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Abstract:
Plankton communities consist of complex microbial consortia that change
over time. These fluctuations can be only partially explained by limiting resources. Biotic
factors such as herbivores and pathogens also contribute to the control of algal blooms.
Here we address the effects of algicidal bacteria on a natural plankton community in an
indoor enclosure experiment. The algicidal bacteria, introduced into plankton taken directly
from the North Sea during a diatom bloom, caused the rapid decline of the
bloom-forming Chaetoceros socialis within only 1 day. The haptophyte Phaeocystis, in
contrast, is resistant to the lytic bacteria and could benefit from the removal of the competitor,
as indicated by an onset of a bloom in the treated enclosures. This cascading effect
caused by the bacterial pathogen accelerated the succession of Phaeocystis, which
bloomed with a delay of only several weeks in the in situ waters at Helgoland Roads in
the North Sea. The algicidal bacteria can thus modulate the community within the limits
of the abiotic and biotic conditions of the local environment. Implications of our findings
for plankton ecosystem functioning are discussed.
IMPORTANCE Plankton communities change on a seasonal basis in temperate systems,
with distinct succession patterns; this is mainly due to algal species that have
their optimal timing relative to environmental conditions. We know that bacterial
populations are also instrumental in the decay and termination of phytoplankton
blooms. Here, we describe algicidal bacteria as modulators of this important species
succession. Upon treatment of a natural plankton consortium with an algicidal bacterium,
we observed a strong shift in the phytoplankton community structure, compared
to controls, resulting in formation of a succeeding Phaeocystis bloom. Blooms
of this alga have a substantial impact on global biogeochemical and ecological cycles,
as they are responsible for a substantial proportion of primary production during
spring in the North Sea. We propose that one of the key factors influencing such
community shifts may be algicidal bacteria.
