Microbiological Survey in Two Arctic
Fjords: Total Bacterial Number
and Biomass Comparison of Hornsund
and Kongsfjorden
Agnieszka Kalinowska, Anetta Ameryk and Katarzyna Jankowska
Abstract Two microbiological parameters: total bacterial number (TBN) and
biomass (BBM) were studied in two Arctic fjords: Hornsund and Kongsfjorden.
Samples were collected from three sampling points in each fjord, from various
water depth layers: from the surface to 75 m depth. Total bacterial number and
biomass were examined using the DAPI staining and direct count method. The
greater amount of bacteria, as well as highest bacterial biomass were observed in
the colder fjord Hornsund, located on the southern part of Spitsbergen. Local TBN
maximum was found at a depth of 15 m at station KG2, which corresponds to the
presence of pycnocline. Better adaptation of Arctic bacteria to the low water
temperatures and availability of substrates coming from the bird colonies may
explain the higher TBN and BBM in Hornsund. Moreover, greater phytoplankton
abundance in Hornsund may have an impact on better feeding conditions. Detected
increased amounts of particulate inorganic matter also provides favourable habitat
for bacterial consortia.
Keywords Arctic Á Hornsund Á Kongsfjorden Á Total bacterial number Á Bacterial
biomass
A. Kalinowska (&) Á K. Jankowska
Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty, Gdańsk University of Technology,
ul. Narutowicza 11/12, 80-952 Gdańsk, Poland
e-mail: agnieszka.kalinowska@poczta.onet.pl
A. Ameryk
Department of Fisheries, Oceanography and Marine Ecology,
National Marine Fisheries Research Institute, ul. Kołłątaja 1,
81-332 Gdynia, Poland
© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2015
T. Zielinski et al. (eds.), Impact of Climate Changes on Marine Environments,
GeoPlanet: Earth and Planetary Sciences, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-14283-8_9
115
Fjords: Total Bacterial Number
and Biomass Comparison of Hornsund
and Kongsfjorden
Agnieszka Kalinowska, Anetta Ameryk and Katarzyna Jankowska
Abstract Two microbiological parameters: total bacterial number (TBN) and
biomass (BBM) were studied in two Arctic fjords: Hornsund and Kongsfjorden.
Samples were collected from three sampling points in each fjord, from various
water depth layers: from the surface to 75 m depth. Total bacterial number and
biomass were examined using the DAPI staining and direct count method. The
greater amount of bacteria, as well as highest bacterial biomass were observed in
the colder fjord Hornsund, located on the southern part of Spitsbergen. Local TBN
maximum was found at a depth of 15 m at station KG2, which corresponds to the
presence of pycnocline. Better adaptation of Arctic bacteria to the low water
temperatures and availability of substrates coming from the bird colonies may
explain the higher TBN and BBM in Hornsund. Moreover, greater phytoplankton
abundance in Hornsund may have an impact on better feeding conditions. Detected
increased amounts of particulate inorganic matter also provides favourable habitat
for bacterial consortia.
Keywords Arctic Á Hornsund Á Kongsfjorden Á Total bacterial number Á Bacterial
biomass
A. Kalinowska (&) Á K. Jankowska
Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty, Gdańsk University of Technology,
ul. Narutowicza 11/12, 80-952 Gdańsk, Poland
e-mail: agnieszka.kalinowska@poczta.onet.pl
A. Ameryk
Department of Fisheries, Oceanography and Marine Ecology,
National Marine Fisheries Research Institute, ul. Kołłątaja 1,
81-332 Gdynia, Poland
© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2015
T. Zielinski et al. (eds.), Impact of Climate Changes on Marine Environments,
GeoPlanet: Earth and Planetary Sciences, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-14283-8_9
115