Abstract
Bacterial abundance, biomass, volume and morphological diversity were studied in sediments collected in the eastern Adriatic Sea (Kastela Bay) in order to investigate their relationship with changes in environmental parameters. To asses the changes in the investigated parameters on a temporal scale and between sediment layers, the sediment samples were collected monthly in 2002 with a piston corer from the sediment surface to a depth of 10 cm. The concentrations of organic matter (OM), chloroplastic pigment equivalents (CPE), chlorophyll a (chl a) and phaeopigments (PHAEO) were used as indicators of substrate concentrations in sediments. Sediment depth was a significant factor influencing the distribution of bacterial abundance, biomass and volume. Granulometric properties of the sediment had no effect on the distribution of bacteria. Bacterial abundance, biomass and volume were strongly related to the indicators of substrate concentrations on both scales. The accumulation of labile OM in deeper layers also had a profound effect on the size and structure of bacteria. High amounts of OM and the low proportion of labile organic fraction (CPE; chl a and PHAEO) indicate that this environment acts as a sink for accumulation of detrital material.
Highlights
Shallow coastal basins like the Adriatic Sea are subject to great microbiological activity as their sediments accumulate large quantities of organic matter (OM)
High amounts of OM and the low proportion of labile organic fraction (CPE; chl a and PHAEO) indicate that this environment acts as a sink for accumulation of detrital material
This study showed that filamentous bacteria accounted for up to 52% of the total bacterial biomass in the eastern Adriatic Sea in winter, whereas in the rest of the year they made up only 11-20%
Summary
Shallow coastal basins like the Adriatic Sea are subject to great microbiological activity as their sediments accumulate large quantities of organic matter (OM). They can show great variations in physical, chemical and hydrodynamic properties, especially in the vicinity of large industrial and urban areas. These changes can strongly affect bacterial populations, leading to heterogeneity in their biomass, 84 S. Sediment resuspension by currents or waves can have a profound effect on sediment bacterial populations, altering their biomass or increasing bacterial production (Stoeck and Kroncke, 2001). Mixing of sediment particles by burrowing macrofauna can support bacterial metabolism in deeper sediment layers, allowing the downward flow of pore water that delivers particulate OM directly to the buried bacteria
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