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Bacterial Growth Efficiency in a Tropical Estuary: Seasonal Variability Subsidized by Allochthonous Carbon

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Abstract

Bacterial growth efficiency (BGE) is a key factor in understanding bacterial influence on carbon flow in aquatic ecosystems. We report intra-annual variability in BGE, and bacteria-mediated carbon flow in the tropical Mandovi and Zuari estuaries (southwest India) and the adjoining coastal waters (Arabian Sea). BGE ranged from 3% to 61% and showed clear temporal variability with significantly (ANOVA, p < 0.01) higher values in the estuaries (mean, 28 ± 14%) than coastal waters (mean, 12 ± 6%). The greater variability of BGE in the estuaries than coastal waters suggest some systematic response to nutrient composition and the variability of dissolved organic matter pools, as BGE was governed by bacterial secondary production (BP). Monsoonal rains and its accompanied changes brought significant variability in BGE and bacterial productivity/primary productivity (BP/PP) ratio when compared to nonmonsoon seasons in the estuaries and coastal waters. High BP/PP ratio (>1) together with high carbon flux through bacteria (>100% of primary productivity) in the estuarine and coastal waters suggests that bacterioplankton consumed dissolved organic carbon in excess of the amount produced in situ by phytoplankton of this region, which led to the mismatch between primary production of carbon and amount of carbon consumed by bacteria. Despite the two systems being subsidized by allochthonous inputs, the low BGE in the coastal waters may be attributable to the nature and time interval in the supply of allochthonous carbon.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. D. L. Kirchman (University of Delaware), Dr. B. Biddanda (Grand Valley State University, USA), Dr. K. Kogure (Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo, Japan), and Dr. T. Nagata (Centre for Ecological Research, Kyoto University, Japan) for their valuable comments and suggestions. This research was supported by the grant from the Office of Naval Research (USA) under the Indo-US collaborative project on Trophic Dynamics. ASP is supported by a Senior Research Fellowship grant from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi. NIO contribution no. 4150

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Ecological Research, Kyoto University, 2-509-3 Hirano, Otsu, Shiga, 520-2113, Japan

    A. S. Pradeep Ram

  2. Biological Oceanography Division, National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa, 403 004, India

    Shanta Nair & D. Chandramohan

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  1. A. S. Pradeep Ram
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  2. Shanta Nair
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  3. D. Chandramohan
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Correspondence to Shanta Nair.

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Pradeep Ram, A.S., Nair, S. & Chandramohan, D. Bacterial Growth Efficiency in a Tropical Estuary: Seasonal Variability Subsidized by Allochthonous Carbon. Microb Ecol 53, 591–599 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-006-9124-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-006-9124-y

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