Skip to main content
PMC home page
Applied and Environmental Microbiology logoLink to Applied and Environmental Microbiology
. 1994 Aug;60(8):2746–2753. doi: 10.1128/aem.60.8.2746-2753.1994

Bacterial Standing Stock, Activity, and Carbon Production during Formation and Growth of Sea Ice in the Weddell Sea, Antarctica †

Sönnke Grossmann 1,*, Gerhard S Dieckmann 1
PMCID: PMC201718  PMID: 16349347

Abstract

Bacterial response to formation and growth of sea ice was investigated during autumn in the northeastern Weddell Sea. Changes in standing stock, activity, and carbon production of bacteria were determined in successive stages of ice development. During initial ice formation, concentrations of bacterial cells, in the order of 1 × 108 to 3 × 108 liter-1, were not enhanced within the ice matrix. This suggests that physical enrichment of bacteria by ice crystals is not effective. Due to low concentrations of phytoplankton in the water column during freezing, incorporation of bacteria into newly formed ice via attachment to algal cells or aggregates was not recorded in this study. As soon as the ice had formed, the general metabolic activity of bacterial populations was strongly suppressed. Furthermore, the ratio of [3H]leucine incorporation into proteins to [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA changed during ice growth. In thick pack ice, bacterial activity recovered and growth rates up to 0.6 day-1 indicated actively dividing populations. However, biomass-specific utilization of organic compounds remained lower than in open water. Bacterial concentrations of up to 2.8 × 109 cells liter-1 along with considerably enlarged cell volumes accumulated within thick pack ice, suggesting reduced mortality rates of bacteria within the small brine pores. In the course of ice development, bacterial carbon production increased from about 0.01 to 0.4 μg of C liter-1 h-1. In thick ice, bacterial secondary production exceeded primary production of microalgae.

Full text

PDF
2746

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Børsheim K. Y., Bratbak G., Heldal M. Enumeration and biomass estimation of planktonic bacteria and viruses by transmission electron microscopy. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1990 Feb;56(2):352–356. doi: 10.1128/aem.56.2.352-356.1990. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Fuhrman J. A., Azam F. Bacterioplankton secondary production estimates for coastal waters of british columbia, antarctica, and california. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1980 Jun;39(6):1085–1095. doi: 10.1128/aem.39.6.1085-1095.1980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Hobbie J. E., Daley R. J., Jasper S. Use of nuclepore filters for counting bacteria by fluorescence microscopy. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1977 May;33(5):1225–1228. doi: 10.1128/aem.33.5.1225-1228.1977. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Kirchman D., Ducklow H., Mitchell R. Estimates of bacterial growth from changes in uptake rates and biomass. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1982 Dec;44(6):1296–1307. doi: 10.1128/aem.44.6.1296-1307.1982. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Kirchman D., Hodson R. Inhibition by peptides of amino Acid uptake by bacterial populations in natural waters: implications for the regulation of amino Acid transport and incorporation. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1984 Apr;47(4):624–631. doi: 10.1128/aem.47.4.624-631.1984. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Kirchman D., K'nees E., Hodson R. Leucine incorporation and its potential as a measure of protein synthesis by bacteria in natural aquatic systems. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1985 Mar;49(3):599–607. doi: 10.1128/aem.49.3.599-607.1985. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Kirchman D., Sigda J., Kapuscinski R., Mitchell R. Statistical analysis of the direct count method for enumerating bacteria. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1982 Aug;44(2):376–382. doi: 10.1128/aem.44.2.376-382.1982. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Sullivan C. W., Palmisano A. C. Sea Ice Microbial Communities: Distribution, Abundance, and Diversity of Ice Bacteria in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica, in 1980. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1984 Apr;47(4):788–795. doi: 10.1128/aem.47.4.788-795.1984. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Wiebe W. J., Sheldon W. M., Pomeroy L. R. Bacterial growth in the cold: evidence for an enhanced substrate requirement. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1992 Jan;58(1):359–364. doi: 10.1128/aem.58.1.359-364.1992. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Wright R. T. Measurement and significance of specific activity in the heterotrophic bacteria of natural waters. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1978 Aug;36(2):297–305. doi: 10.1128/aem.36.2.297-305.1978. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Zwally H. J., Parkinson C. L., Comiso J. C. Variability of antarctic sea ice: and changes in carbon dioxide. Science. 1983 Jun 3;220(4601):1005–1012. doi: 10.1126/science.220.4601.1005. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Applied and Environmental Microbiology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES