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Activity Measurements of Planktonic Microbial and Microfouling Communities in a Eutrophic Estuary
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Activity Measurements of Planktonic Microbial and Microfouling Communities in a Eutrophic Estuary

W Jeffrey and J Paul
Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Vol.51(1), pp.157-162
01/01/1986
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.51.1.157-162.1986
PMCID: PMC238833
PMID: 16346965
Web of Science ID: WOS:A1986AXH6200028

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Abstract

(3H)thymidine incorporation, the rate of reduction of iodonitrotetrazolium violet (INT) to INT formazan normilized to DNA, and the ratio of ATP to DNA were adapted to measure the activity of attached and unattached microbial assemblages of Bayboro Harbor, Florida. Activity measurements by (3H)thymidine incorporation were made of cells attached to polystyrene culture dishes, in unfiltered water samples, and in the <1-micron-filtered fraction. The activity of attached cells was greater than that of unattached cells either in unfiltered water samples or in the <1-micron fraction. The calculated thymidine incorporation rates for cells in the >1 micron fraction were higher than those for cells either in unfiltered water or in the less than 1-micron-filtered fraction. By the rate of reduction of INT to INT formazan normalized to DNA and by ATP-to-DNA ratios, attached cells were also more active than cells in unfiltered water samples. The microenvironment provided attached microorganisms by the developing biofilm affords a more favorable existence than suspension in the bulk liquid phase. The metabolic by-products of attached organsims may provide an abundant nutrient supply for attached cells. Also, the microenvironment may provide a more stable environment due to the adsorption of molecules and reduced flow within the boundary layer. (Main-PTT)

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