Analysis of microbial community structure and contribution to productivity across the equatorial Pacific

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Abstract/Contents

Abstract: Microbial production is perhaps the most stable source of energy for decomposition and growth in the world’s oceans. Given the importance of bacteria, it is necessary to examine these quick adapters in the context of their environment and as this environment changes in the coming years. This study examines microbial community structure, specifically the abundance of prochlorococcus and synechococcus, in the Pacific Ocean between 13 degrees South and 14 degrees North in May and June of 2009 using slide enumeration at 5 depths in the photic zone. In order to quantify the microbial contribution to productivity, total chlorophyll a levels were compared to chlorophyll a found in organisms less than 3 microns in size. This approach revealed that microbial chlorophyll a comprises on average 85% of total chlorophyll present at sampled depths. Surprisingly, no trend was seen between nutrient levels and bacterial distribution or chlorophyll a concentrations. In fact, the microbial fraction of community production was at its lowest at the chlorophyll a maximum. Thus, light levels proved to be the most influential factor on the autotrophic microbial community. This dependency on a light over other variables, which vary more over time, might reveal a key to the ancient origins of bacteria and may illuminate their abilities to evolve and change in the future.

Type of resource	text
Date created	June 6, 2009

Author	Sohns, Toni
Author	Hyder, Kate

Subject	Stanford@SEA
Subject	S-223
Subject	Hopkins Marine Station
Subject	Department of Biology
Subject	Department of Earth System Science
Subject	BIOHOPK 182H
Subject	BIOHOPK 323H
Subject	EARTHSYS 323
Subject	ESS 323
Subject	microbial production
Subject	bacteria
Subject	adaptation
Subject	prochlorococcus
Subject	synechococcus
Subject	Pacific Ocean
Subject	photic zone
Subject	chlorophyll
Subject	autotrophism
Subject	light dependency
Subject	evolution
Genre	Student project report

Location	https://purl.stanford.edu/ph594dj5574

Use and reproduction: User agrees that, where applicable, content will not be used to identify or to otherwise infringe the privacy or confidentiality rights of individuals. Content distributed via the Stanford Digital Repository may be subject to additional license and use restrictions applied by the depositor.
License: This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license (CC BY).

Preferred Citation: Sohns, Toni & Hyder, Kate. 2009. Analysis of microbial community structure and contribution to productivity across the equatorial Pacific. Unpublished Student Work, S-223, Stanford@SEA, Stanford Digital Repository. https://purl.stanford.edu/ph594dj5574.

Stanford@SEA -- Student papers

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