Use of metabolic inhibitors to estimate protozooplankton grazing and bacterial production in a monomictic eutrophic lake with an anaerobic hypolimnion

Journal Article · Tue Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1986 · Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5093264

Sanders, R W; Porter, K G

Inhibitors of eucaryotes (cycloheximide and amphotericin B) and procaryotes (penicillin and chloramphenical) were used to estimate bacterivory and bacterial production in a eutrophic lake. Bacterial production appeared to be slightly greater than protozoan grazing in the aerobic waters of Lake Oglethorpe. Use of penicillin and cycloheximide yielded inconsistent results in anaerobic water and in aerobic water when bacterial production was low. Production measured by inhibiting eucaryotes with cycloheximide did not always agree with (/sup 3/H)thymidine estimates or differential filtration methods. Laboratory experiments showed that several common freshwater protozoans continued to swim and ingest bacterium-size latex beads in the presence of the eucaryote inhibitor. Penicillin also affected grazing rates of some ciliates. The authors recommended that caution and a corroborating method be used when estimating ecologically important parameters with specific inhibitors.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Georgia, Athens
• OSTI ID: 5093264
• Journal Information: Appl. Environ. Microbiol.; (United States), Vol. 52:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ANTIMETABOLITES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BACTERIA
GROWTH
PROTOZOA
GRAZING
AEROBIC CONDITIONS
ANAEROBIC CONDITIONS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
LAKES
THYMIDINE
TRACER TECHNIQUES
TRITIUM COMPOUNDS
ANIMALS
AZINES
DRUGS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
INVERTEBRATES
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
MICROORGANISMS
NUCLEOSIDES
NUCLEOTIDES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
PYRIMIDINES
RIBOSIDES
SURFACE WATERS
550701* - Microbiology- Tracer Techniques
550501 - Metabolism- Tracer Techniques