A Tsiola1,2, P Pitta3, S Fodelianakis4,5, R Pete6, I Magiopoulos3,4, P Mara7, S Psarra3, T Tanaka8,9, B Mostajir6,10,11. 1. Institute of Oceanography, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR), Ex American Base Gournes, P.O. Box 2214, 71003, Heraklion, Crete, Greece. atsiola@hcmr.gr. 2. Biology Department, Marine Ecology Laboratory, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece. atsiola@hcmr.gr. 3. Institute of Oceanography, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR), Ex American Base Gournes, P.O. Box 2214, 71003, Heraklion, Crete, Greece. 4. Biology Department, Marine Ecology Laboratory, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece. 5. King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 6. Laboratoire d'Ecologie des Systèmes Marins Côtiers (ECOSYM), CNRS-Université Montpellier 2 & 1-Ifremer-IRD, Montpellier, France. 7. Chemistry Department, Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece. 8. INSU-CNRS, Laboratoire d'Océanographie de Villefranche, Villefranche sur Mer cedex, France. 9. Université Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris 6, Observatoire Océanologie de Villefranche, Villefranche sur Mer cedex, France. 10. Centre d'Ecologie Marine Expérimentale MEDIMEER, Mediterranean Center for Marine Ecosystem Experimental Research, CNRS-Université Montpellier 2, Montpellier, Sète, France. 11. Marine Biodiversity, Exploitation and Conservation (MARBEC), UMR 9190, CNRS-Université de Montpellier-IFREMER-IRD, Montpellier, France.
Abstract
The growth rates of planktonic microbes in the pelagic zone of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea are nutrient limited, but the type of limitation is still uncertain. During this study, we investigated the occurrence of N and P limitation among different groups of the prokaryotic and eukaryotic (pico-, nano-, and micro-) plankton using a microcosm experiment during stratified water column conditions in the Cretan Sea (Eastern Mediterranean). Microcosms were enriched with N and P (either solely or simultaneously), and the PO4 turnover time, prokaryotic heterotrophic activity, primary production, and the abundance of the different microbial components were measured. Flow cytometric and molecular fingerprint analyses showed that different heterotrophic prokaryotic groups were limited by different nutrients; total heterotrophic prokaryotic growth was limited by P, but only when both N and P were added, changes in community structure and cell size were detected. Phytoplankton were N and P co-limited, with autotrophic pico-eukaryotes being the exception as they increased even when only P was added after a 2-day time lag. The populations of Synechococcus and Prochlorococcus were highly competitive with each other; Prochlorococcus abundance increased during the first 2 days of P addition but kept increasing only when both N and P were added, whereas Synechococcus exhibited higher pigment content and increased in abundance 3 days after simultaneous N and P additions. Dinoflagellates also showed opportunistic behavior at simultaneous N and P additions, in contrast to diatoms and coccolithophores, which diminished in all incubations. High DNA content viruses, selective grazing, and the exhaustion of N sources probably controlled the populations of diatoms and coccolithophores.
The growth rates of planktonic microbes in the pelagic zone of the Eastern Mediterraneann class="Gene">Sea are nutrienpan>t limited, but the type of limitationpan> is still uncertain. During this study, we investigated the occurrenpan>ce of N and P limitationpan> amonpan>g differenpan>t groups of the prokaryotic and eukaryotic (pico-, nano-, and micro-) planktonpan> using a microcosm experimenpan>t during stratified n class="Chemical">water column conditions in the Cretan Sea (Eastern Mediterranean). Microcosms were enriched with N and P (either solely or simultaneously), and the PO4 turnover time, prokaryotic heterotrophic activity, primary production, and the abundance of the different microbial components were measured. Flow cytometric and molecular fingerprint analyses showed that different heterotrophic prokaryotic groups were limited by different nutrients; total heterotrophic prokaryotic growth was limited by P, but only when both N and P were added, changes in community structure and cell size were detected. Phytoplankton were N and P co-limited, with autotrophic pico-eukaryotes being the exception as they increased even when only P was added after a 2-day time lag. The populations of Synechococcus and Prochlorococcus were highly competitive with each other; Prochlorococcus abundance increased during the first 2 days of P addition but kept increasing only when both N and P were added, whereas Synechococcus exhibited higher pigment content and increased in abundance 3 days after simultaneous N and P additions. Dinoflagellates also showed opportunistic behavior at simultaneous N and P additions, in contrast to diatoms and coccolithophores, which diminished in all incubations. High DNA content viruses, selective grazing, and the exhaustion of N sources probably controlled the populations of diatoms and coccolithophores.
Authors: Manuela Hartmann; Carolina Grob; Glen A Tarran; Adrian P Martin; Peter H Burkill; David J Scanlan; Mikhail V Zubkov Journal: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A Date: 2012-03-26 Impact factor: 11.205
Authors: Osana Bonilla-Findji; Gerhard J Herndl; Jean-Pierre Gattuso; Markus G Weinbauer Journal: Appl Environ Microbiol Date: 2009-05-22 Impact factor: 4.792
Authors: Jack A Gilbert; Simon Thomas; Natalie A Cooley; Anna Kulakova; Dawn Field; Tim Booth; John W McGrath; John P Quinn; Ian Joint Journal: Environ Microbiol Date: 2008-09-08 Impact factor: 5.491
Authors: Patrick Martin; Sonya T Dyhrman; Michael W Lomas; Nicole J Poulton; Benjamin A S Van Mooy Journal: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A Date: 2014-04-21 Impact factor: 11.205
Authors: Julia A Boras; M Montserrat Sala; Evaristo Vázquez-Domínguez; Markus G Weinbauer; Dolors Vaqué Journal: Environ Microbiol Date: 2009-05 Impact factor: 5.491
Authors: Marta Sebastián; Paraskevi Pitta; José M González; T Frede Thingstad; Josep M Gasol Journal: Environ Microbiol Date: 2012-05-07 Impact factor: 5.491
Authors: Markus Haber; Dalit Roth Rosenberg; Maya Lalzar; Ilia Burgsdorf; Kumar Saurav; Regina Lionheart; Yoav Lehahn; Dikla Aharonovich; Laura Gómez-Consarnau; Daniel Sher; Michael D Krom; Laura Steindler Journal: Front Microbiol Date: 2022-04-07 Impact factor: 6.064