Bacterial Populations in the Beaufort Sea

• Published in: ARCTIC
• Main Authors: Kaneko, Tatsuo, Roubal, George, Atlas, Ronald M.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: The Arctic Institute of North America 1978
• Subjects: Cold adaptation; Psychrophilic bacteria; Psychrotrophic bacteria; Sea ice; Sea ice ecology; Winter ecology; Canadian Beaufort Sea; Arctic; Beaufort Sea
• Online Access: https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/arctic/article/view/65697

Spatial and seasonal variation patterns were studied for bacterial populations in Beaufort Sea ice, water and sediment. Bacterial populations in the Beaufort Sea were found in concentrations as high as are found in temperate oceans. Bacterial populations, especially viable bacteria, were lower in surface water during winter than summer, but not in sediment. Beaufort Sea bacterial populations are mainly psychrotrophic and are clearly adapted to growth at low temperatures. Ice conditions appear to be important in determining levels of bacterial populations in water.