Magnitude and regulation of bacterioplankton respiratory quotient across freshwater environmental gradients.

ABSTRACT: Bacterioplankton respiration (BR) may represent the largest single sink of organic carbon in the biosphere and constitutes an important driver of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO(2)) emissions from freshwaters. Complete understanding of BR is precluded by the fact that most studies need to assume a respiratory quotient (RQ; mole of CO(2) produced per mole of O(2) consumed) to calculate rates of BR. Many studies have, without clear support, assumed a fixed RQ around 1. Here we present 72 direct measurements of bacterioplankton RQ that we carried out in epilimnetic samples of 52 freshwater sites in Québec (Canada), using O(2) and CO(2) optic sensors. The RQs tended to converge around 1.2, but showed large variability (s.d.=0.45) and significant correlations with major gradients of ecosystem-le

SUBMITTER: Berggren M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3329109 | biostudies-literature | 2012 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature