浙闽沿海生态牧场技术示范区浮游细菌群落和功能的时空变化

【目的】本文通过不同季节的4个航次调查研究了2个浙闽沿海生态牧场技术示范区的浮游细菌群落的变化,揭示了示范区菌群结构的时空变化,探究其对于海洋生态系统的潜在影响。【方法】使用16SrRNA基因扩增子测序技术,对2个示范区4个季节航次共128个样点中浮游细菌的16SrRNA基因V4区序列进行测序,并通过分析其组成和多样性,借助FAPROTAX功能预测,分析不同季节和示范区浮游细菌的差异。【结果】128个样品量化后共获得2510976条优质序列,2个示范区的主要优势浮游细菌类群均为α变形菌纲、γ变形菌纲、β变形菌纲、放线菌纲、黄杆菌纲等,2个示范区浮游细菌的α多样性指数随季节演替而产生波动,且大多数环境因子都与其具有显著相关性;浙闽沿海浮游细菌的群落构建过程随时空变化而产生差异,扩散限制是2个示范区浮游细菌群落构建过程中占比最大的生态过程(除台山岛示范区秋季),2个示范区多数季节的浮游细菌群落相似性基于Bray-Curtis的地理距离衰减印证了这一点;基于FAPROTAX功能预测得到的2个示范区浮游细菌的功能以化能异养和氮硫循环为主,从一定程度上与当地的环境因子变化相关联。【结论】浙闽沿海...     

广西北部湾茅尾海夏冬季浮游细菌群落结构及其影响因子

海洋浮游细菌在生物地球化学循环过程中具有不可替代的作用。为解析广西北部湾茅尾海夏冬季浮游细菌群落结构及其关键环境影响因子,于2017年6月(夏季)和2017年12月(冬季)在该海域设置7个站点,采集0.5m处表层海水样品,利用16S核糖体RNA (16S rRNA)基因高通量测序技术,分析茅尾海浮游细菌群落结构与多样性。结果表明：茅尾海海域浮游细菌隶属于11个门、36个纲、86个目、188个科和506个属;主要浮游细菌类群为变形菌门(Proteobacteria, 52.47%)、厚壁菌门(Firmicutes, 17.34%)、放线菌门(Actinobacteria, 16.39%)、拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes, 7.54%)和蓝细菌门(Cyanobacteria, 5.38%),共占浮游细菌总丰度的99.12%。北部湾茅尾海夏季浮游细菌群落Chao 1指数和Richness指数均显著(P<0.05)高于冬季。主坐标分析(PCoA)和相似性分析(ANOSIM)结果表明,不同季节浮游细菌群落结构存在极显著差异(R=0.586,P<0.001)。在目分类水平上进行组...     

乌梁素海浮游细菌群落结构及其对富营养化因子的响应

【目的】揭示乌梁素海浮游细菌的群落结构及其对富营养化环境因子的响应,认识乌梁素海浮游细菌多样性,以丰富微生物与富营养化关系的理论。【方法】提取水体浮游细菌总DNA,利用细菌通用引物对63F/1387R进行PCR扩增,构建小口、沙尖北和红圪卜3个湖区16S rRNA基因克隆文库;以典型对应分析(CCA)方法解析浮游细菌群落结构对环境因子的响应。【结果】各湖区中富营养化程度最重的红圪卜位点细菌多样性、丰富度及均匀度最高,而富营养化程度最轻的小口位点细菌多样性、丰富度及均匀度最低。Proteobacteria、Bacteroidetes和Actinobacteria为水体中优势类群。α-、γ-、δ-Proteobacteria,Actinobacteria及Bacteroidetes等菌群丰度随着水体的富营养化程度改变而有显著的变化。各湖区皆存在许多可能具有污染物降解及驱动生源要素循环能力的细菌类群。CCA分析表明TN、NH4+、NO3-和COD等水体指标对浮游细菌群落结构组成的影响较大。此外,乌梁素海水体内未知细菌类群很多;且不同于一般淡水生态系统,乌梁素海中存在9.6%的轻度嗜盐碱性细菌。【结论】乌梁素海水体中浮游细菌多样性较高,细菌群落结构复杂、其类群组成与富营养化因子紧密相关。     

舟山群岛不同功能区划海域细菌群落结构分析

浮游细菌在海洋生态系统中不可或缺,在海洋生物地球化学循环过程中起着关键性作用。【目的】为了解舟山群岛不同功能区划海域细菌群落结构及丰度变化,探索海洋生态因子对细菌群落结构的影响。【方法】于2016年夏季(8月)在舟山群岛不同功能区划海域共设置8个典型站位采集表层海水,基于细菌16S rRNA基因进行高通量测序;利用流式细胞术揭示各海域细菌丰度;利用典范对应分析(Canonical correspondence analysis,CCA)探讨海洋生态因子与细菌多样性之间的关系。【结果】共获取到305487条原始序列,基于97%相似性水平进行OTU(Operational Taxonomic Units)聚类分析,共得到1088个OTUs,包括29个门、62个纲、138个目、239个科、416个属。细菌群落组成在各个站位之间不尽相同,但都主要包括Flavobacteria、Alphaproteobacteria、Gammaproteobacteria三大优势菌纲。CCA结果表明细菌群落结构和多样性情况与站位分布和所在站位的环境因子息息相关,Cyanobacteria受硝酸盐影响显著,Parcubacteria受温度影响最大,而磷酸盐对本实验海域菌群影响甚微。对海洋菌群潜在功能进行预测的结果显示,各海域菌群在氨基酸代谢、碳水化合物代谢、膜运输等方面功能较为突出,为今后舟山海洋微生物研究提供了新的方向。【结论】高通量测序分析可以更精确地揭示海洋菌群的群落结构信息。该研究为细菌群落结构与环境因素的关联提供参考。本研究所取得的大量数据既可以作为对舟山市海洋功能区划施行情况的响应,又将为舟山及其邻近海域浮游细菌群落结构的进一步研究奠定基础。     

基于PCR-DGGE和高通量测序分析白云边酒窖泥细菌群落结构与多样性

【目的】探索白云边酒不同窖龄窖泥细菌群落结构及其多样性,分析窖泥细菌群落特征对兼香型白酒风格形成的影响。【方法】分别提取2年和23年窖泥样品总DNA,采用PCR-DGGE、基因克隆以及高通量测序技术,研究窖泥细菌的分布情况。【结果】白云边窖泥细菌归属于变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)、厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)、放线菌门(Actinobacteria)4个菌门。2、23年窖泥共同的优势菌属(≥1.0%)包括棒状杆菌属(Corynebacterium)、香味菌属(Myroides)、鞘氨醇杆菌属(Sphingobacterium)、乳杆菌属(Lactobacillus)、梭菌属(Clostridium)、醋杆菌属(Acetobacter)、产碱杆菌属(Alcaligenes)、肠杆菌属(Enterobacter)和不动杆菌属(Acinetobacter)。2年窖泥特有优势菌属为Dysgonomonas、Fluviicola、变形杆菌属(Proteus)和Wohlfahrtiimonas,而23年窖泥特有优势菌属为葡萄球菌属(Staphylococcus)、Hazenella、魏斯氏菌属(Weissella)、葡糖醋杆菌属(Gluconacetobacter)和摩根氏菌属(Morganella)。【结论】2年窖泥细菌群落多样性高于23年窖泥。比较了白云边两种窖龄窖泥主要细菌组成情况,为研究微生物对白云边酒浓酱兼香型独特风味形成的影响提供依据。     

太湖浮游细菌与春末浮游藻类群落结构演替的相关分析

为研究浮游细菌与浮游藻类群落演替的相关性,2005年4月至6月在太湖5个观测点采集浮游细菌及浮游藻类样本。分别采用聚合酶链式反应-变性梯度凝胶电泳（PCR—DGGE）和显微观察的方法分析浮游细菌及浮游藻类群落组成。结果表明,春末夏初,浮游细菌与藻类均呈现较高的多样性,浮游细菌DGGE图谱具有43种不同条带,浮游藻类的常见种有29种。浮游细菌群落聚类分析显示,丝藻（Ulothrix sp．）和微囊藻（Microcystis spp．）占优势时,浮游细菌群落基因组成存在明显差异。以藻类种群Shannon—Wiener多样性指数（Hp）,浮游藻类总细胞数（N）以及Microcystis spp．（M）百分含量为变量,典型对应分析（CCA）结果显示浮游细菌与浮游藻类群落结构变化的相关系数为30．9％,表明春末夏初太湖浮游细菌与浮游藻类群落演替具有较高的相关性。     

普洱地区茶叶内生细菌与根际土壤细菌群落结构分析

[目的]茶叶内生细菌、根际土壤细菌在普洱茶的发酵中起着重要的作用,还可以促进茶树生长,诱导茶树抗病性.研究其群落结构组成及相互关系可为微生物资源开发利用提供理论依据.[方法]本研究以普洱地区茶树叶片和根际土壤为材料,采用高通量测序技术,对茶叶及根际土壤细菌的16S核糖体RNA基因(16S rRNA)进行测序,比较分析茶...     

宁夏地区春季奶牛场牛舍土壤细菌群落特征

【背景】现代规模化生产模式下,牛舍环境管理是影响奶牛高效健康生产的重要因素。【目的】探讨牛场不同牛舍土壤细菌群落特征,为奶牛健康生产提供理论依据。【方法】采集宁夏某规模化奶牛场的哺乳犊牛岛、断奶犊牛舍、育成牛舍、低产泌乳牛舍、高产头胎泌乳牛舍、高产经产泌乳牛舍、干奶牛舍和病牛舍这8个不同牛舍的土样,每个牛舍6个重复,共48份土样。利用16S rRNA基因扩增子测序分析细菌群落结构与多样性,并对细菌群落的功能进行预测。【结果】不同牛舍土样细菌群落组成存在差异,并且8个牛舍中高产头胎泌乳牛舍土样的细菌群落多样性最高。哺乳犊牛岛土壤与其他牛舍土壤细菌群落在门水平上差异较大;泌乳期牛舍土样之间的细菌群落结构相似度较高。在门的水平上,拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes)、变形菌门(Proteobacteria)、放线菌门(Actinobacteria)和厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)是这8个牛舍土样共有的优势菌门。在属的水平上,嗜盐碱的盐单胞菌属(Halomonas)、具有潜在降解特性的Fermentimonas和栖海面菌属(Aequorivita)及致病菌的鸟杆菌属(Ornithobacterium)是犊牛期牛舍土样的优势菌属;嗜盐碱的Truepera是育成牛舍土样的优势菌属;致病菌的不动杆菌属(Acinetobacter)和Parapedobacter、耐药菌的Pedobacter是泌乳期牛舍土样的优势菌属。【结论】致病菌和参与硝酸盐呼吸的细菌主要分布在哺乳犊牛岛,嗜盐碱菌主要分布在断奶犊牛舍和育成牛舍,产甲烷的细菌主要分布在高产头胎泌乳牛舍。本研究分析了不同牛舍土壤细菌群落多样性,为奶牛健康生产提供理论依据。     

溴代阻燃剂污染底泥与未污染底泥中细菌群落结构之比较分析

【目的】通过免培养的分子生物学方法,比较受溴代阻燃剂污染严重的河流底泥和与未污染水库底泥中细菌多样性差异,解析二者间细菌群落结构,为污染河流的治理与生物修复提供相关的理论依据。【方法】从中国贵屿溴代阻燃剂污染区练江底泥样品和未污染水库底泥样品中分别提取微生物总DNA,用细菌通用引物27F和1500R扩增16S rRNA基因,构建16S rRNA基因文库。用HhaⅠ和HinfⅠ2种限制性内切酶对克隆子进行扩增产物rDNA的限制性酶切分析(ARDRA),挑取不同的操作分类单元OUT中的克隆进行测序并构建系统发育树,比较代表克隆子的基本分类类群和生物多样性构成。【结果】未污染水库底泥中细菌群落组成主要包括变形细菌门(Proteobacteria)的α、β、γ和δ4个亚门、浮霉菌门(Planctomycetes)、酸杆菌门(Acidobacteria)、放线菌门(Actinobacteria)、绿弯菌门(Chloroflexi)、疣微菌门(Verrucomicrobia)和厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)。优势菌是酸杆菌,占文库克隆的30.2%。污染河流底泥中细菌群落组成包括变形细菌门(Proteobacteria)的α、β、δ和ε4个亚门、浮霉菌门(Planctomycetes)、绿菌门或拟杆菌门(Chlorobi orBacteroidetes)、酸杆菌门(Acidobacteria)、放线菌门(Actinobacteria)、绿弯菌门(Chloroflexi)、待定菌群candidatedivision OP01、candidate division OP08和candidate division WS3的相似菌。优势菌是ε-变形细菌和绿弯菌,占文库克隆的44.9%。【结论】受溴代阻燃剂污染河流底泥中的细菌群落具有较高水平的多样性,与未污染底泥有显著区别,主要体现在ε-变形细菌和绿弯菌在细菌群落中具有优势地位。这种优势种群的改变可能与污染物的过度富集具有一定的相关性,对于我们进一步探索和了解溴代阻燃剂的微生物修复具有一定的指导意义。     

山西左云县采煤区人工湿地冬季沉积物细菌群落多样性

【背景】人工湿地处理煤炭矿井废水效果显著,而关于人工湿地沉积物的细菌群落结构和特征研究较少。【目的】阐明人工湿地净化采煤区废水的效应和细菌群落结构及特征。【方法】对山西省左云县采煤区人工湿地不同采样点水质进行监测,利用高通量测序技术对人工湿地沉积物中细菌16S rRNA基因V3-V4区进行测序,分析沉积物中细菌群落组成。【结果】采煤区废水流经人工湿地后水质得到有效改善,其中生化需氧量(Biochemical oxygen demand,BOD5)、化学需氧量(Chemical oxygen demand,CODCr)、总氮(Total nitrogen,TN)、总磷(Total phosphorus,TP)去除率分别达到76.2%、93.4%、73.4%和99.3%;测序共获得2 832个操作分类单元(Operational taxonomic units,OTUs),共753个属,分布于51个门的150个纲;4个采样点中优势菌门为变形菌门(Proteobacteria,50%-64.7%)和拟杆菌门(Bacteroidetes,15.8%-21.2%),变形菌门中优势菌纲为β-变形菌纲和γ-变形菌纲,其中M1、M2、M3中富含氨氮氧化细菌的β-变形菌纲和γ-变形菌纲丰度最高;M4沉积物细菌OTU最多,多样性最高;沉积物特有优势菌属Sulfurimonas、Sulfuricurvum的相对丰度与NH4+-N的含量显著负相关,Azoarcus菌属相对丰度与TN存在显著正相关,Novosphingobium菌属相对丰度与TP含量存在显著正相关。【结论】煤矿废水流经人工湿地可得到有效的净化,细菌多样性在人工湿地生态功能中起到了决定作用。     

A method to study bacterioplankton community structure in Antarctic lakes

A method to study bacterioplankton community structure in Antarctic freshwater lake samples is described. Small samples (between 300 and 1000 ml) taken in remote field locations were used for crude DNA extraction, followed by PCR amplification of 16S rRNA gene fragments using group-specific primers. The amplification products of the PCR reaction were then separated using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis to produce a profile of the bacterioplankton community. Whilst the technique is only semi-quantitative, it readily differentiated communities from lakes of different trophic status and from vertical profiles within different lake types. The method offers a sensitive tool for screening and monitoring Antarctic freshwater environments as a precursor and adjunct to more detailed studies. Accepted: 14 November 1999     

Contrasting bacterioplankton community composition and seasonal dynamics in two neighbouring hypertrophic freshwater lakes

We characterized the bacterioplankton community and its seasonal dynamics in two neighbouring hypertrophic lakes by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis of short (193 bp) 16S ribosomal DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products obtained with primers specific for the domain Bacteria. Lake Blankaart is turbid and has a high phytoplankton biomass and episodic cyanobacterial blooms, whereas biomanipulated Lake Visvijver is characterized by clearwater conditions and the establishment of a dense charophyte vegetation. Both lakes were dominated by bacterial groups commonly found in freshwater habitats (e.g. ACK4 cluster of Actinomycetes; ACK stands for clones isolated from the Adirondack mountain lakes) . Yet, cluster analysis and principal components analysis (PCA) revealed that taxon composition of the bacterioplankton community of the two lakes differs substantially and consistently throughout the season. During the study year (1998), the bacterioplankton community of both lakes showed a distinct seasonal pattern. Lake Blankaart showed a clear differentiation between winter, spring, summer and autumn. In Lake Visvijver, summer samples differed greatly from spring, autumn and winter samples. We hypothesize that the contrasting bacterioplankton in the two neighbouring shallow lakes is determined largely by the presence or absence of macrophytes.     

Phytoplankton and zooplankton community structure after nutrient additions to the oligotrophic Lake Hecklan,Sweden

Lake Hecklan, in central Sweden, was fertilized with phosphorus and nitrogen during thermal stratification (late May-early Oct) 1984–1987. The nutrient additions were relatively small and raised the total phosphorus concentrations from 6 to 10 µg l^–1. The working hypothesis was that this moderate increase in the phosphorus concentration could increase the phytoplankton biomass without adverse changes in the planktonic community structure. The fertilization increased the phytoplankton biomass from 0.1 to a maximum of 2 mm³ l^–1. Chrysophyceae and Cryptophyceae dominated throughout the experimental period. Thus, the phytoplankton composition remained typical for a Swedish forest lake and provided a potential for increased zooplankton growth. An increased growth of zooplankton was indicated by increased biomass of Cladocera and Copepoda in 1984 and 1985, and by increased fecundity of herbivorous zooplankton.     

Freshwater bacterioplankton richness in oligotrophic lakes depends on nutrient availability rather than on species–area relationships

A central goal in ecology is to grasp the mechanisms that underlie and maintain biodiversity and patterns in its spatial distribution can provide clues about those mechanisms. Here, we investigated what might determine the bacterioplankton richness (BR) in lakes by means of 454 pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. We further provide a BR estimate based upon a sampling depth and accuracy, which, to our knowledge, are unsurpassed for freshwater bacterioplankton communities. Our examination of 22 669 sequences per lake showed that freshwater BR in fourteen nutrient-poor lakes was positively influenced by nutrient availability. Our study is, thus, consistent with the finding that the supply of available nutrients is a major driver of species richness; a pattern that may well be universally valid to the world of both micro- and macro-organisms. We, furthermore, observed that BR increased with elevated landscape position, most likely as a consequence of differences in nutrient availability. Finally, BR decreased with increasing lake and catchment area that is negative species–area relationships (SARs) were recorded; a finding that re-opens the debate about whether positive SARs can indeed be found in the microbial world and whether positive SARs can in fact be pronounced as one of the few ‘laws'' in ecology.     

The structure and stability of the bacterioplankton community in Antarctic freshwater lakes, subject to extremely rapid environmental change

In this study, variation in the bacterioplankton community structure of three Antarctic lakes of different nutrient status, was determined in relation to physical and chemical gradients at depth and at time intervals, across the seasonal transition from winter ice-cover to the summer ice-free period. The three lakes studied were: Moss Lake (low nutrient, with typical nutrient concentrations of 80 microg l(-1) nitrate and 10 microg l(-1) dissolved reactive phosphate), Sombre Lake (low nutrient, but becoming progressively enriched, with typical nutrient concentrations of 185 microg l(-1) nitrate and 7 microg l(-1) dissolved reactive phosphate) and Heywood Lake (enriched, with typical nutrient concentrations of 1180 microg l(-1) nitrate and 124 microg l(-1) dissolved reactive phosphate). Bacterioplankton community structure was determined using a combination of PCR amplification of 16S rRNA gene fragments and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). Results indicated marked changes in this bacterioplankton community structure, which were particularly associated with the transition period. However, significant changes also occurred during the period of holomixis. Comparison of the results from lakes of different nutrient status suggest that increased levels of nutrient input, and in the timing and duration of ice cover will lead to marked changes in the structure and stability of the bacterioplankton community at existing levels of environmental change.     

Influence of hydrological seasonality on bacterioplankton in two neotropical floodplain lakes

Seasonal fluctuation in river stage strongly affects the ecological functioning of tropical floodplain lakes. This study was conducted to assess the influence of hydrological seasonality on bacterial production and abundance in two floodplain lakes of the Autana River, a blackwater river in the Middle Orinoco basin, Venezuela. Water samples for nutrient chemistry, chlorophyll a, and microbiological determinations were collected in two floodplain lakes and in the mainstem of the river during 1997–98. DOC and chlorophyll a concentrations were similar between mainstem and lake sites during high water when river and lakes were well connected but became different during the period of low water when the interaction was minimal. Higher values of bacterial production were observed in the floodplain lakes (0.62–1.03 g C l^–1 h^–1) compared to the mainstem sites (0.17–0.19 g C l^–1 h^–1) during the period of low water, while during the period of high water river and lake sites showed similar levels (0.04 g C l^–1 h^–1). Bacterial numbers followed bacterial production in the floodplain lakes, reaching higher numbers during the period of low water (1.41–2.40 × 10⁶ cells ml^–1). Availability of substrate and inorganic nutrients, pH, and inputs and losses of bacterial cells could be determining the observed seasonal patterns in bacterial production and abundance. The Autana lakes exhibited a strong seasonal pattern in the chemical and biological conditions, showing higher productivity during the lentic phase that lasted between 5 and 6 months.     

Effect of humic material on the bacterioplankton community composition in boreal lakes and mesocosms

The bacterioplankton community composition in two Finnish forest lakes with different content of humic substances was studied by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and sequencing of the major bands. The same dominant bacterial phylotypes were detected in the bacterioplankton communities of clear-water Lake Ahvenlammi and humic Lake Sammalisto. For 4 years, in every water layer, Actinobacteria was the dominant and Verrucomicrobia the second most common phylum. In the hypolimnion, other dominant phyla were also found. We set up a mesocosm experiment to assess the effect of a sudden load of allochthonous humus extract to the bacterioplankton community composition. Changes in the bacterial communities were followed in four control and four humus extract-added mesocosms for 50 days. In the humic mesocosms the phylotypes of allochthonous Proteobacteria arriving with the humus extract were initially prevalent but disappeared during the first weeks. After this the Actinobacteria-dominated communities resembled the bacterioplankton communities of the control mesocosms and Lake Ahvenlammi. Towards the end of the experiment the community patterns in all the mesocosms started to change slightly because of erratic occurrence of new proteobacterial phylotypes. Thus the effects of a sudden load of allochthonous humic material and bacteria to the bacterioplankton community composition were transient.     

Protozooplankton and bacterioplankton in a large oligotrophic lake--Loch Ness, Scotland

The seasonal changes in the abundance of protozoan and bacterialplankton in a large, coloured, oligotrophic lake. Loch Ness(Scotland), were investigated between August 1991 and January1993. The coloured water supported only low concentrations ofchlorophyll a (<1.6 µgl^–1). with the highestvalues occurring in summer. Mean bacterial abundance rangedbetween 2.3 x 10⁸ and 7.1 x 10⁸ l^–1 in the 100 m watercolumn. Maximum abundance did not correlate with maximum chlorophylla concentrations, but appeared to be related to the input ofallochthonous carbon from the catchment, which in turn was influencedby rainfall levels. Consequently, the highest bacterioplanktonconcentrations occurred in autumn and winter. The pattern ofheterotrophic nanoflagellate abundance tended to follow thatfor bacteria, with mean concentrations in the top 100 m of thewater column of between 12 x 10³ and 273 x 10³ l^–1. Ciliateabundance showed no seasonal trends over the study period andprobably mirrored the fluctuating availability of various foodresources. Oligotrichs, particularly mixotrophic taxa, werea prominent element of the community throughout the year. Aggregatesof detrital material were a regular feature in the plankton.When these occurred, they formed foci for bacteria and nanoflagellates.The evidence suggests that the dynamics of the microbial planktonin Loch Ness may be driven by allochthonous carbon inputs ratherthan by the more usual dominance of carbon fixed within thesystem. ¹Present address: School of Zoology, La Trobe University, Bundoora,Melbourne, Victoria 3083, Australia ²Present address: Loch Ness & Morar Project, Loch Ness Centre,Drumnadrochit, Invernesshire, UK     

Seasonal development of bacterioplankton in two forest lakes in central Sweden

Bacteria were counted with acridine orange epifluorescence technique in two humic lakes during 3 years. Less than 1% of the cells were found attached to detritus aggregates. 73% of the total number and 48% of the total volume were smaller than 1 µm. The mean cell volume ranged from 0.10 to 0.35 µm³ with the highest cell volumes occurring during early summer contemporarily with the growth of the bacterial biomass and probably indicating favourable growth conditions. The mean density of bacteria in oligotrophic brown-water lakes is higher than in oligotrophic clear-water lakes. The development of bacterial biomass showed a regular and seasonally dependent pattern with maxima during early summer and autumn. The importance of different factors for the regulation of bacterial biomass is discussed. Three different approaches were used to estimate bacterial production. These resulted in an average production rate of 15–60 µg C · l^?1 · d^?1 during the growing season. It was concluded that allochthonous sources comprised a significant part of the energy supply to the bacteria in the two humic lakes.     

Zooplankton spatial patterns in two lakes with contrasting fish community structure

Horizontal and temporal patterns in crustacean zooplankton communities were analyzed in two small, oligotrophic lakes which were morphologically and chemically similar, but had contrasting fish communities. Ranger Lake was dominated by two bass species and the planktivores numbered < 25 ind. ha^–1. Mouse Lake had no large piscivores and planktivores numbered > 1200 ind. ha^–1. There were significant differences in the distribution of zooplankton taxa and size classes between sampling stations. In Ranger Lake, the smallest size classes were more abundant at the deeper stations and the larger individuals were more abundant at the shallower stations. In Mouse Lake, the smaller individuals were more common at the shallow stations and the larger individuals were more common at the deeper stations. These differences suggest medium scale patterns induced by vectorial forces, but modified by species specific migration patterns. We tested the hypothesis that horizontal heterogeneity should be influenced by planktivore density and found that none of the taxa showed significant between-lake differences in the variance-mean regressions. We also tested the hypothesis that larger taxa should be more heterogeneous and we found that cladocerans were more heterogeneous than copepods and nauplii. In terms of sampling methodology our data suggest that the between-station variability was so high that a single mid-lake sample would certainly lead to completely unacceptable errors in the estimation of population densities and biomasses.