Advanced search
Start date
Betweenand
Related content
(Reference retrieved automatically from Web of Science through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

Microbial biomass response to different quantities and sources of organic matter in Brazilian coastal sediments

Full text
Author(s):
Quintana, Cintia O. [1, 2] ; de Moraes, Paula C. [1] ; Yoshinaga, Marcos Y. [3] ; Wakeham, Stuart G. [4] ; Sumida, Paulo Y. G. [1]
Total Authors: 5
Affiliation:
[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Oceanog, BR-05508120 Sao Paulo - Brazil
[2] Univ Southern Denmark, Inst Biol, Odense M - Denmark
[3] Univ Bremen, MARUM, Organ Geochem Grp, D-28359 Bremen - Germany
[4] Skidaway Inst Oceanog, Savannah, GA - USA
Total Affiliations: 4
Document type: Journal article
Source: MARINE ECOLOGY-AN EVOLUTIONARY PERSPECTIVE; v. 36, n. 3, p. 766-779, SEP 2015.
Web of Science Citations: 2
Abstract

This study investigates the benthic microbial responses to organic matter (OM) variations in quantity and sources in two shallow water bays (Fortaleza and Ubatuba Bays) on the SE coast of Brazil on six occasions during the year. The pelagic and benthic compartments of the bays were evaluated by: (i) nutrients and chlorophyll a (Chl a) in the water column; (ii) quantity and sources of OM in the sediment (Chl a, total organic carbon and total nitrogen and lipid biomarker composition); and (iii) microbial biomass in sediments as an indicator of active benthic response. Although there were changes in water-column nutrients during the year, Chl a was fairly constant, suggesting a regular supply of microalgae-derived OM to the sea bottom. Based on the composition of lipid biomarkers in sediments, OM sources were classified as mostly marine and with high contributions of labile (microalgae-derived) OM. Labile OM composition varied from diatoms in the summer to phytoflagellates in the winter and tended to accumulate in areas protected by physical disturbances in one of the bays. Microbial biomass followed this trend and was 160% higher in protected than in exposed areas. This study suggests that the coupling between labile OM and benthic microbial biomass occurs primarily in protected areas, irrespective of the time of the year. Since meio- and macrofaunal assemblages depend upon secondary microbial production within the sediments, this coupling may have an important role for the benthic food-web. (AU)

FAPESP's process: 12/06121-1 - Pathways of organic matter degradation in marine coastal sediments: implications to ecosystem functioning
Grantee:Cintia Organo Quintana
Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral