Interactions between algal/bacterial populations and trace metals in fjordic surface waters during a nutrient-stimulated diatom bloom

GEOC 12

François L.L. Muller, Department of Chemistry, University of Bergen, Allegaten 41, 5007 Bergen, Norway and Aud Larsen, Department of Microbiology, University of Bergen, Jahnebakken 5, 5020 Bergen, Norway.
Trace metal speciation in surface coastal waters depends to a large extent on the effects of biologically mediated processes operating on a time scale of hours to days. A mesocosm experiment conducted in a fjordic environment in August 2002 revealed a tight interdependence between electrochemically labile manganese and heterotrophic bacterial abundance. The degree of lability of copper was controlled through active release of high-affinity organic ligands (log K1'=15.6; log K2'=13.2) by the marine cyanobacterium Synechococcus, while zinc-binding ligands (log K'=8.6) appeared to be derived from the break-up, bacterial decomposition or viral lysis of algal cells. Together, these processes imparted characteristic and reproducible variations on the concentrations of labile manganese, copper and zinc over the 21-day duration of the experiment. The extent to which such variations may, in turn, influence algal/bacterial community structure will be discussed.