Spatio-Temporal Monitoring and Ecological Significance of Retrievable Pelagic Heterotrophic Bacteria in Kongsfjorden, an Arctic Fjord.
Kongsfjorden is a glacial fjord in the Arctic that is influenced by both Atlantic and Arctic water masses. In the present report retrievable heterotrophic bacteria isolated from two distinct zones (outer and inner fjord) of Kongsfjorden was studied during summer to fall of 2012. 16S rRNA gene sequences of the retrievable heterotrophic bacteria corresponded toγ-proteobacteria(13 phylotypes),α-proteobacteria(3 phylotypes),Bacteroidetes(4 phylotypes) andActinobacteria(2 phylotypes). The heterotrophic bacterial community structure was fundamentally different in different months which could be linked to changes in the water masses and/or phytoplankton bloom dynamics. It is hypothesized that monitoring the retrievable heterotrophic bacterial assemblage in the fjord would give valuable insights into the complex ecological role they play under extreme and dynamic conditions.
National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research, Head Land Sada, Vasco-da-Gama, Goa 403804 India.
Rupesh Kumar
RK
Sinha
National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research, Head Land Sada, Vasco-da-Gama, Goa 403804 India.
K P
KP
Krishnan
Department of Biotechnology, Goa University, Taliegao Plateau, Goa 403206 India.
Savita
S
Kerkar
National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research, Head Land Sada, Vasco-da-Gama, Goa 403804 India.
T
T
Divya David
Arctic fjord; Kongsfjorden; Retrievable heterotrophic bacteria; Water