M. Troussellier et al., DISTRIBUTION AND DYNAMICS OF BACTERIAL PRODUCTION IN RELATION TO WINDPERTURBATIONS IN A MEDITERRANEAN LAGOON, Limnology and oceanography, 38(1), 1993, pp. 193-201
We examine the relationship between spatial and temporal variations of
bacterial production (H-3-thymidine incorporation into DNA) and wind-
induced physical perturbations in a marine coastal ecosystem. Spatial
and temporal patterns of bacterial production are described on differe
nt scales in Thau Lagoon (France). The spatial patterns generally cons
ist of gradients whose highest values are located in areas of permanen
t input from a watershed. On the seasonal scale, these patterns are re
latively constant, and only the mean values of thymidine incorporation
change. On the daily scale, the spatial patterns can be less constant
. The variability arises from the intensity of wind forces acting on t
he surface, which produce hydrodynamic changes. A strong relationship
(r = 0.91, P less-than-or-equal-to 0.0001) is demonstrated between win
dspeed and the spatial variance of bacterioplankton production. The fr
equency of windspeed > 5 m s-1 also affects daily change in thymidine
incorporation into DNA. Physical processes must be taken into account
to explain spatial and temporal patterns of bacterial variables in mar
ine coastal environments.