La Microbiologia marina en la dècada dels vuitanta: present i futur

Abstract

In the broad fields of Marine Biology and Oceanography, Marine Microbiology has been an area that until recently has received little attention by microbiologists and marine biologists. Recent discoveries and the economic support that this branch of science has received during the past sixties and seventies, mainly in the Anglo-Saxon countries, have made it possible for marine microbiology to reach a place of honor in the world of biological research. By reason of the 50th aniversary of the Institucio Catalana d'Historia Natural the author presents the state of the research at the beginning of the eighties and the future necessities in the study of the microorganisms -bacteria and viruses mainly-, that live in the sea or end up in this habitat. The subject reviewed is very broad and the text has been divided in a series of 21 parts, many of them subdivided, that cover both the applied aspects of the field and the basic problems of marine microbiology. The paper begins with an introduction and a synopsis of the areas of study in modern marine microbiology (Parts 1 and 2), and goes on by reviewing applied aspects like bacterial and viral pollution of the sea (Part 3), and the interrelationships between marine bacteria and chemical pollution, covering xenobiotic compounds, metals, metalloids and hydrocarbons (Part 4). Next, the paper reviews the present state of research on pathogenic bacteria autochotonous to the marine environment (ecology, taxonomy, toxigenicity) (Part 5) and ends up this section with a revision of the real and potential interrelationships between marine microbiology and industry (Part 6). The basic aspects of marine microbial ecology are dealt with in a series of thirteen parts under the following titles: «Biomass and activity of procariotes in the marine habitats» (Part 7, subdivided in: «Biomass and productivity in the waters», «Biomass and activity in the sediments», and «Viable counting techniques and modern marine microbiology»). Part 8 covers topics more or less directly related to marine bacteria and secondary production and is subdivided into: «Dissolved organic matter and marine bacteria», «Marine bacteria and particulate matter», «Heterotrophic bacteria and excretion of organic compounds by photosynthetic Organisms», «Marine bacteria and nutrient excretion by animals» and «Bacterivorous animals in the sea». Part 9 includes discussions on a few subjects that have recently received a considerable interest by marine microbiologists: «New fields of research of marine microbiology in the pico and nanoplankton». «Microbial life in deep sea vents» in the title of Part 10 covers this most interesting subject under the subheading «Discovery and characteristics of the habitat», «Bacteria as primary producers in the submarine deep sea oases», «Is there microbial life above 100 oC in the submarine oases?» and «Other areas colonized by thermophilic prokariotes in the bottom of the seas». The classical subjects of barophily and psychrophily are covered in parts 11 and 12 under the headings: «Barophilism and marine microbiology» and «Psychrophily and marine microbiology». «Manganese nodules and marine bacteria» is the title of part 13, whereas «The microbiology of surfaces in the marine habitat» heads part 14 and reviews this most important area of research in nowadays general microbial ecology. The classical problem about the presence and activity of attached versus free living marine bacteria is reviewed in part 15: «Free living planktonic bacteria and attached bacteria». Marine habitats present a frequent nutrient challenge to the microscopic organisms because extensive areas of the sea are oligotrophic. The adaptation problems that this fact poses to bacteria and the research that is done to find the structural and biochemical adaptations of prokariotes to a nutrient poor environment are covered in part 16: «Adaptations to starvation: oligotrophism and marine microbiology». Part 17, «Miscellaneous aspects of the research on the physiology and ecology of marine bacteria», includes study areas that have not been treated in the previous parts. Part 18, «The biogeochemical cycles of the elements. Marine microbiology in the sediments» comments on selected topics in the field of microbially based marine biogeochemistry, with a special mention to sedimentary related processes. Under «Other study areas of marine microbiology» (Part 19), the author presents a few topics that have escaped the previous classification. The state of research on marine microbiology in the Catalans Countries is finally briefly reviewed (Part 20 ). The paper ends with a «Final words» section (Part 21) where the future and perspectives of the branch of microbiology that deals with marine microorganisms in the Catalan speaking countries is outlined.