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Autotrophic carbon sources for heterotrophic bacterioplankton in a floodplain lake of central Amazon

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Abstract

The relative contribution of autotrophic carbon sources (aquatic macrophytes, flooded forest, phytoplankton) for heterotrophic bacterioplankton was evaluated in a floodplain lake of the Central Amazon. Stable carbon isotopes (δ13C) were used as tracers. Values of δ13C of different autotrophic sources were compared to those of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and those of bacterially produced CO2.

The percentage of carbon derived from C4 macrophytes for bacterially produced CO2 was the highest, on average 89%. The average δ13C value of CO2 from bacterial respiration was −18.5 ± 3.3‰. Considering a fractionation of CO2 of 3‰ by bacterial respiration, δ13C value was −15.5‰, near C4 macrophyte δ13C value (−13.1‰).

The average value of total DOC δ13C was −26.8 ± 2.4‰. The percentage of C4 macrophytes carbon for total DOC was on average 17%. Considering that bacteria consume mainly carbon from macrophytes, the dominance of C3 plants for total DOC probably reflects a faster consumption of the former source, rather than a major contribution of the latter source.

Heterotrophic bacterioplankton in the floodplain may be an important link in the aquatic food web, transferring the carbon from C4 macrophytes to the consumers.

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  1. Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias, Departamento de Ciências Pesqueiras, Campus Universitário, Av. Gal. Rodrigo Otávio Jordão Ramos 3000, 69077-000, Manaus-Amazonas, Brazil

    Andrea Viviana Waichman

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Waichman, A.V. Autotrophic carbon sources for heterotrophic bacterioplankton in a floodplain lake of central Amazon. Hydrobiologia 341, 27–36 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00012300

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