Open AccessPicoplankton size distributions in marine and fresh waters: problems with filter fractionation studies
Author(s) -
Craig Susan R.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1986.tb01726.x
Subject(s) - picoplankton , filter (signal processing) , filtration (mathematics) , synechococcus , fractionation , mineralogy , environmental science , environmental chemistry , cyanobacteria , phytoplankton , biology , oceanography , chemistry , geology , chromatography , ecology , paleontology , mathematics , bacteria , statistics , computer science , computer vision , nutrient
Abstract The retention of algal picoplankton by Nuclepore polycarbonate filters of 0.2, 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 μm pore size was tested in 2 marine and 3 freshwater sites. When 1 μm Nuclepore filters were used, the percentage of the total cyanobacterial cells passing the filter varied between sites and with increasing depth within sites. As much as 99% of the Synechococcus ‐like cells was retained by a 1 μm filter. This could lead to an underestimation of the picoplanktonic contribution or, more seriously, an apparent distribution pattern that is an artifact of the choice of filter pore size. Filter retention was also dependent on vaccum pressure during filtration. This study emphasizes the need for direct observation of picoplankton numbers in filter fractionation studies.