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The Relation Between Adenosine Triphosphate and Microbial Biomass in Diverse Aquatic Ecosystems
Author(s) -
Paerl Hans W.,
Williams Noel J.
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
internationale revue der gesamten hydrobiologie und hydrographie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.524
H-Index - 52
eISSN - 1522-2632
pISSN - 0020-9309
DOI - 10.1002/iroh.3510610509
Subject(s) - phytoplankton , trophic level , biomass (ecology) , nutrient , adenosine triphosphate , ecosystem , environmental science , microbial loop , ecology , aquatic ecosystem , photosynthesis , environmental chemistry , biology , chemistry , botany , biochemistry
By using autoradiographic examination of 14 C labeled viable cells, natural phytoplankton communities were separated into living and non‐living components. Comparisons of carbon to adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content of living cells yielded consistent ratios with depth, during periods of high and low nutrient supply at Lake Tahoe. Over time the ratio fluctuated by no more than ± 17% of the mean between the time of maximum nutrient supplies and nutrient depletion. The viability of specific phytoplankton groups was surprisingly low at times, indicating that conventional counting methods tend to overestimate live biomass. A survey of lakes differing in trophic states and having diverse phytoplankton and bacterial assemblages has shown that ATP measurements can be used as an accurate measure of total living microbial biomass.