Heterotrophic utilization of extracellular products of phytoplankton in a tropical estuary

Abstract

Bacterial uptake of algal exudates has been estimated in a tropical estuary, Dona Paula, Goa, India, where the seasonal fluctuations in hydrographic and nutrient parameters as well as dissolved organic matter concentrations and phytoplankton species composition are dominatEd. by the monsoon regime. A close coupling existed between algal and bacterial trophic levels. Algal exudation products were rapidly assimilated with short turnover times. An average 80% of the excreted material was removEd. by heterotrophic bacteria and there was a significant correlation between algal extracellular production and net bacterial uptake of algal exudates.