Question

The abundance of bacteria in the ocean spans a relatively small range (105 to 107 individuals/ml) as compared to the range of phytoplankton abundance (103 to 106 individuals/ml). Explain what mechanisms maintain this relatively constant bacterial abundance. Be sure to address mechanisms that act on the high range and the low range of bacterial abundance.

Answer 1

Carbon oxidizing bacteria that may range up to estimated population size of 2.4×10'28 cells approximately 25% of all plankton

They have low molecular weight and dissolved organic matter (DOM) and have small size and complexity

The phenomenon known as streamlining helps in lowering the material costs of replication and maximising transport functions that may help in competition at ultra low nutrient concentrations

They divide slowly and lack of many forms of regulation , it helps to understand the evolution and function of streamlined cells