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Primary Production in a Subtropical Stratified Coastal Lagoon—Contribution of Anoxygenic Phototrophic Bacteria

  • Microbiology of Aquatic Systems
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Abstract

Anaerobic anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria can be found in the suboxic waters of shallow stratified coastal systems, and may play important roles in the total primary production of subtropical stratified coastal lagoons. We investigated the spatiotemporal variability of light CO2 fixation and net oxygen production in the stratified Conceição Lagoon (Brazil) in summer and fall of 2007, as well as the contribution of bacteriochlorophyll a (BChl a)-containing bacteria to photosynthetically driven electron transfer. Both chlorophyll a (Chl a) and BChl a varied in space, while only BChl a varied in time (three-fold increase from summer to fall). In summer, net oxygen production and light CO2 fixation were correlated, with both having higher rates with higher Chl a concentrations in the enclosed region of the lagoon. In fall, CO2 fixation was decoupled from oxygen production. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis revealed that bacterial communities of oxic site 12 and suboxic site 33 formed one cluster, different from other oxic samples within the lagoon. In addition, BChl a/Chl a ratios at these sites were high, 40% and 45%, respectively. Light acted as the main factor controlling the BChl a concentration and CO2 fixation rates. High turbidity within the enclosed area of the lagoon explained high BChl a and decoupling between CO2 fixation and oxygen production in oxygenated waters. Contribution of purple sulfur bacteria to total bacterial density in suboxic waters was 1.2%, and their biomass contributed to a much higher percentage (12.2%) due to their large biovolume. Our results indicate a significant contribution of anaerobic anoxygenic bacteria to the primary production of the “dead zone” of Conceição Lagoon.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to A. Shu, T. G. Rosa, and A. da Silva for sampling assistance, T. Gandra for map editing assistance, and Dr. B. Spoganicz for sharing his laboratory and the help of his undergraduate students to process water samples. We wish to thank L. Yu for aid with the DGGE. Part of the research was funded by grant OCE-0550547 from the US National Science Foundation to MTS and from CAPES to PCA and MLSF.

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  1. Maria Luiza S. Fontes

    Present address: Laboratório de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular de Microorganismos, Departamento de Ecologia e Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Trindade, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil

  2. Marcelino T. Suzuki

    Present address: UPMC Univ Paris 06, UMR 7621, LOMIC, Observatoire Océanologique, F-66650, Banyuls/mer, France

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Oceanography, Federal University of Rio Grande, Av. Itália km 8, Campus Carreiros, Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

    Maria Luiza S. Fontes & Paulo C. Abreu

  2. Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, One Williams St, P.O. Box 38, Solomons, MD, 20688, USA

    Marcelino T. Suzuki

  3. College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment, University of Delaware, 700 Pilottown Rd, Lewes, DE, 19958, USA

    Matthew T. Cottrell

  4. CNRS, UMR 7621, LOMIC, Observatoire Océanologique, F-66651, Banyuls/mer, France

    Marcelino T. Suzuki

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  1. Maria Luiza S. Fontes
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Correspondence to Maria Luiza S. Fontes.

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Fontes, M.L.S., Suzuki, M.T., Cottrell, M.T. et al. Primary Production in a Subtropical Stratified Coastal Lagoon—Contribution of Anoxygenic Phototrophic Bacteria. Microb Ecol 61, 223–237 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-010-9739-x

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