O. Hadas et T. Berman, SEASONAL ABUNDANCE AND VERTICAL-DISTRIBUTION OF PROTOZOA (FLAGELLATES, CILIATES) AND BACTERIA IN LAKE KINNERET, ISRAEL, Aquatic microbial ecology, 14(2), 1998, pp. 161-170
The seasonal and vertical abundances of ciliates and flagellates are d
escribed over a 2 yr period in Lake Kinneret, Israel, a warm meso-eutr
ophic monomictic lake. Ciliate numbers ranged from 3 to 47 cells ml(-1
). At the thermocline and oxycline region, the highest ciliate numbers
were observed in autumn, with Coleps hirtus as the dominant species.
Maximum heterotrophic nanoflagellate abundance (1300 cells ml(-1)) was
found in the epilimnion in winter spring, minimum numbers (66 cells m
l(-1)) occurred in autumn. Bacteria ranged from 10(5) to 3.10(7) cells
ml(-1) with highest numbers at the decline of the Peridinium gatunens
e bloom and the lowest during winter. Protozoa, especially ciliates, a
ppeared to be important food sources for metazooplankton. Top-down con
trol is an important factor determining the structure of the microbial
loop in Lake Kinneret.