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Heterotrophic bacterial and viral dynamics in Arctic freshwaters: results from a field study and nutrient-temperature manipulation experiments

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Abstract

Heterotrophic bacterial and viral concentrations (range, 0.7 × 104 to 206.2 × 104 ml−1 and 0.05 × 106 to 128.9 × 106 ml−1, respectively) were determined in several Arctic freshwater environments, including lakes and glacial ecosystems (78.55°N, 11.56°E). Our bacteria and virus results mirrored trends seen in temperate lakes, with an average virus-to-bacteria ratio (VBR) of 13 (range, 7.3–25.2) and viral concentrations and DOC positively correlated with bacterial concentrations (R  = 0.964, P < 0.01 and R  = 0.813, P < 0.05, respectively). Lysogenic bacteria, determined by induction with Mitomycin C, were not detected in any of the investigated Arctic freshwater environments. Nutrient-addition experiments at in situ and at elevated temperatures were performed to elucidate the factors which influenced the bacterial growth and the virus–bacteria interactions in Arctic freshwaters. Our results suggest that multiple limiting factors interacted and constrained bacterial growth. Bacterial concentrations and doubling times increased at elevated temperatures and appeared to be co-stimulated by phosphorus and carbon. However, viral concentrations showed a lack of response to nutrient addition thus indicating an uncoupling between bacteria and viruses in the experiment.

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Acknowledgments

This work was funded by VR the Swedish Reasearch Council held by W Granéli and the Nuffield Foundation held by A Anesio. We are indebted to Nick Cox the Station Manager of the NERC Arctic Station for assistance with fieldwork. Thanks are due to three anonymous reviewers for valuable comments on an earlier draft of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Climate Impacts Research Centre (CIRC), Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, 901 87, Umeå, Sweden

    C. Säwström

  2. Institute for the Environment, Physical Sciences and Applied Mathematics, University of Keele, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, UK

    J. Laybourn-Parry

  3. Department of Limnology, Ecology Building, Lund University, Lund, 223 62, Sweden

    W. Granéli

  4. Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Wales, Aberystwyth, SY23 3DA, UK

    A. M. Anesio

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  1. C. Säwström
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  2. J. Laybourn-Parry
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  3. W. Granéli
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  4. A. M. Anesio
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Correspondence to C. Säwström.

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Säwström, C., Laybourn-Parry, J., Granéli, W. et al. Heterotrophic bacterial and viral dynamics in Arctic freshwaters: results from a field study and nutrient-temperature manipulation experiments. Polar Biol 30, 1407–1415 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-007-0301-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-007-0301-3

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