Population, biomass, and production of heterotrophic bacteria in reservoirs of the Upper Volga

Abstract

Populations, biomasses, and production rates of planktonic, epiphytic, and benthic bacterial communities were defined in two reservoirs of the upper Volga, and their contributions to total numbers of bacteria and productivity were estimated. Populations and production rates of heterotrophic bacteria in 1-cm3 samples of bottom sediments exceed fouling of higher aquatic plants by a factor of 101–102, and in the water layers by a factor of 103–104. In mesotrophic Rybinsk and eutrophic Ivankovskoye reservoirs, benthic bacteria account for 90.4% and 98.8% of the total biomass, and 99.5% and 95.8% of total heterotrophic bacterial products, respectively. In these reservoirs, dissolved organic carbon accounts for 9.55% and 1.19% of the biomass and 4.12% and 0.45% of production, and epiphytic bacteria account for 0.05% and 0.03% of the biomass and 0.03% and 0.02% of production. These findings suggest important roles of benthic bacterial populations in reservoirs of the upper Volga.