Microbiology of a northern river: bacterial distribution and relationship to suspended sediment and organic carbon

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Microbiology
• Main Authors: Geesey, G. G., Costerton, J. W.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1979
• Subjects: Genetics; Molecular Biology; Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology; General Medicine; Immunology; Microbiology; Athabasca River
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/m79-162; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/m79-162

Epifluorescent microscopy showed as many as 4 × 10 6 bacteria/mL in the turbid waters of the Athabasca River near the tar sand deposits in northeastern Alberta. The numbers were usually similar upstream and downstream (60 km) from pilot-mining operations. The majority of bacteria existed as free-living cells in spite of the fact there were high concentrations of suspended sediment present (average 220 mg/L) during the ice-free period. Fluctuations in bacterial concentration were positively correlated (r = 0.86, P < 0.05) with total organic carbon concentrations in the river water.