Observations on the Microbial Biomass in two Stations of Terra Nova Bay (Antarctica) by ATP and LPS Measurements |
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| Authors: | R La Ferla A Allegra F Azzaro S Greco E Crisafi |
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| Institution: | Istituto Sperimentale Talassografico, CNR. Spianata S. Raineri 84, 1–98100 Messina. Italy. |
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| Abstract: | Abstract. This paper reports on the temporal distribution of microbial biomass, over a I-month survey during austral suinmer 1990. at two sampling stations in Terra Nova Bay (Antarctica) by means of biochemical methodologies such as ATP (adenosine triphosphate) and LPS (lipopolysaccharides). Microbial estimates. derived from ATP measurements. showed an unstable temporal trend and a range characteristic for water with low or. seldom. moderate trophism. Biomass decreased with increasing depth. and photo-autotrophic organisms seem to dominate the whole microbial assemblage. The bacterial population, as derived from LPS determinations, did not show much variability and was well-correlated to other microbiological and chemical parameters. Our data showed that larger mic-roplankters were dominant. but that sometimes pico-sized organisms contributed about 60% to the microbial biomass; this emphasizes the 'still poorly-known' importance of microbes in Antarctic food webs. |
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| Keywords: | Antarctica microbial biomass ATP LPS |
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