Abstract
Respiratory activity (ETS), ectoenzymatic activity (β-glucosidase and β-xylosidase) and photosynthetic 14C-bicarbonate incorporation in the biofilm were measured in a shaded stream during a colonization sequence (43 days) on artificial substrates (unglazed clay tiles) and compared with older (aged) tiles. In the first five days bacterial densities and ectoenzyme activities showed a sharp increase. After two weeks, algal density, chlorophyll and productivity increased moderately. Chlorophyll did not reach similar values to those of the aged biofilms until the last day of colonization. Photosynthetic activity seemed to be relevant to the heterotrophs metabolism during substrate colonization, as could be deduced from the significant correlation between β-glucosidase and 14C-bicarbonate incorporation, algal cell densities and chlorophyll. Respiratory activity (ETS) decreased in the older biofilms, accordingly to their higher algal and bacterial density. Younger biofilms (up to 8 days old) showed higher ETS activity per cell, indicating a fast response of microorganisms to substrate availability.
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Sabater, S., Romaní, A.M. Metabolic changes associated with biofilm formation in an undisturbed Mediterranean stream. Hydrobiologia 335, 107–113 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00015272
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00015272