THE CONTRIBUTION OF CAPSULATED BACTERIA TO THE TOTAL BACTERIAL COMMUNITY IN THE WATER COLUMN OF THE NORTHERN MARMARA SEA, KÜÇÜKÇEKMECE LAGOON AND STRAIT OF ISTANBUL, TURKEY

The contribution of capsulated bacteria to the total bacterial community in the water column of the northern Marmara Sea, Küçükçekmece Lagoon and Strait of Istanbul, Turkey

Gülsen Altug, Yunus Bayrak

Istanbul University, Fisheries Faculty Ordu Cad. No. 200, Laleli, Istanbul, TURKEY
Republic of Turkey, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Microbiology Laboratory, Istanbul, TURKEY

Abstract

The contribution of capsule-bearing bacteria to the total number of bacterioplankton community was enumerated to assume the metabolically active number of bacterioplankton in the eight different water masses of the Marmara Sea, Kucukcekmece lagoon and Istanbul strait. Capsulated and non-capsulated bacteria were determined using modified the negative staining technique. Total bacteria abundance and capsulated bacteria number was compared according to sampling area. As a result capsulated bacteria number was found higher at the surface water of eutrophic lagoon to the total bacteria (25.8 %) as compared to the water column of the Northern Marmara Sea and Istanbul Strait. Capsulated bacteria 5-20 meter, was found less than lagoon samples. The surface water of lagoon percentage of capsulated bacteria was significantly higher (P<0.001) than all areas. It was observed that there was no statistically significant differencee between the dates of sampling in respect to contribution of the  number of the samples, which were taken from water above the sandy sediments of the Marmara Sea and deep from capsulated bacteria of the bacterioplankton community.

Keywords: Marmara Sea, Istanbul Strait, lagoon, capsulated bacteria, bacterial community