Abstract
The surface microlayer population of two estuarine sites was sampled to determine the numbers of bacteria present. Random isolates from one site were examined taxonomically, with subsurface and sediment samples taken for comparison. There were 130 to 5000 times more bacterial cells per ml in the surface microlayer as compared to the subsurface water, agreeing with the observations of other investigators. The surface population was found to be different taxonomically from the subsurface and sediment isolates. Pseudomonads predominated among the surface isolates while ca. onethird of the subsurface isolates werePseudomonas species.Alcaligenes species were found only in the subsurface population and comprised nearly one-half of these isolates. The majority of the surface and subsurface bacteria required no salts for growth, whereas most of the sediment bacterial isolates required either Na+ or Mg++.
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Submitted to the Biology Dept. of UNCC in partial fulfillment of the M.S. Degree.
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Fehon, W.C., Oliver, J.D. Taxonomy and distribution of surface microlayer bacteria from two estuarine sites. Estuaries 2, 194–197 (1979). https://doi.org/10.2307/1351735
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/1351735