BIOCHEMICAL-COMPOSITION OF ORGANIC AGGREGATES PRODUCED FROM MARINE MACROPHYTE-DERIVED DISSOLVED ORGANIC-MATTER

Organic aggregates produced by bubbling dissolved organic material rel eased from five different coastal macrophytes were analyzed for bioche mical composition (carbohydrate, protein, carbon, and nitrogen content ). The composition of aggregates did not reflect that of either the ma crophyte or the soluble material from which they were derived and did not vary with species. These results, coupled with the fact that aggre gate composition was similar to that reported for bacteria, support th e hypothesis that the process of aggregation was largely driven by mic robial processes. The composition of morphous detritus (recognizable f ragments of decomposing macrophytes) did vary with species and was rel ated to that of the initial macrophyte. Morphous detritus had higher C : N ratios and was lower in protein than aggregates. The composition o f aggregates was also different than that reported for marine snow.