DOP Stimulates Heterotrophic Bacterial Production in the Oligotrophic Southeastern Mediterranean Coastal Waters

Abstract

Phytoplankton and heterotrophic bacteria rely on a suite of inorganic and organic macronutrients to satisfy their cellular needs. Here, we explored the effect of dissolved inorganic phosphate (PO₄) and several dissolved organic molecules containing phosphorus [ATP, glucose-6-phosphate, 2-aminoethylphosphonic acid, collectively referred to as dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP)], on the activity and biomass of autotrophic and heterotrophic microbial populations in the coastal water of the southeastern Mediterranean Sea (SEMS) during summertime. To this end, surface waters were supplemented with PO₄, one of the different organic molecules, or PO₄ + ATP, and measured the PO₄ turnover time (Tt), alkaline phosphatase activity (APA), heterotrophic bacterial production (BP), primary production (PP), and the abundance of the different microbial components. Our results show that PO₄ alone does not stimulate any significant change in most of the autotrophic or heterotrophic bacterial variables tested. ATP addition (alone or with PO₄) triggers the strongest increase in primary and bacterial productivity or biomass. Heterotrophic bacterial abundance and BP respond faster than phytoplankton (24 h post addition) to the various additions of DOP or PO₄ + ATP, followed by a recovery of primary productivity (48 h post addition). These observations suggest that both autotrophic and heterotrophic microbial communities compete for labile organic molecules containing P, such as ATP, to satisfy their cellular needs. It also suggests that SEMS coastal water heterotrophic bacteria are likely C and P co-limited.

Keywords: DOP; P-turnover time; bacterial production; organic nutrients; primary production; southeastern Mediterranean Sea.

FIGURE 1

Temporal dynamics of NO₂ + NO₃ (A), PO₄ (B), DOP (C), and Si(OH)₄ (D) following the addition of PO₄ (red), ATP (orange), G6P (green), 2-AEPn (gray), PO₄ + ATP (black), and un-amended controls (white). Values presented are the average and corresponding standard deviation (n = 3).

FIGURE 2

Temporal dynamics of cyanobacterial abundance (A), pico- and nano-eukaryote abundance (B), and heterotrophic bacterial abundance (C) following the addition of PO₄ (red), ATP (orange), G6P (green), 2-AEPn (gray), PO₄ + ATP (black), and un-amended controls (white). Values presented are the average and corresponding standard deviation (n = 3). Note the different Y axis.

FIGURE 3

Temporal dynamics of primary production (A), bacterial production (B), alkaline phosphatase activity (C), and P turnover time (D) following the addition of PO₄ (red), ATP (orange), G6P (green), 2-AEPn (gray), PO₄ + ATP (black), and un-amended controls (white). Values presented are the average and corresponding standard deviation (n = 3).