Role of the bacterial community in the annual benthic metabolism of two contrasted temperate intertidal sites (Roscoff Aber Bay, France)

Abstract

MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections MEPS 344:39-48 (2007) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps06947 Role of the bacterial community in the annual benthic metabolism of two contrasted temperate intertidal sites (Roscoff Aber Bay, France) Cédric Hubas1,2,*, Luis Felipe Artigas1, Dominique Davoult2 1FRE 2816 ELICO, Université du Littoral Côte d'Opale, Maison de la Recherche en Environnement Naturel, 32 av. Foch, Wimereux 62930, France 2UMR 7144 AD2M, Université Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris 6, Station Biologique de Roscoff, BP 74, Roscoff 29680, France *Email: hubas@sb-roscoff.fr ABSTRACT: The role of the bacterial community in the annual benthic metabolism of Roscoff Aber Bay, France, was estimated during low tide at 2 sampling sites of different trophic status, located at either end of a strong environmental gradient. The benthic gross primary production (GPP) and community respiration (BCR) were assessed in situ over 1 yr with a benthic chamber; simultaneously, bacterial production (BP) was estimated by radiotracer incorporation in slurries. BP appeared to be significantly controlled by temperature during low tide. On an annual scale, microphytobenthos gross primary production (GPPa), bacterial production (BPa), meiofauna production (MePa), macrofauna production (MaPa) and benthic community respiration (BCRa) were estimated. While the estimated annual processes were generally higher at the muddy station, our results indicated that (1) the contribution of BPa to the annual benthic community production (CPa = BPa + MePa + MaPa) increased with increasing grain size, and (2) the bacterial community can modulate its growth efficiency (BGEa) when exposed to an environmental gradient: in intertidal sediments, the production of new cells is enhanced when the organic matter concentration is lower, sustaining the development of the community on the annual scale. This behaviour was inferred to be the predominant factor affecting the trophic state of the system. KEY WORDS: Intertidal sediments · Benthic bacterial growth efficiency · Gross primary production · Community respiration Full text in pdf format PreviousNextCite this article as: Hubas C, Artigas LF, Davoult D (2007) Role of the bacterial community in the annual benthic metabolism of two contrasted temperate intertidal sites (Roscoff Aber Bay, France). Mar Ecol Prog Ser 344:39-48. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps06947 Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in MEPS Vol. 344. Online publication date: August 23, 2007 Print ISSN: 0171-8630; Online ISSN: 1616-1599 Copyright © 2007 Inter-Research.