Planktonic and Benthic Bacteriovorous Protozoa at Eleven Stations in Puget Sound and Adjacent Pacific Ocean

Abstract

Bacteriovorous Protozoa and heterotrophic bacteria quantitatively cultured from 31 samples collected at eight stations in Puget Sound and three in the adjacent Pacific Ocean (one station being 1520 m deep) ranges from undetectable to approximately 1000 Protozoa per ml and 5–80,000 bacteria/ml. Flagellates in the genera Bodo, Oikomonas, Monas, Rynchomonas, and Actinomonas were the most prevalent forms cultured. One ciliate and several sarcodinoids were also grown. The regression of predatory Protozoa on prey bacteria in sediment samples was calculated to be 580 bacteria for every bacteriovorous protozoan. Population densities of both bacteriovorous Protozoa and heterotrophic bacteria in the samples decreased from sediment to the water column, and from shore seaward. The ecological role of bacteriovorous Protozoa in the shallow and deep sea is discussed.