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Effects of fish farming on microbial planktonic communities in the middle Adriatic sea
Author(s) -
Šestanović Stefanija,
Peković Jelena,
Matijević Slavica,
Ninčević Gladan Živana
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
aquaculture research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.646
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1365-2109
pISSN - 1355-557X
DOI - 10.1111/are.12560
Subject(s) - plankton , biology , nutrient , eutrophication , heterotroph , prochlorococcus , autotroph , ecology , microbial food web , phytoplankton , cyanobacteria , agronomy , synechococcus , bacteria , genetics
The effects of farming on planktonic microbial communities were investigated at the coastal sea bass/sea bream farm in the oligotrophic middle Adriatic Sea. Analyses of nutrients, chlorophyll a , cyanobacteria ( Prochlorococcus ), heterotrophic bacteria and nanoflagellates (both pigmented and heterotrophic) were carried out on samples taken during six seasonal cruises at different water depths. Farming activity increased the natural concentrations of some nutrients (ammonium, nitrite, phosphate, dissolved inorganic nitrogen) and changed their seasonal pattern. The values still remained typical for oligotrophic environ‐ments demonstrating no risk for eutrophication. Enhanced nutrient supply provoked an immediate increase in abundances of both autotrophic and heterotrophic microbial groups (except pigmented nanoflagellates) and chlorophyll a . The effect of farming was more visible for the heterotrophic microbial component. Results from this study reveal a potential common pattern of microbial response to farming in the oligotrophic environments. It also suggests the importance of heterotrophic microbial web in transferring the matter and energy released from the fish farms in nutrient poor environments.