State of heterotrophic bacterioplankton of Yenisei estuary and the zone of Ob–Yenisei discharge in autumn in relation with environmental factors

Abstract

In September 2011, variations of the total abundance of bacteria were studied, including, for the first time, the abundance of bacteria with intact membranes and active electron transport chains, as well as chlorophyll a concentrations and some hydrological and hydrochemical characteristics of water in Yenisei estuary and the zone of Ob–Yenisei river discharge. The study found abundant, viable, and actively functioning bacterioplankton to exist in the region. The absolute values of all microbiological characteristics were found to decrease with the distance from the freshened waters of Yenisei estuary toward the seawater of the Ob–Yenisei river discharge, while the percentage of bacteria with intact membranes and actively functioning microorganisms in bacterioplankton increased in the same direction. Positive correlations were found to exist between the values of all examined microbiological characteristics and the concentration in water of chlorophyll a, silicium, organic nitrogen, and oxygen, as well as water temperature. The same biological characteristics showed negative correlations with water salinity and phosphates. The spatial distribution of bacteria in the examined water body was supposed to be due mostly to the intensity of hydrodynamic processes, rather than the biogenic matter content of water.