedwith depth, indicating that vertical mixing in the upper 30m of the photic zone occurred less frequently than the timespan of physiological acclimation of cellular pigment composition.     

Influence of the Hydrological Cycle on the Bacterioplankton of an Impacted Clear Water Amazonian Lake

Abstract Free-living and attached bacterial population sizes were determined fortnightly from December 1991 to December 1992 in natural and disturbed areas of an Amazonian clear water lake (Batata Lake, Pará, Brazil) impacted by bauxite tailings. The bacterioplankton showed distinct patterns during different phases of the hydrological cycle. Total bacterial population size and rates of thymidine incorporation (measured during high and low water phases) were high during low water, with values ranging from 3.3 × 10⁵ to 1.1 × 10⁶ cells ml⁻¹, and from 0.28 to 4.01 μg C l⁻¹ h⁻¹, respectively. The population size of free-living bacteria was larger at the natural station, while no differences were observed between attached bacterial populations at both stations. However, production and turnover rate of attached bacteria were high at the disturbed area. During low water, bacterial growth appeared to be driven mainly by the input of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from phytoplankton origin. During high water, bacterial abundance was reduced, probably as the result of dilution and the input of less labile DOC from floodplains. The presence of bauxite tailings seems to influence bacterial dynamics in an indirect way, probably due to shading of phytoplankton cells and, hence, reducing the DOC supply for bacterial growth. This study, the first on the microbial ecology of an Amazonian clear water lake, demonstrated that water level variations exert a strong influence on the bacterioplankton dynamics. Received: 9 January 1996; Accepted 6 November 1996     

Distinct successional patterns and processes of free-living and particle-attached bacterial communities throughout a phytoplankton bloom

1. Understanding the successional patterns of microbial communities during a phytoplankton bloom is crucial for predicting the compositional and functional stability of lake ecosystems in response to the disturbance of a bloom. Previous studies on bacterial communities associated with blooms have rarely studied the dynamics of these communities. The successional patterns of bacterial communities within different micro-habitats (i.e. water column versus particles) and mechanisms that shape these communities that differ in composition and structure remain unclear.
2. We selected a eutrophic urban lake to investigate the succession of bacterial communities during a bloom. We divided the bacterial communities into free-living (FL) and particle-attached (PA) groups based on their different lifestyles. The amplicon-based 16S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing technology was used to obtain bacterial community composition and phylogenetic structure.
3. Our study showed distinct successional patterns between FL and PA bacterial communities, and the two bacterial lifestyles showed different responses and resilience to the bloom, in terms of diversity and relative abundance of bacterial taxa. Alpha-diversity of the PA bacterial community decreased during the bloom, whereas that of the FL bacterial community increased. More taxa in the FL bacterial community showed resilience after the disturbance than in the PA bacterial community.
4. The influence of phytoplankton blooms on the assembly of the bacterial community can be viewed as niche selection that led to the decrease in the relative importance of stochastic processes in shaping both FL and PA bacterial communities. This study shows the ecological significance of the bacterial community response to bloom events in lakes. It also shows that assembly processes differ for bacterial communities that have different lifestyles in lake ecosystems disturbed by phytoplankton blooms.

     

Spatial and seasonal changes of net plankton and zoobenthos in Lake Tonle Sap, Cambodia

To clarify spatial and seasonal differences in net plankton and zoobenthos in Lake Tonle Sap, Cambodia, quantitative surveys were carried out at 14 stations in the north and south basins in high- and low-water seasons during 2003–2005. In the phytoplankton communities, a diatom Aulacoseira granulata dominated throughout the lake in the high-water seasons, while blue-green algae, mostly composed of Microcystis, surpassed other algae in the low-water season when the lake water was very turbid and the Secchi disk readings were only a few centimeters. In the low-water seasons, a bloom of floating blue-green algae occurred everywhere, especially prominent in the coastal areas. Protozoans and rotifers dominated the zooplankton communities. In the open-water stations, diversity was higher in high-water seasons in phytoplankton, while it was not significantly different between seasons in zooplankton. Composition of plankton communities in Lake Tonle Sap appears to have changed little since the 1950s, at least in phytoplankton, while the phytoplankton density appears to be higher in the present study. Among the macrozoobenthos, mollusks, oligochaetes and chironomids dominated in density, and mollusks exceeded others in biomass in both basins and seasons. The total densities of macrozobenthos were not high, being fewer than 1,300 m⁻² throughout the stations and seasons. Possible reasons for the low zoobenthos abundance in the lake may include high predation pressures by benthivorous fish or unfavorable unstable and flocculant substrates.     

Protozooplankton in the Weddell Sea,Antarctica: Abundance and distribution in the ice-edge zone

Summary Protozooplankton were sampled in the iceedge zone of the Weddell Sea during the austral spring of 1983 and the austral autumn of 1986. Protozooplankton biomass was dominated by flagellates and ciliates. Other protozoa and micrometazoa contributed a relatively small fraction to the heterotrophic biomass. During both cruises protozoan biomass, chlorophyll a concentrations, phytoplankton production and bacterial biomass and production were low at ice covered stations. During the spring cruise, protozooplankton, phytoplankton, and bacterioplankton reached high concentrations in a welldeveloped ice edge bloom 100 km north of the receding ice edge. During the autumn cruise, the highest concentrations of biomass were in open water well-separated from the ice edge. Integrated protozoan biomass was <12% of the biomass of phytoplankton during the spring cruise and in the autumn the percentages at some stations were >20%. Bacterial biomass exceeded protozooplankton biomass at ice covered stations but in open water stations during the fall cruise, protozooplankton biomass reached twice that of bacteria in the upper 100m of the water column. The biomass of different protozoan groups was positively correlated with primary production, chlorophyll a concentrations and bacterial production and biomass, suggesting that the protozoan abundances were largely controlled by prey availability and productivity. Population grazing rates calculated from clearance rates in the literature indicated that protozooplankton were capable of consuming significant portions of the daily phyto- and bacterioplankton production.