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Enhanced Bacterioplankton Production And Respiration At Intermediate Salinities In The Mississippi River Plume, Gerardo Chin-Leo, Ronald Benner

Faculty Publications

Bacterial abundance and production (thymidine and leucine incorporation) were measured along a salinity gradient from the Mississippi River (0 %₀) to the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico (36 %₀) during July-August 1990 and February 1991. Bacterial production in surface waters was maximal at intermediate salinities (15 to 30 %₀). Nutrient enrichment experiments suggested that bacterial growth near the outflow of the river was C limited whereas bacteria in plume waters of intermediate salinities were P and N limited. Rates of plankton community oxygen demand measured during winter were also maximal at intermediate …