title: Macroscale distribution of virioplankton and heterotrophic bacteria in the Bohai Sea.
abstract: In light of limited research into the relationship between the macroscale distribution and dynamic changes of microplankton in the shallow Bohai Sea, here we used flow cytometry to analyse samples collected from the Bohai Sea channel in winter and summer. Results showed that the average of both viral abundance (VA) and bacterial abundance (BA) were lower in winter (3.61 × 10(7) and 1.84 × 10(6) cells/mL, respectively) than in summer (7.47 × 10(7) and 5.05 × 10(6) cells/mL, respectively). At all 16 stations, VA was one order of magnitude greater than BA, with a positive relationship between one another. In the horizontal distribution, variations in VA and BA followed a similar trend, and both were obviously higher near-shore than offshore. In the vertical distribution, variations in both VA and BA did not show a clear relationship with water depth. VA and BA in summer were 2.1 and 2.7 times those in winter, respectively. Spearman correlation analysis showed that both VA and BA were correlated with the concentration of PO4-P in winter (positive) and NO3-N in summer (negative). Additionally, BA showed a negative correlation with salinity. It is clear that the macroscale distribution of these two kinds of microbes in the Bohai Sea is related to seasonal variation and nutrient availability.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Coastal Biology and Bioresource Utilization, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003, China University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
authors.forename: Caixia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Coastal Biology and Bioresource Utilization, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003, China University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
authors.forename: Yibo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia.
authors.forename: James S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Paterson
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia.
authors.forename: James G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Coastal Biology and Bioresource Utilization, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003, China xkhu@yic.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Xiaoke
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Coastal Zone Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003, China.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Coastal Environment Engineering Technology of Shandong Province, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003, China.
authors.forename: Yanqing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sheng
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D017753:Ecosystem; D052836:Heterotrophic Processes; D012621:Seasons; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000821:virology*; D014780:Viruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism
keywords: Bohai Sea; flow cytometry; heterotrophic bacteria; macroscale distribution; virioplankton