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Distribution of Bacteria, Picophytoplankton, and Flagellates in the Mekong Delta

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Abstract—

For the first time in the Mekong delta (Vietnam), the abundance and biomass of the main components of the planktonic microbial food web, and namely: bacteria, picophytoplankton, and heterotrophic and phototrophic flagellates were determined; the features of their spatial distribution and the species diversity of heterotrophic flagellates were studied. In this productive polluted tropical river ecosystem, heterotrophic bacteria were large in size and their biomass reached high values characteristic of hypertrophic waters. They made the main contribution (73.8%, on average) to the formation of the total biomass of the planktonic microbial community. The contribution of picophytoplankton and heterotrophic and phototrophic flagellates was 20.5, 3.9, and 1.9%, respectively. Twenty-nine species and forms of heterotrophic flagellates belonging to eight large taxa and a group of uncertain taxonomic position were identified.

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Funding

This study was conducted within the framework of a State Assignment, project no. 121051100102-2. Field studies in the Mekong River Delta were conducted under financial and organizational support of the Joint Russian–Vietnamese Tropical Center.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Papanin Institute for Biology of Inland Waters, Russian Academy of Sciences, 152742, Borok, Nekouzskii raion, Yaroslavl oblast, Russia

    D. B. Kosolapov, N. G. Kosolapova & A. I. Tsvetkov

  2. Cherepovets State University, 162600, Cherepovets, Vologda oblast, Russia

    D. B. Kosolapov

  3. Russian-Vietnamese Tropical Research and Technological Center, Southern Branch, District 11, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

    Dinh Nguyen Ku

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  1. D. B. Kosolapov
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  2. N. G. Kosolapova
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  3. A. I. Tsvetkov
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  4. Dinh Nguyen Ku
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Correspondence to D. B. Kosolapov.

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Statement on the welfare of animals. All applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed.

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Translated by N. Ruban

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Kosolapov, D.B., Kosolapova, N.G., Tsvetkov, A.I. et al. Distribution of Bacteria, Picophytoplankton, and Flagellates in the Mekong Delta. Biol Bull Russ Acad Sci 49, 214–224 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1062359022030098

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1062359022030098

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