Predator‐prey interactions of nanozooplankton and bacteria in an oligotrophic marine environment1

Abstract

Population interactions between nanoplankton and bacteria were investigated by means of long (ca. 5 day) incubations of prescreened seawater samples. Evidence is presented to show that population development is controlled by the predation of larger organisms on smaller ones. The development of the bacterial populations seems to be totally controlled by predation by nano‐sized organisms (flagellates and ciliates) and by picoflagellates. It is possible, though less certain, that picoflagellate development is controlled by nanociliate predation.