Life Sciences Commons^™

20th Annual Symposium Of The School Of Science, Engineering And Health, Messiah University

School of Science, Engineering & Health (SEH) Symposium

We in the School of Science, Engineering and Health at Messiah University welcome you to our 20th Annual Symposium. Please celebrate with our students, staff and faculty as you hear about and see professional presentations that showcase our students’ basic and applied research in science and health fields. The outcomes of scientific research expand intellectual understanding and have tremendous impact on quality of life, environmental health, and human flourishing. We warmly welcome you as guests for the day.

Angela Hare

Dean School of Science, Engineering and Health

Environmental Influences On Bacterio-Phytoplanktonic Coupling And Bacterial Growth Efficiency In A Sub-Tropical Estuary, Rachel Kotkowski

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Bacterio-phytoplanktonic coupling and bacterial growth efficiency (BGE) measurements were used to analyze microbial trophic dynamics and the influence of environmental factors in Florida Bay, Florida. Phytoplankton gross primary productivity (GPP) was measured using 24-hour in situ oxygen incubations; bacterial productivity (BP) was measured using ³H- thymidine incorporation. Weak bacterio-phytoplanktonic coupling was observed over the sampling period. BP was more influenced by local total nitrogen concentrations while GPP was more evenly distributed. BGE rates were low but consistent with marine and estuarine ecosystems worldwide. Results suggest that bacterioplankton growth in Florida Bay is relatively uncoupled from phytoplankton production, which may …