Weak Coupling between Heterotrophic Nanoflagellates and Bacteria in a Eutrophic Freshwater Environment

In a study on the dynamics and trophic role of the heterotrophic nanoflagellate (HNAN) assemblage in the microbial food web of a eutrophic oxbow lake abundances, biomass, and production rates of HNAN and their potential prey organisms, namely heterotrophic bacteria and autotrophic picoplankton, were monitored for a period of 2 years. No coupling between HNAN abundance and biomass and the abundance and biomass of their picoplanktonic prey was observed for the investigation period. The ratio of heterotrophic bacterial to HNAN abundance ranged from 2.2 x 103 to 8.6 x 103 (mean: 4.2 x 103 +/- 1.8 x 103). HNAN carbon consumption could account for only 10% to 40% of bacterial secondary production. The lack of coupling between HNAN and their potential prey and the low HNAN abundance relative to bacterial abundance suggested (a) that HNAN grazing was an insignificant factor in the regulation of bacterial abundance and (b) that HNAN abundance was regulated by predation rather than by prey abundance. This hypothesis was supported by the fact that HNAN growth rates were high (in the range of 0.45 d-1 to 1.00 d-1 during spring and summer, yearly mean: 0.52 d-1), and only weakly correlated with prey abundance and biomass. The results indicated strong top-down control of HNAN and consequently a weak coupling of HNAN and picoplankton in the investigated eutrophic freshwater environment.