Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.11.043
Title (Primary) Quality of dissolved organic matter affects planktonic but not biofilm bacterial production in streams
Author Kamjunke, N.; Herzsprung, P.; Neu, T.R.
Source Titel Science of the Total Environment
Year 2015
Department SEEFO; FLOEK
Volume 506-507
Page From 353
Page To 360
Language englisch
Keywords Bacterial production; DOC; Freshness index; Humification index; Biofilm; Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM)
UFZ wide themes TERENO; RU2;
Abstract Streams and rivers are important sites of organic carbon mineralization which is dependent on the land use within river catchments. Here we tested whether planktonic and epilithic biofilm bacteria differ in their response to the quality of dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Thus, planktonic and biofilm bacterial production was compared with patterns of DOC along a land-use gradient in the Bode catchment area (Germany). The freshness index of DOC was positively related to the proportion of agricultural area in the catchment. The humification index correlated with the proportion of forest area. Abundance and production of planktonic bacteria were lower in headwaters than at downstream sites. Planktonic production was weakly correlated to the total concentration of DOC but more strongly to quality-measures as revealed by spectra indexes, i.e. positively to the freshness index and negatively to the humification index. In contrast to planktonic bacteria, abundance and production of biofilm bacteria were independent of DOC quality. This finding may be explained by the association of biofilm bacteria with benthic algae and an extracellular matrix which represent additional substrate sources. The data show that planktonic bacteria seem to be regulated at a landscape scale controlled by land use, whereas biofilm bacteria are regulated at a biofilm matrix scale controlled by autochthonous production. Thus, the effects of catchment-scale land use changes on ecosystem processes are likely lower in small streams dominated by biofilm bacteria than in larger streams dominated by planktonic bacteria.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=15552
Kamjunke, N., Herzsprung, P., Neu, T.R. (2015):
Quality of dissolved organic matter affects planktonic but not biofilm bacterial production in streams
Sci. Total Environ. 506-507 , 353 - 360 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.11.043