Viral and bacterial production in the North Water: in situ measurements, batch-culture experiments and characterization and distribution of a virus–host system

Abstract

Abstract Growth and viral lysis of bacterioplankton at subzero temperatures were measured in the North Water polynya in July 1998. In situ measurements of bacterial carbon consumption in surface waters ranged from 15 to 63 μg C l−1 d−1 in the eastern and 6 to 7 μg C l−1 d−1 in the northern part of the polynya. Both bacterial abundance and activity appeared to increase in response to the decay of the phytoplankton bloom that developed in the North Water. Organic carbon was the limiting substrate for bacteria in the polynya since addition of glucose, but not inorganic nutrients, to batch cultures increased both the carrying capacity of the substrate and the growth rate of the bacteria. Bacterial growth rates ranged from 0.11 to 0.40 d−1, corresponding to bacterial generation times of 1.7–6.3 d. The in situ viral production rate was estimated both from the frequency of visibly infected cells and from the rate of viral production in batch cultures; it ranged from 0.04 to 0.52 d−1 and from 0.25 to 0.47 d−1, respectively. From 6% to 28% of bacterial production was found to be lost due to viral lysis. The average virus–bacteria ratio was 5.1±3.1, with the abundance of viruses being correlated positively with bacterial production. A Pseudoalteromonas sp. bacterial host and an infective virus were isolated from the polynya; characteristics and distribution of the virus–host system were examined. The Pseudoalteromonas sp. showed psychrotolerant growth and sustained significant production of viruses at 0°C. The virus–host system was found throughout the polynya. Overall the results suggested that a large amount of organic carbon released during the development and breakdown of the spring phytoplankton bloom was consumed by planktonic bacteria and that the microbial food web was an important and dynamic component of the planktonic food web in the North Water.