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Glycolate turnover in the water column of the New York Bight apex

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Abstract

Heterotrophic bacterial uptake and turnover of glycolate were measured in the water column of the New York Bight apex during four seasonal cruises over almost a one-year period between May 1977 and March 1978. Glycolate turnover was most rapid in May and July, when primary productivity and estuarine runoff were high. Extremely rapid glycolate turnover times (<1 h) were detected at some stations during these months. Increased bacterial glycolate tunover did not accompany increased primary productivity in March, when water temperatures were lowest. Glycolate flux calculations indicate that the measured rates of glycolate consumption by bacteria always exceeded estimated glycolate production by phytoplankton, except in March. This excess may reflect an underestimation of phytoplankton production or the input of glycolate from other sources, such as estuarine runoff. Glycolate utilization appears to be seasonally important to bacteria in the New York Bight apex, coinciding with fluctuations in phytoplankton primary productivity.

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Author notes

  1. H. M. Edenborn

    Present address: Oak Ridge Research Institute, 113 Union Valley Road, 37830, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA

  2. C. D. Litchfield

    Present address: Chemicals and Pigments Department, Chambers Works Technical Laboratory, E. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Co., Inc., 08023, Deepwater, New Jersey, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, Rutgers-the State University, 08903, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA

    H. M. Edenborn & C. D. Litchfield

  2. the Center for Coastal and Environmental Studies, Rutgers-the State University, 08903, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA

    H. M. Edenborn & C. D. Litchfield

Authors
  1. H. M. Edenborn
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  2. C. D. Litchfield
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Communicated by R. W. Doyle, Halifax

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Edenborn, H.M., Litchfield, C.D. Glycolate turnover in the water column of the New York Bight apex. Mar. Biol. 95, 459–467 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00409575

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