HETEROTROPHIC MICROORGANISMS AND VIRUSES IN THE COASTAL WATERS OF THE SEVERNAYA ZEMLYA ARCHIPELAGO (ARCTIC) DURING THE PERIOD OF GLACIERS MELTING

Authors

  • A. I. Kopylov Papanin Institute for Biology of Inland Water, Russian Academy of Sciences
  • E. A. Zabotkina Papanin Institute for Biology of Inland Water, Russian Academy of Sciences
  • A. V. Romanenko Papanin Institute for Biology of Inland Water, Russian Academy of Sciences
  • N. D. Romanova Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences
  • A. F. Sazhin Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29006/1564-2291.JOR-2025.53(3).6

Keywords:

bacterioplankton, heterotrophic nanoflagellates, virioplankton, viral infection, viral lysis of bacteria, coastal waters, Severnaya Zemlya archipelago, Arctic

Abstract

For the first time, quantitative data were obtained on bacteria, heterotrophic nanoflagellates and viruses in the coastal waters of the Severnaya Zemlya archipelago. The studies were conducted in August–September 2019 during a cruise on the research vessel Professor Molchanov. The number of bacteria (NB), heterotrophic nanoflagellates (NF) and viruses varied widely: (1.0– 9.1) × 105 cells ml−1, (84–502) cells ml−1, (3.5–74.9) × 105 viruses ml−1, respectively. In the studied waters, a positive correlation was found between NВ and water temperature (R = 0.69, n = 30, p < 0.05) and a negative correlation between NВ and water salinity (R = −0.67, n = 30). A strong positive correlation was observed between NВ and NF values: R = 0.86, n = 30, p < 0.05. The frequency of visibly infected bacteria (FVIC) and virus-induced mortality of bacteria (VMB) varied from 0.7 to 3.9% of NB and from 5.3 to 39.2% of bacterial production. The FVIC and VMB values in the coastal waters of the Severnaya Zemlya archipelago, on average, were significantly higher than those in the open waters of the Kara Sea and the Laptev Sea. It was shown that the influx of large amounts of suspended matter into coastal waters with glacial runoff reduces bacterial mortality caused by viral lysis, since a significant number of viral particles are adsorbed on suspended particles and lose their activity.

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Published

2025-09-21

Issue

Vol. 53 No. 3 (2025): Journal of Oceanological Research

Section

Ecology of seas and oceans

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