Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

PC07 Spatial and Temporal Connections

Date: Wednesday, February 14, 2001

Location: Southwest Hall

Stewart, F, J, Desert Research Institute/University of Nevada-Reno, Reno, USA, fstewart@dri.edu

Fritsen, C, H, Desert Research Institute/University of Nevada-Reno, Reno, USA, cfritsen@dri.edu

Garrison, D, L, National Science Foundation-Division of Ocean Sciences, Arlington, USA, dgarriso@nsf.gov

Gibson, A, H, Institute of Marine Sciences/University of California-Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, USA, agibson@cats.ucsc.edu

BACTERIA-ALGAE ASSOCIATIONS IN THE SEA ICE AND UPPER WATER COLUMN OF THE ROSS SEA IN THE LATE AUSTRAL SUMMER

Coupling between heterotrophic bacteria and primary producers in Antarctic sea ice has yet to be characterized to the extent that it can be incorporated into models of large-scale production processes in the Southern Ocean. During January 1999, samples were collected from the outer to inner ice edge zones of the pack ice in the eastern Ross Sea. The relationships between bacterial abundance and biomass and autotrophic biomass (as chlorophyll a) were evaluated for habitats including the consolidated sea ice, the layer of slush overlying the sea ice, and the top of the water column. Bacterial biomass and abundance in the slush and sea ice were elevated relative to the water column and correlated positively with chlorophyll a in these habitats. Conversely, a lack of a correlation between bacteria and chlorophyll in the upper water column suggested an uncoupling of bacteria and phytoplankton. Differential coupling of energy and material transfer within these distinct habitats of the Southern Ocean invites further examination of the spatial and temporal controls on microbial coupling in polar waters.

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Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

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