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Heterotrophic Bacteria Show Weak Competition for Nitrogen in Mediterranean Coastal Waters (Thau Lagoon) in Autumn

  • Microbiology of Aquatic Systems
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Abstract

The importance of heterotrophic bacteria relative to phytoplankton in the uptake of ammonium and nitrate was studied in Mediterranean coastal waters (Thau Lagoon) during autumn, when the Mediterranean Sea received the greatest allochthonous nutrient loads. Specific inhibitors and size-fractionation methods were used in combination with isotopic 15N tracers. NO3 and NH4 + uptake was dominated by phytoplankton (60 % on average) during the study period, which included a flood event. Despite lower biomass specific NH4 + and NO3 uptake rates, free-living heterotrophic bacteria contributed significantly (>30 %) to total microbial NH4 + and NO3 uptake rates in low chlorophyll waters. Under these conditions, heterotrophic bacteria may be responsible for more than 50 % of primary production, using very little freshly produced phytoplankton exudates. In low chlorophyll coastal waters as reported during the present 3-month study, the heterotrophic bacteria seemed to depend to a greater extent on allochthonous N and C substrates than on autochthonous substrates derived from phytoplankton.

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Acknowledgments

This study was part of the RESTHAU project (2007–2010) “Impact of river loadings on microbial communities from Thau Lagoon” funded by the national EC2CO program and coordinated by E. Fouilland. A. Trottet received a postdoctoral fellowship from The University of Montpellier II. We would like to thank M. Cantou (SMEL, UM2) for his assistance during sampling, P. Raimbault (LMGEM—UMR 6117, Campus de Luminy, Marseilles) for performing the stable isotope analyses and IFREMER Sète for providing us with the solar radiation data. We thank the two reviewers for their constructive and valuable comments, which helped us to improve the manuscript. This project used the facilities of the Mediterranean Center of Marine Ecosystem Experimental Research MEDIMEER funded by UMR 5119 ECOSYM “Ecologie des Systèmes Marins Côtiers”, CNRS Institute of Ecology and Environment (InEE), University of Montpellier 2, IFR 129 Armand Sabatier, CNRS-GDR2476 Réseaux Trophiques Aquatiques, and Région Languedoc-Roussillon.

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Correspondence to Eric Fouilland.

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Trottet, A., Leboulanger, C., Vidussi, F. et al. Heterotrophic Bacteria Show Weak Competition for Nitrogen in Mediterranean Coastal Waters (Thau Lagoon) in Autumn. Microb Ecol 71, 304–314 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-015-0658-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-015-0658-8

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