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Microbial biomass and organic nutrients in the deep-sea sediments of the Central Indian Ocean Basin

DRS at CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography

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Title Microbial biomass and organic nutrients in the deep-sea sediments of the Central Indian Ocean Basin
 
Creator Raghukumar, C.
Sheelu, G.
LokaBharathi, P.A.
Nair, S.
Mohandass, C.
 
Subject biomass
microbiology
nutrients (mineral)
organic matter
sediments
deep water
baseline studies
 
Description In order to assess the impact of deep-sea mining on the in situ benthic life, the microbial standing stock and concentration of organic nutrients in the deep-sea sediments of the Central Indian Ocean Basin in the Indian pioneer area was measured. Sediments were collected using box core and grab samples during September 1996. The total bacterial numbers ranged from 10 sup(10) - 10 sup(11) cells per g sup(-1) dry weight sediment. There was a marginal decrease in the number of bacteria from surface to 30 cm depth, though the subsurface section registered a higher number than did the surface. The highest numbers were encountered at depths of 4-8 cm. The retrievable number of bacteria were two orders less in comparison with the direct total counts of bacteria. An almost homogeneous distribution of bacteria, total organic carbon, living biomass, and lipids throughout the depth of cores indicates active microbial and benthic processes in the deep sea sediments. On the other hand, a uniform distribution of total counts of bacteria, carbohydrates, and total organic carbon in all the cores indicates their stable nature and suggests that they can serve as useful parameters for long-term monitoring of the area after the benthic disturbance. Further studies on temporal variability in this region would not only verify the observed norms of distribution of these variables but would also help to understand restabilization processes after the simulated benthic disturbance
 
Date 2009-01-07T09:37:30Z
2009-01-07T09:37:30Z
2001
 
Type Journal Article
 
Identifier Marine Georesources and Geotechnology, Vol.19; 1-16p.
http://drs.nio.org/drs/handle/2264/1518
 
Language en
 
Rights Copyright [2001]. All efforts have been made to respect the copyright to the best of our knowledge. Inadvertent omissions, if brought to our notice, stand for correction and withdrawal of document from this repository.
 
Publisher Taylor and Francis