Role of Bacteria in the Carbon and Nitrogen Flow between Water‐Column and Sediment in a Shallow Marine Bay (Bay of Piran, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Author(s)
G. J. Herndl, J. Faganeli, N. Fanuko, P. Peduzzi, V. Turk
Abstract

Abstract. The interdependences between phytoplankton standing crop, bacterial biomass and the dissolved organic matter (DOM) pool in the water column were investigated and related to sediment parameters in a shallow marine bay (Bay of Piran, Northern Adriatic Sea) over an annual cycle. Bacterioplankton density varied between 1–10 × 105 cells ml‐1, with lowest density observed in March corresponding to the low Chi a concentrations during this period. Generation times as determined by dialysis incubations ranged between 4h (June) and 82 h (March). Mean bacterial secondary production rates during summer were about 40 mg C m‐1 d‐1 and 5mg C m‐3.d‐1 during winter. With a short time lag, DOM concentrations followed the fluctuation in Chi a. Sediment oxygen demand measurements revealed a mean mineralization rate of about 260 mg C m‐2 d‐1 during summer and 100–200 mg C m‐2 d‐1 in winter. Sediment bacterial density varied between 108 ‐ 109 cells g (sediment dry wt)‐1 in the top 5 cm sediment layer or, in terms of biomass, 4.3 g C m‐l during summer and 0.6 g C m‐2 during winter. Highest concentrations of DOM in pore waters were measured in September, coinciding with high rates of sediment oxygen demand.

Organisation(s)
Functional and Evolutionary Ecology
External organisation(s)
National Institute of Biology
Journal
Marine Ecology
Volume
8
Pages
221-236
No. of pages
16
ISSN
0173-9565
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0485.1987.tb00185.x
Publication date
01-1987
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
106022 Microbiology
Keywords
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Aquatic Science, Ecology
Sustainable Development Goals
SDG 14 - Life Below Water
Portal url
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/role-of-bacteria-in-the-carbon-and-nitrogen-flow-between-watercolumn-and-sediment-in-a-shallow-marine-bay-bay-of-piran-northern-adriatic-sea(6b62b7d7-126a-4202-949d-1c1a08069187).html