Due to the feeding habit of Nereis diversicolor, particulate organic matter (POM)
accumulate in their burrows. Again, strong enrichment of bacteria capable of decomposing this POM was anticipated. However, viable counts of some pertinent groups of
bacteria from the burrow walls rarely exceeded those obtained from the reduced bulk
sediment (sampling site B. Fig. 9). Possibly rapid mixing had prevented an excessive
accumulation of decomposers. An almost even distribution of organic matter (ash-free
dry weight) in all areas of the sediment investigated supports the idea that burrow walls
were poor barriers for microorganisms.
It was concluded that polychaete burrows in predominantly anoxic, sulfide-rich marine
sediments were able to create essential zonated niches for the development of bacteria that
play key roles in either anabolic or catabolic pathways of the carbon cycle. In the case of
Stein lagoon, a sulfide-rich sandy sediment, polychaete burrow walls turned out to be
rather poor barriers for sediment bacteria and could be regarded therefore as an open
enrichment system.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank N.P. Revsbech and B.B. Jorgensen, Univ. of Aarhus, for application of their microelectrodes. Technical assistance by A. Scheltz and C. Corves is gratefully acknowledged.
CAVANAUGH C.M., 1983. Symbiotic chemoautotrophic bacteria in marine invertebrates from sulphide-rich
habitats. Nature (Lond.) 302, : 58-61.
CAVANAUGH C.M., S.L. GARDINER, M.L. JONES, H.W. JANNASCH, and J.B. WATERBURY, 1981. Prokaryotic cells
in the hydrothermal vent tube worm Riftia pachyptila Jones : Possible chemoautotrophic symbionts. Science
213 : 340- 342.
GARGAS E., 1980. A manual for phytoplankton primary production studies in the Baltic. The Baltic Marine
Biologists Publ. no. 2, 1975, 2nd edition, 88pp.
GIERE O., G. LIEBEZEIT, and R. DAWSON, 1981. Habitat conditions and distribution pattern of the gutless
oligochaete Phallodrilus leukodermatus. Mar. Ecol. Progr. Ser. 8 : 291- 299.
GLOVER H.E. and I. MORRIS, 1979. Photosynthetic carboxylating enzymes in marine phytoplankton. Limnol. &
Oceanogr. 24 : 510-519.
GOLDMAN J.C. and M.R. DENNETT, 1983. Effect of nitrogen source on short-term light and dark CO2 uptake by
a marine diatom. Mar. Biol. 76 : 7-15.
HAMMEN C.S. and S.C. LUM, 1964. Carbon dioxide fixation in marine invertebrates. Nature 201 : 416-417.
HOBBIE J.E. and C.C CRAWFORD, 1969. Respiration corrections for bacterial uptake of dissolved organic
compounds in natural waters. Limnol. & Oceanogr. 14 : 528-532.
JONES J.G., 1983. A note on the isolation and enumeration of bacteria which deposit and reduce ferric iron. J.
Appl. Bad. 54 : 305-310.
KEPKAY P.E. and J.A. NOVITSKY, 1980. Microbial control of organic carbon in marine sediments : Coupled
chemoautotrophy and heterotrophy. Mar. Biol. 55 : 261-266.
KRUMBEIN W.E. and H.J. ALTMANN, 1973. A new method for the detection and enumeration of manganese
oxidizing and reducing microorganisms. Helgol. wiss. Meeresunters. 25 : 347-356.
NOVITSKY J.A. and P.E. KEPKAY, 1981. Patterns of microbial heterotrophy through changing environments in a
marine sediment. Mar. Ecol. Progr. Ser. 4 : 1-7.
OTT J., G. RIEGER, R. RIEGER and F. ENDERES, 1982. New mouthless interstitial worms from the sulfide system :
Symbiosis with prokaryotes. P.S.Z.N.I. : Marine Ecology 3 (4) : 313-333.
REICHARDT W., 1978. Einführung in die Methoden der Gewassermikrobiologie. G. Fischer Verlag, StuttgartNew York, 250 pp.
424
accumulate in their burrows. Again, strong enrichment of bacteria capable of decomposing this POM was anticipated. However, viable counts of some pertinent groups of
bacteria from the burrow walls rarely exceeded those obtained from the reduced bulk
sediment (sampling site B. Fig. 9). Possibly rapid mixing had prevented an excessive
accumulation of decomposers. An almost even distribution of organic matter (ash-free
dry weight) in all areas of the sediment investigated supports the idea that burrow walls
were poor barriers for microorganisms.
It was concluded that polychaete burrows in predominantly anoxic, sulfide-rich marine
sediments were able to create essential zonated niches for the development of bacteria that
play key roles in either anabolic or catabolic pathways of the carbon cycle. In the case of
Stein lagoon, a sulfide-rich sandy sediment, polychaete burrow walls turned out to be
rather poor barriers for sediment bacteria and could be regarded therefore as an open
enrichment system.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank N.P. Revsbech and B.B. Jorgensen, Univ. of Aarhus, for application of their microelectrodes. Technical assistance by A. Scheltz and C. Corves is gratefully acknowledged.
CAVANAUGH C.M., 1983. Symbiotic chemoautotrophic bacteria in marine invertebrates from sulphide-rich
habitats. Nature (Lond.) 302, : 58-61.
CAVANAUGH C.M., S.L. GARDINER, M.L. JONES, H.W. JANNASCH, and J.B. WATERBURY, 1981. Prokaryotic cells
in the hydrothermal vent tube worm Riftia pachyptila Jones : Possible chemoautotrophic symbionts. Science
213 : 340- 342.
GARGAS E., 1980. A manual for phytoplankton primary production studies in the Baltic. The Baltic Marine
Biologists Publ. no. 2, 1975, 2nd edition, 88pp.
GIERE O., G. LIEBEZEIT, and R. DAWSON, 1981. Habitat conditions and distribution pattern of the gutless
oligochaete Phallodrilus leukodermatus. Mar. Ecol. Progr. Ser. 8 : 291- 299.
GLOVER H.E. and I. MORRIS, 1979. Photosynthetic carboxylating enzymes in marine phytoplankton. Limnol. &
Oceanogr. 24 : 510-519.
GOLDMAN J.C. and M.R. DENNETT, 1983. Effect of nitrogen source on short-term light and dark CO2 uptake by
a marine diatom. Mar. Biol. 76 : 7-15.
HAMMEN C.S. and S.C. LUM, 1964. Carbon dioxide fixation in marine invertebrates. Nature 201 : 416-417.
HOBBIE J.E. and C.C CRAWFORD, 1969. Respiration corrections for bacterial uptake of dissolved organic
compounds in natural waters. Limnol. & Oceanogr. 14 : 528-532.
JONES J.G., 1983. A note on the isolation and enumeration of bacteria which deposit and reduce ferric iron. J.
Appl. Bad. 54 : 305-310.
KEPKAY P.E. and J.A. NOVITSKY, 1980. Microbial control of organic carbon in marine sediments : Coupled
chemoautotrophy and heterotrophy. Mar. Biol. 55 : 261-266.
KRUMBEIN W.E. and H.J. ALTMANN, 1973. A new method for the detection and enumeration of manganese
oxidizing and reducing microorganisms. Helgol. wiss. Meeresunters. 25 : 347-356.
NOVITSKY J.A. and P.E. KEPKAY, 1981. Patterns of microbial heterotrophy through changing environments in a
marine sediment. Mar. Ecol. Progr. Ser. 4 : 1-7.
OTT J., G. RIEGER, R. RIEGER and F. ENDERES, 1982. New mouthless interstitial worms from the sulfide system :
Symbiosis with prokaryotes. P.S.Z.N.I. : Marine Ecology 3 (4) : 313-333.
REICHARDT W., 1978. Einführung in die Methoden der Gewassermikrobiologie. G. Fischer Verlag, StuttgartNew York, 250 pp.
424