Original paper

Bacterial populations of the floodplain of a South Carolina (USA) stream: A comparison of two species

Leff, Laura G.; Mc Namara, Christopher J.; Lemke, Michael J.

Archiv für Hydrobiologie Volume 156 Number 2 (2003), p. 255 - 270

published: Feb 7, 2003

DOI: 10.1127/0003-9136/2003/0156-0255

BibTeX file

ArtNo. ESP141015672007, Price: 29.00 €

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Abstract

The distributions of two bacterial populations (Acinetobacter calcoaceticus and Pseudomonas putida) across the floodplain of a coastalplain stream (Four Mile Creek in South Carolina) were examined. In addition, populations in two areas of the floodplain with different vegetation were compared. One site (FOU1) featured a typical bottomland hardwood forest with abundant stocks of leaf litter and the other site (FOU2) featured a plant community dominated by grasses/shrubs/herbs with limited amounts of leaf litter. Despite a higher amount of organic matter in the soil at FOU1, total bacterial numbers were greater at FOU2. A. calcoaceticus numbers peaked in the water saturated portion of the floodplain while P. putida numbers peaked at the more elevated edge of the floodplain. Differences in floodplain populations were not apparently related to differences in populations within the stream channel.

Keywords

floodplain • soil bacteria • allochthonous inputs • coastal plain stream