Annual cycles of bacterioplankton biomass and production suggest a general switch between temperature and resource control in temperate coastal ecosystems

• Published in: Journal of plankton research Vol. 36; no. 3; pp. 859 - 865
• Main Authors: Calvo-Díaz, Alejandra, Franco-Vidal, Leticia, Morán, Xosé Anxelu G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Oxford University Press 01.05.2014
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Bacteria; Biological and medical sciences; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Synecology; ANE, Europe, Biscay Bay; bacterial production; bacterial biomass; bottom-up; temperature control; continental shelf waters; Bacterioplankton; Temperature; Plankton; Ecosystem; Environmental factor; Biomass; Cycle
• ISSN: 0142-7873; 1464-3774
• DOI: 10.1093/plankt/fbu022

Factors regulating the biomass and flux of organic carbon through heterotrophic bacterioplankton were examined monthly in the southern Bay of Biscay during 2006 and 2007. Temperature and resource supply were able to explain significantly changes in bacterial biomass (539–1389 mg C m−2) and production (5.4–93 mg C m−2 day−1), although at different periods of the year. A switch between the relative strength of both factors in the spring–summer transition seems to be a general feature in temperate coastal waters.