DECOMPOSITION IN ESTUARINE ECOSYSTEMS

SUMMARY

The varied sources of estuarine plant detritus and the processes and organisms involved in its decomposition are discussed in this review. In the case of emergent and peripheral vegetation, microbial decomposition commences in the phylloplane, with fairly rapid leaching of DOM occurring soon after immersion. Residual POM, largely cellulose, is decomposed more slowly by cellulolytic micro-organisms. Phytoplankton start contributing to the DOM pool before senescence by excreting soluble substances during normal metabolism and interesting regulatory mechanisms are Involved in the bacterial utilization of this material. Bacteria play a more important role than fungi in decomposition and the latter appear to be prominent only in the breakdown of mangrove litter. Predaceous microflagellates and other protists occur in association with the bacteria and feed on them, enhancing decomposition by maintaining optimal bacterial growth rates. They appear to play a more important role in mineralization than do the bacteria, which are more effective in the conservation of nutrients upon which their efficiency of detritus incorporation Is dependent. Aerobic decomposition tends to terminate in complete mineralization, whereas under anaerobic conditions incomplete oxidation yields organic end products such as volatile fatty acids. A comparison of this process with the functioning of the herbivore rumen leads to the conclusion that the latter is more cost-effective in energy terms. Contrary to earlier published statements that estuaries are major exporters of energy in the form of detritus, many export very little of this material, or are net importers. Finally, the methods for studying decomposition in estuaries must be carefully chosen because of the environmental diversity of these systems. This is particularly true of radio-labelled substrates used for uptake and turnover studies; there appears to be no universal substrate or approach.     

Allochthonous dissolved organic matter as an energy source for pelagic bacteria and the concept of the microbial loop

Substantial evidence exists that allochthonous dissolved organic matter (DOM) can provide an important carbon source for pelagic bacteria. On the other hand, it is implicit in the concept of the ‘microbial loop’ that the degradation of recalcitrant, allochthonous DOM should be retarded in the pelagic environment, as bacteria able to utilize recalcitrant DOM compounds for slow growth would be outcompeted by faster-growing bacteria utilizing more labile DOM compounds. Several possible solutions of this apparent paradox are suggested in this paper, including formation of labile DOM from recalcitrant DOM by e.g. photochemical reactions, and mechanisms enabling the maintenance of a metabolically diverse bacterioplankton. These mechanisms include an explanation analogous to Hutchinson's classical solution to the ‘paradox of plankton’, and differential mortality of different populations within the bacterioplankton enabled by selective grazing, infections by bacteriophages and predatory bacteria, and spatial micropatchiness.     

Bacterial Consumption of Humic and Non-Humic Low and High Molecular Weight DOM and the Effect of Solar Irradiation on the Turnover of Labile DOM in the Southern Ocean

The decomposition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in pelagic ecosystems is mediated primarily by heterotrophic bacteria, but transformation by short-wave solar radiation may play an important role in surface waters, in particular when humic substances constitute a substantial fraction of the DOM pool. Most of the studies examining bacterial decomposition and photochemical transformation of DOM stem from limnetic and coastal marine systems and much less information is available from oceanic environments. To examine the bacterial decomposition of humic and non-humic DOM in the Southern Ocean we carried out microcosm experiments in which we measured bacterial growth on isolated fractions of humic and non-humic DOM of the size classes <3 kDa and >3 kDa. Experiments carried out at the Polar Front showed a preferential bacterial growth on non-humic DOM and in particular on the size fraction <3 kDa. Bacterial growth, measured as bacterial biomass production, on non-humic DOM accounted for 74% to 88% of the total growth on all four DOM fractions. In experiments in the Antarctic circumpolar current and the coastal current under pack ice, bacterial growth was 6× lower than at the Polar Front, and humic and non-humic DOM was consumed to equal amounts. The size fraction <3 kDa was always preferred. Experiments examining the effect of solar radiation on the release of dissolved amino acids (DAA) and carbohydrates (DCHO) and their subsequent bacterial utilization showed a stimulating effect on glucose uptake and the release of DAA at the Polar Front but an inhibition in the eastern Weddell Sea. Ultraviolet-B was the most effective component of the solar radiation spectrum tested. Effects of UV-B on glucose uptake and release of DAA were positively correlated with concentrations of humic-bound DAA. The data imply that at low concentrations, e.g., <100 nM (amino acid equivalent), UV-irradiation reduces, whereas at concentrations >100 nM UV-irradiation stimulates glucose uptake and release of DAA as compared to dark conditions.     

Broad sampling and diverse biomarkers allow characterization of nearshore particulate organic matter

Suspended particulate organic matter (POM) is a primary food source for benthic and pelagic consumers in aquatic and marine ecosystems. POM is potentially composed of many sources including phytoplankton, bacteria, zooplankton and macrophyte (seaweed and seagrass) and terrestrial detritus. The relative importance of these sources to POM consumers is debated, in large part due to differing interpretations of stable isotope and fatty acid biomarkers. We investigated POM composition in a nearshore marine ecosystem using multiple methods including visual quantification of living and detrital components, multiple stable isotope (MSI) and fatty acid (FA) analyses. Sampling was conducted at multiple temporal and spatial scales to 1) determine the range of variability in POM biomarkers, 2) quantitatively evaluate δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N, δ³⁴S and FA biomarkers with proportional abundance of putative sources and 3) determine the availability of phytoplankton, macrophytes and terrestrial carbon in nearshore POM. Variation of total FA concentration and proportions, and δ¹³C and δ³⁴S were strongly correlated to phytoplankton abundance, at tidal and seasonal timescales. Using multivariate multiple regressions, MSI and FA explained 59.6% and 89.7% of the variation in POM composition, respectively. As phytoplankton abundance increased, total FA concentration increased concurrent to δ¹³C and δ³⁴S enrichment. In high detritus samples, bacterial FA and saturated FA were proportionally higher, corresponding to depletion of δ¹³C and δ³⁴S and enrichment of δ¹⁵N. We identify MSI and FA biomarkers that are good predictors of diatom, dinoflagellate and detrital contributions to the POM. The results of this multi‐scale study show that POM composition is highly dynamic and largely driven by phytoplankton abundance, with minor contributions from terrestrial or macrophyte subsidies. This quantitative approach provides novel and critical empirical information linking POM compositional dynamics to specific biomarkers that are commonly used for tracking energy subsidies and biogeochemical cycling in aquatic ecosystems.     

Qualitative importance of the microbial loop and plankton community structure in a eutrophic lake during a bloom of cyanobacteria

Plankton community structure and major pools and fluxes of carbon were observed before and after culmination of a bloom of cyanobacteria in eutrophic Frederiksborg Slotssø, Denmark. Biomass changes of heterotrophic nanoflagellates, ciliates, microzooplankton (50 to 140 μm), and macrozooplankton (larger than 140 μm) were compared to phytoplankton and bacterial production as well as micro- and macrozooplankton ingestion rates of phytoplankton and bacteria. The carbon budget was used as a means to examine causal relationships in the plankton community. Phytoplankton biomass decreased and algae smaller than 20 μm replacedAphanizomenon after the culmination of cyanobacteria. Bacterial net production peaked shortly after the culmination of the bloom (510 μg C liter^?1 d^?1 and decreased thereafter to a level of approximately 124 μg C liter^?1 d^?1. Phytoplankton extracellular release of organic carbon accounted for only 4–9% of bacterial carbon demand. Cyclopoid copepods and small-sized cladocerans started to grow after the culmination, but food limitation probably controlled the biomass after the collapse of the bloom. Grazing of micro- and macrozooplankton were estimated from in situ experiments using labeled bacteria and algae. Macrozooplankton grazed 22% of bacterial net production during the bloom and 86% after the bloom, while microzooplankton (nauplii, rotifers and ciliates larger than 50 μm) ingested low amounts of bacteria and removed 10–16% of bacterial carbon. Both macro-and microzooplankton grazed algae smaller than 20 μm, although they did not control algal biomass. From calculated clearance rates it was found that heterotrophic nanoflagellates (40–440 ml^?1) grazed 3–4% of the bacterial production, while ciliates smaller than 50 μm removed 19–39% of bacterial production, supporting the idea that ciliates are an important link between bacteria and higher trophic levels. During and after the bloom ofAphanizomenon, major fluxes of carbon between bacteria, ciliates and crustaceans were observed, and heterotrophic nanoflagellates played a minor role in the pelagic food web.     

Effects of human land use on the terrestrial and aquatic sources of fluvial organic matter in a temperate river basin (The Meuse River,Belgium)

The impact of human activities on the concentrations and composition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and particulate organic matter (POM) was investigated in the Walloon Region of the Meuse River basin (Belgium). Water samples were collected at different hydrological periods along a gradient of human disturbance (50 sampling sites ranging from 8.0 to 20,407 km²) and during a 1.5 year monitoring of the Meuse River at the city of Liège. This dataset was completed by the characterization of the DOM pool in groundwaters. The composition of DOM and POM was investigated through elemental (C:N ratios), isotopic (δ¹³C) and optical measurements including excitation emission matrix fluorescence with parallel factor analysis (EEM–PARAFAC). Land use was a major driver on fluvial OM composition at the regional scale of the Meuse Basin, the composition of both fluvial DOM and POM pools showing a shift toward a more microbial/algal and less plant/soil-derived character as human disturbance increased. The comparison of DOM composition between surface and groundwaters demonstrated that this pattern can be attributed in part to the transformation of terrestrial sources by agricultural practices that promote the decomposition of soil organic matter in agricultural lands and subsequent microbial inputs in terrestrial sources. In parallel, human land had contrasting effects on the autochthonous production of DOM and POM. While the in-stream generation of fresh DOM through biological activity was promoted in urban areas, summer autochthonous POM production was not influenced by land use. Finally, soil erosion by agricultural management practices favored the transfer of terrestrial organic matter via the particulate phase. Stable isotope data suggest that the hydrological transfer of terrestrial DOM and POM in human-impacted catchment are not subject to the same controls, and that physical exchange between these two pools of organic matter is limited.     

An assessment,using stable isotopes,of the importance of allochthonous organic carbon sources to the pelagic food web in Loch Ness

The natural abundance of stable isotopes (δ¹³C and δ¹³15N) was determined for components of the pelagic food web in Loch Ness, a deep oligotrophic lake in northern Scotland, and compared with values from the inflow rivers and the catchment vegetation. Phytoplankton δ¹³C was low compared to values reported from other lakes, possibly reflecting a high use of ¹³C-depleted carbon dioxide from respired organic matter before further isotopic fractionation during photosynthesis. Phytoplankton δ¹³C was appreciably lower than that of dissolved and particulate organic matter (DOM and POM) in the loch. The DOM and POM were evidently overwhelmingly of allochthonous origin and ultimately derived from terrestrial plant detritus. The distinctive δ¹³C values for phytoplankton and detritus in the loch allowed the use of food sources by grazing crustacean zooplankton to be assessed, and the contributions of phytoplankton carbon and detrital carbon to zooplankton total body carbon appeared to be about equal. Comparison of δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values for zooplankton and fish allowed assessment of trophic structure in the loch. The very high dependence of the pelagic food web in Loch Ness on allochthonous organic matter inputs from the catchment may be exceptional in a large lake, but has important implications for our understanding of lake ecosystem processes as well as for lake management.     

Interannual variability of Aureococcus anophagefferens in Quantuck Bay, Long Island: natural test of the DON hypothesis

This study examined benthic and pelagic rate processes from the perspective of benthic dissolved organic matter (DOM) and its possible role in Aureococcus anophagefferens population dynamics. Sampling was conducted in Quantuck Bay, Long Island, New York, at three times in the summer of 2000 and two times in the summer of 2001. A. anophagefferens exhibited a large bloom between the May and July 2000 sample periods, but a smaller bloom was captured in the September 2000 sampling. Densities throughout 2001 were significantly lower than during 2000. There were few differences in most parameters measured between years, but the largest difference was the seasonal increase in both particulate (POM) and dissolved organic matter (DOM) during 2000 that was not observed during 2001. In particular, DOP accumulated the most, followed by DON and DOC, which resulted in significant seasonal decreases in the C:N:P ratios of the DOM pools. On the contrary, changes in elemental ratios of POM were not observed. The seasonal accumulation of DON appeared to be driven largely (50%) by the flux of DON from the benthos in 2000, but during 2001, all measured DON fluxes were into the sediment from the water column. This is consistent with the lack of accumulation during this year. There was little evidence for changes in microzooplankton grazing pressure between 2000 and 2001, and therefore the accumulation of DON and DOP during 2000 could have provided a competitive advantage to A. anophagefferens over other picoalgal species (e.g., Synechococcus) resulting in the significant blooms observed in 2000.     

DNA-stable isotope probing (DNA-SIP) identifies marine sponge-associated bacteria actively utilizing dissolved organic matter (DOM)

Sponges possess exceptionally diverse associated microbial communities and play a major role in (re)cycling of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in marine ecosystems. Linking sponge-associated community structure with DOM utilization is essential to understand host–microbe interactions in the uptake, processing, and exchange of resources. We coupled, for the first time, DNA-stable isotope probing (DNA-SIP) with 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing in a sponge holobiont to identify which symbiotic bacterial taxa are metabolically active in DOM uptake. Parallel incubation experiments with the sponge Plakortis angulospiculatus were amended with equimolar quantities of unlabelled (¹²C) and labelled (¹³C) DOM. Seven bacterial amplicon sequence variants (ASVs), belonging to the phyla PAUC34f, Proteobacteria, Poribacteria, Nitrospirae, and Chloroflexi, were identified as the first active consumers of DOM. Our results support the predictions that PAUC34f, Poribacteria, and Chloroflexi are capable of organic matter degradation through heterotrophic carbon metabolism, while Nitrospirae may have a potential mixotrophic metabolism. We present a new analytical application of DNA-SIP to detect substrate incorporation into a marine holobiont with a complex associated bacterial community and provide new experimental evidence that links the identity of diverse sponge-associated bacteria to the consumption of DOM.     

Degradation of surface-water dissolved organic matter: influences of DOM chemical characteristics and microbial populations

The degree to which biodegradation of dissolved organic matter (DOM) depends on microbial community structure and source remains unknown. In this study, we concentrated the microbial biomass from two streams in northern Michigan and a dystrophic bog lake in northern Wisconsin with varying initial DOM concentration (6.7–78.8 mg C l^–1) and DOM chemical characteristics (e.g. DOM average molecular weights from 808–1887 Da). Each of the three microbial inocula was added to each of the three DOM sources at in situ population levels for a total of nine treatments. Changes in DOM concentration and bacterial productivity, along with chemical characteristics, were examined over 308 h. The [³H]-leucine incorporation method was used to measure microbial production. In two of three sampling sites, bacterial communities were most productive when metabolizing DOM in their native waters. A variable peak in productivity was seen between 16–48 h after inoculation, followed by a drop in productivity in most treatments, with periods of DOM production most likely due to microbial turnover. These data suggest that microbial communities are better able to degrade the DOM of their native habitats, suggesting that biodegradation of DOM is influenced by source-specific microbial species and DOM chemical characteristics.     

石灰土演替过程中颗粒态有机质和矿物结合态有机质的微生物群落特征

碳酸盐岩经风化作用并在地形、植被、气候、时间及生物等因素的影响下逐渐演替出黑色石灰土、棕色石灰土、黄色石灰土和红色石灰土。【目的】研究不同演替阶段石灰土颗粒态有机质(particulate organic matter, POM)和矿物结合态有机质(mineral-associated organic matter, MAOM)的微生物群落特征,为岩溶土壤有机质稳定机制研究提供理论依据。【方法】以广西弄岗国家级自然保护区的黑色石灰土、棕色石灰土、黄色石灰土和红色石灰土为研究对象,运用湿筛法将土壤有机质(soil organic matter, SOM)分为POM和MAOM,分析其理化性质以及微生物群落特征。【结果】石灰土演替过程中POM和MAOM的有机碳、总氮、交换性钙含量均呈下降趋势,且MAOM的C/N均大于POM,POM的C/P均大于MAOM。细菌α多样性在黑色石灰土POM和MAOM中最高,且四类石灰土MAOM的真菌多样性比POM要高。Acidobacteria、Proteobacteria、Ascomycota均为石灰土演替过程中POM和MAOM的优势菌门。总磷是影响石灰土演替过...     

Biomass production and assimilation of dissolved organic matter by SAR11 bacteria in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean

Members of the SAR11 clade often dominate the composition of marine microbial communities, yet their contribution to biomass production and the flux of dissolved organic matter (DOM) is unclear. In addition, little is known about the specific components of the DOM pool utilized by SAR11 bacteria. To better understand the role of SAR11 bacteria in the flux of DOM, we examined the assimilation of leucine (a measure of biomass production), as well as free amino acids, protein, and glucose, by SAR11 bacteria in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean. We found that when SAR11 bacteria were >25% of total prokaryotes, they accounted for about 30 to 50% of leucine incorporation, suggesting that SAR11 bacteria were major contributors to bacterial biomass production and the DOM flux. Specific growth rates of SAR11 bacteria either equaled or exceeded growth rates for the total prokaryotic community. In addition, SAR11 bacteria were typically responsible for a greater portion of amino acid assimilation (34 to 61%) and glucose assimilation (45 to 57%) than of protein assimilation (< or = 34%). These data suggest that SAR11 bacteria do not utilize various components of the DOM pool equally and may be more important to the flux of low-molecular-weight monomers than to that of high-molecular-weight polymers.     

Response of Bacterial Metabolic Activity to Riverine Dissolved Organic Carbon and Exogenous Viruses in Estuarine and Coastal Waters: Implications for CO2 Emission

A cross-transplant experiment between estuarine water and seawater was conducted to examine the response of bacterial metabolic activity to riverine dissolved organic carbon (DOC) input under virus-rich and virus-free conditions, as well as to exogenous viruses. Riverine DOC input increased bacterial production significantly, but not bacterial respiration (BR) because of its high lability. The bioavailable riverine DOC influenced bulk bacterial respiration in two contrasting ways; it enhanced the bulk BR by stimulating bacterial growth, but simultaneously reduced the cell-specific BR due to its high lability. As a result, there was little stimulation of the bulk BR by riverine DOC. This might be partly responsible for lower CO₂ degassing fluxes in estuaries receiving high sewage-DOC that is highly labile. Viruses restricted microbial decomposition of riverine DOC dramatically by repressing the growth of metabolically active bacteria. Bacterial carbon demand in the presence of viruses only accounted for 7–12% of that in the absence of viruses. Consequently, a large fraction of riverine DOC was likely transported offshore to the shelf. In addition, marine bacteria and estuarine bacteria responded distinctly to exogenous viruses. Marine viruses were able to infect estuarine bacteria, but not as efficiently as estuarine viruses, while estuarine viruses infected marine bacteria as efficiently as marine viruses. We speculate that the rapid changes in the viral community due to freshwater input destroyed the existing bacteria-virus relationship, which would change the bacterial community composition and affect the bacterial metabolic activity and carbon cycling in this estuary.     

Algae-bacteria interactions and their effects on aggregation and organic matter flux in the sea

Aggregation of algae, mainly of diatoms, is an important process in marine pelagic systems, often terminating phytoplankton blooms and leading to the sinking of particulate organic matter in the form of marine snow. This process has been studied extensively, but the specific role of heterotrophic bacteria has largely been neglected, mainly because field studies and most experimental work were performed under non-axenic conditions. We tested the hypothesis that algae-bacteria interactions are instrumental in aggregate dynamics and organic matter flux. A series of aggregation experiments has been carried out in rolling tanks with two marine diatoms typical of temperate regions (Skeletonema costatum and Thalassiosira rotula) in an axenic treatment and one inoculated with marine bacteria. Exponentially growing S. costatum and T. rotula exhibited distinctly different aggregation behavior. This was reflected by their strikingly different release of dissolved organic matter (DOM), transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) and protein-containing particles (CSP), as well as their bacterial biodegradability and recalcitrance. Cells of S. costatum aggregated only little and their bacterial colonization remained low. Dissolved organic matter, TEP and CSP released by this alga were largely consumed by free-living bacteria. In contrast, T. rotula aggregated rapidly and DOM, TEP and CSP released resisted bacterial consumption. Experiments conducted with T. rotula cultures in the stationary growth phase, however, showed rapid bacterial colonization and decomposition of algal cells. Our study highlights the importance of heterotrophic bacteria to control the development and aggregation of phytoplankton in marine systems.     

Seasonal variation of nutrients,organic carbon,ATP, and microbial standing crops in a vertical profile of Pyramid Lake,Nevada

Previous studies of Pyramid Lake, Nevada, led to the hypothesis that detritus could be an important food source for zooplankton because abundance of palatable algal species did not seem to be enough to support the zooplankton community throughout the year. Furthermore, a large portion of the annual primary productivity was attributed to a nonpalatable blue-green alga, Nodularia spumigena. We felt this alga became important to the Pyramid Lake aquatic community upon death, as edible detritus and a source of new nitrogen. Changes in pelagic detritus concentrations and microbial standing crops were monitored to determine the availability of these potential foods. Epilimnetic particulate organic carbon (POC) was primarily living phytoplankton. During holomixis and following spring primary production, hypolimnetic POC was 60–97% detrital, but these profundal POC concentrations were low (ca 650 µg l^-1). Detritus-bacteria aggregates were observed only following the September cyanophyte bloom. Although pelagic detritus availability for zooplankton was low, bacterial populations were sufficient to be at least a supplemental food source. Bacteria numbers ranged from 0.50 10⁶ to 24.7 10⁶ ml^-1 and increased in response to photosynthetic peaks. Microbial diversity, contribution to POC, and particle association were notable after July. The percentage of living carbon (assessed with ATP measurements) attributable to bacteria was highest in late summer and fall hypolimnetic samples. Patterns of change in organic phosphorus and nitrogen, the presence of a nitrogen-fixing cyanophyte, the N:P ratio, and results of other research demonstrated that non-nitrogen-fixing algae of Pyramid Lake are limited by inorganic nitrogen. The importance of N. spumigena to the aquatic community appeared to be as a source of new nitrogen, rather than as a forage; its mineralization is critical for the growth of palatable diatoms and green algae following winter mixing.     

Towards a budget of leaf litter decomposition in a first-order woodland stream

To construct a budget of carbon transformations occurring during leaf decomposition, alder leaves were placed in a woodland stream, later retrieved at weekly intervals, and rates of fungal and bacterial production, microbial respiration, and release of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and fine particulate organic matter (FPOM) were determined during short laboratory incubations. Carbon dioxide was the major decomposition product, explaining 17% of the microbially mediated leaf mass loss. DOM and FPOM were also important products (5 and 3% of total mass loss, respectively), whereas carbon flow to microbial biomass was low (2%). Fungal biomass in leaves always exceeded bacterial biomass (95–99% of total microbial biomass), but production of bacteria and fungi was similar, indicating that both types of microorganisms need to be considered when examining leaf decomposition in streams. Comparison of leaf mass loss in coarse and fine mesh bags revealed, in addition, that the shredder, Gammarus pulex, had a major impact on leaf decomposition in this study.     

Detritus as a potential food source for protozoans: utilization of fine particulate plant detritus by a heterotrophic flagellate, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chilomonas paramecium</Emphasis>, and a ciliate, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tetrahymena pyriformis</Emphasis>

We investigated the direct utilization of fine particulate detritus (dried and homogenized plant material in the size range of bacteria) as a food source for protozoans using axenic cultures of the cryptomonad, heterotrophic flagellate, Chilomonas paramecium, and the hymenostome ciliate, Tetrahymena pyriformis. When fed media containing only particulate detritus, these species revealed growth rates similar to those reported for field populations. The growth rates of Chilomonas fed exclusively particulate detritus were similar to those obtained on a bacterial diet. Considering the high percentage of detritus particles in the size range of bacteria in lakes, our results imply that direct utilization of detritus by protozoans may form an additional pathway of carbon in aquatic food webs that has generally been overlooked.     

Biomass Production and Assimilation of Dissolved Organic Matter by SAR11 Bacteria in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean

Members of the SAR11 clade often dominate the composition of marine microbial communities, yet their contribution to biomass production and the flux of dissolved organic matter (DOM) is unclear. In addition, little is known about the specific components of the DOM pool utilized by SAR11 bacteria. To better understand the role of SAR11 bacteria in the flux of DOM, we examined the assimilation of leucine (a measure of biomass production), as well as free amino acids, protein, and glucose, by SAR11 bacteria in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean. We found that when SAR11 bacteria were >25% of total prokaryotes, they accounted for about 30 to 50% of leucine incorporation, suggesting that SAR11 bacteria were major contributors to bacterial biomass production and the DOM flux. Specific growth rates of SAR11 bacteria either equaled or exceeded growth rates for the total prokaryotic community. In addition, SAR11 bacteria were typically responsible for a greater portion of amino acid assimilation (34 to 61%) and glucose assimilation (45 to 57%) than of protein assimilation (≤34%). These data suggest that SAR11 bacteria do not utilize various components of the DOM pool equally and may be more important to the flux of low-molecular-weight monomers than to that of high-molecular-weight polymers.     

Effect of detritus supply on trophic relationships within experimental benthic food webs. II. Microbial responses,fate and composition of decomposing detritus

The dynamics of bacterial, protozoan and fungal populations were examined in a long-term (40–55 wk) microcosm experiment designed to assess the effects of detritus supply on meiofauna-polychaete (Capitella capitata (Type I) Fabricius) interactions. Bacterial and protozoan numbers and bacterial growth rates were inversely correlated with population fluctuations of the polychaete at low (50 mg N · m^?2 · day ^?1) detritus supply, but did not correlate with fluctuating polychaete densities at two higher (100 and 150 mg N · m^?2 · day^?1) ration levels of detritus. Bacterial and protozoan numbers and bacterial growth rates did not correlate with standing amounts of detritus or with fungi or meiofauna at any of the detritus rations. Fungi were associated primarily with aggregates of detritus particles and fecal pellets produced by C. capitata.Labile (fiber-free) organic matter did not correlate with microbes or meiofauna, but was inversely correlated with population fluctuations of the polychaete C. capitata at all three ration levels of detritus. Polychaete fecal pellets accounted for most of the refractory matter in the tanks with C. capitata and did not accumulate in the sediments, suggesting that fecal pellets were continually being produced, broken apart and decomposed.Our experiments suggest that contradictions in previous studies on the effects of macroconsumers on microbes, especially bacteria, can be explained as a failure to consider the effects of detritus supply on microbial growth rates.     

Comparison of bacterial production in sediments, epiphyton and the pelagic zone of a lowland river

1. The microbial metabolism of organic matter in rivers has received little study compared with that of small streams. Therefore, we investigated the rate and location of bacterial production in a sixth‐order lowland river (Spree, Germany). To estimate the contribution of various habitats (sediments, epiphyton, and the pelagic zone) to total bacterial production, we quantified the contribution of these habitats to areal production by bacteria. 2. Large areas of the river bottom were characterized by loose and shifting sands of relatively homogenous particle size distribution. Aquatic macrophytes grew on 40% of the river bottom. Leaf areas of 2.8 m² m^?2 river bottom were found in a 6.6 km river stretch. 3. The epiphyton supported a bacterial production of 5–58 ng C cm^?2 h^?1. Bacterial production in the pelagic zone was 0.9–3.9 μg C L^?1 h^?1, and abundance was 4.0–7.8 × 10⁹ cells L^?1. Bacterial production in the uppermost 2 cm of sediments ranged from 1 to 8 μg C cm^?3 h^?1, and abundance from 0.84 to 6.7 × 10⁹ cells cm^?3. Bacteria were larger and more active in sediments than in the pelagic zone. 4. In spite of relatively low macrophyte abundance, areal production by bacteria in the pelagic zone was only slightly higher than in the epiphyton. Bacterial biomass in the uppermost 2 cm of sediments exceeded pelagic biomass by factors of 6–22, and sedimentary bacterial production was 17–35 times higher than in the overlying water column. 5. On a square meter basis, total bacterial production in the Spree was clearly higher than primary productivity. Thus, the lowland river Spree is a heterotrophic system with benthic processes dominating. Therefore, sedimentary and epiphytic bacterial productivity form important components of ecosystem carbon metabolism in rivers and shallow lakes. 6. The sediments are focal sites of microbial degradation of organic carbon in a sand‐bottomed lowland river. The presence of a lowland river section within a river continuum probably greatly changes the geochemical fluxes within the river network. This implies that current concepts of longitudinal biogeochemical relationships within river systems have to be revised.