Aquat Ecol 2011 Mar;45(1):125-136
Laboratory of Aquatic Photobiology and Plankton Ecology, Institute of Ecology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstr. 25, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the growth efficiency of freshwater bacteria is differentially affected by ultraviolet radiation (UVR, 280-400 nm) as mediated through changes in their production and respiration rates. Five bacterial strains affiliated to Alphaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, and Actinobacteria were isolated from different freshwater habitats and exposed in the laboratory to photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and PAR + UVR, or kept in the dark for 4 h. Afterward, bacterial carbon production and respiration were assessed by measuring leucine incorporation and oxygen consumption rates, respectively. Read More