A numerical taxonomic study of pelagic and epibenthic bacteria from the northwest Atlantic Ocean near Newfoundland

• Main Author: Noble, Peter Anthony
• Format: Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: Memorial University of Newfoundland 1984
• Subjects: New Zealand; Antarc*; Antarctica; Newfoundland; Northwest Atlantic; Alaska
• Online Access: https://research.library.mun.ca/7864/; https://research.library.mun.ca/7864/1/Noble_PeterAnthony.pdf; https://research.library.mun.ca/7864/3/Noble_PeterAnthony.pdf

An examination of bacterial strains from the pelagic and epibenthic regions from the water column in the Northwestern Atlantic Ocean near Newfoundland was made. Ninety-one strains were recovered from the pelagic an epibenthic regions and tested for 135 binary characters. Using numerical analysis, clusters of related strains were identified and the characteristics of the clusters determined. Pelagic strains were mainly fermentative and clustered separately from the epibenthic strains which were mostly oxidative. Identification was achieved with the aid of type and reference cultures. Fermentative bacteria were tentatively identified as members of the genus Vibrio although some species of Aeromonas were present. Nonfermentative strains were identified as Alteromonas, Flavobacterium and Pseudomonas. Although direct parallels could not be drawn, the bacteria isolated for this region most closely resembled populations described for Alaska, New Zealand and Antarctica.