SEASONAL-VARIATION OF MICROCRUSTACEANS AND MICROBIAL-FLORA ON THEIR SURFACE IN THE OVERLYING WATER OF A JAPANESE PADDY FIELD

Agricultural practices, such as the application of fertilizers and pes ticides, differently influenced the seasonal variations of respective microcrustaceans, Microbial flora on the surface of microcrustaceans w as also affected by the practices and varied depending on the kinds of microcrustaceans and the date of collection, The microbial flora on t he surface of microcrustaceans was very simple, often comprised of a f ew types of bacteria based on the morphological characters, and their colonization sites were restricted, These results suggested the prefer ential colonization of selective bacteria on specific sites of host mi crocrustaceans, This is the first report showing the close association of microorganisms with microcrustaceans living in paddy fields.