Microbial Parameters as Predictors of Heterotrophic Prokaryotic Production in the Ross Sea Epipelagic Waters (Antarctica) during the Austral Summer

• Published in: Journal of Marine Science and Engineering
• Main Authors: Luis Salvador Monticelli, Gabriella Caruso, Filippo Azzaro, Maurizio Azzaro, Rosabruna La Ferla, Giovanna Maimone, Paolo Povero, Alessandro Cosenza, Renata Zaccone
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2022
• Subjects: microbial parameters; epipelagic layer; heterotrophic prokaryotic production; Antarctica; Ross Sea; Naval architecture. Shipbuilding. Marine engineering; VM1-989; Oceanography; GC1-1581; Austral; Antarc*
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10121812; https://doaj.org/article/947c7d148e3f44c2ae5edcb85d5ffaad

A regression-based approach was used to test the suitability of a range of parameters, including total prokaryotic cell abundance and biomass, as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) content, and exoenzymatic activities (leucine aminopeptidase, LAP, beta-glucosidase, ß-G, and alkaline phosphatase, AP) as predictors of heterotrophic prokaryotic production (HPP) in the Ross Sea epipelagic waters. A close association between HPP and protein hydrolysis mediated by enzymatic activity (LAP), and to a lower significance level with the other variables, was recorded. Three multiple regression equations were developed from two microbial datasets collected during middle austral summer periods. All showed a good predictive ability for HPP, and this was further validated through a comparison between the predicted and the observed HPP values. The obtained regression equations proved to represent a promising example of empirical models for further predictive studies in the Ross Sea where—through the incorporation of additional microbiological and environmental parameters—the developed models could find a practical application to cover the entire austral summer period.