Distribution and activity of Bacteria and Archaea in the different water masses of the Tyrrhenian Sea

This study examines the abundance of the Bacteria, Crenarchaeota and Euryarchaeota and bulk activities (phosphatase and aminopeptidase activities, heterotrophic prokaryotic production and dark CO2 fixation) in the major water masses of the Tyrrhenian Sea (from surface to bottom: Modified Atlantic Water (MAW); Levantine Intermediate Water (LIW) and Tyrrhenian Deep Water (TDW)) in July and December 2005. Data from the catalyzed reporter deposition coupled with fluorescence in situ hybridization (CARD-FISH) analyses indicate that the percentage of Bacteria was always higher than the percentage of Crenarchaeota and Euryarchaeota throughout the water column. While the percentage of Euryarchaeota was relatively homogeneous (∼10%) through the water column, the percentage of Crenarchaeota increased with depth (from 5% to 14% in July and from 7% to 17% in December in MAW and TDW, respectively). Regarding differences between July and December 2005, the percentage of Bacteria in the MAW was lower in July than in December (25% versus 43%, respectively) while quite constant (∼40%) in the TDW. The pattern of phosphatase and aminopeptidase activity varied according to the stations considered, but both ectoenzyme activities showed higher maximum velocity rates in July than in December in the deep-sea waters. Particularly, specific activity of phosphatase in the deep-sea waters (TDW) was 7 times higher (median value) than in surface waters (MAW). Prokaryotic production, aminopeptidase and phosphatase activity measurements were always higher under in situ pressure conditions than after decompression. For the first time, the measurement of the dark CO2 fixation was investigated under in situ pressure conditions and its decompressed counterparts. These data give new information to understanding the role of prokaryotes (Bacteria and Archaea) in biogeochemical cycles of the meso- and batypelagic waters of the oceans.