Phytoplankton production, exudation and bacterial reassimilation in the River Meuse (Belgium)

Extracellular release of phytoplankton was investigated in the upper middle River Meuse (Belgium) in order to estimate the contribution of this process as a source of dissolved organic matter in the system. Particulate primary production, exudation and reassimilation of exudates by free-living and attached bacteria were estimated in parallel using14C labelling and selective filtration techniques. The results showed that total phytoplanton exudation (EOCt) represented on average 7% of the particulate primary production. Of this excreted organic carbon, 77% was taken up by bacteria; attached bac... Mehr ...