Impact of Alexandrium tamarense allelochemicals on DOM dynamics in an estuarine microbial community

Plankton and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) dynamics in fractionated estuarine microbial communities (<150 μm, <60 μm and <20 μm), incubated with allelopathic (lytic) or non allelopathic (non-lytic) Alexandrium tamarense filtrates were investigated over a period of 48 h. Additionally, the amount of dissolved organic matter (DOM) available for bacterial growth in the treatments was measured via bacterial seawater culture experiments immediately and 6 h after addition of A. tamarense filtrates. The lack of effect on DOC concentrations and plankton community composition in lytic treatments indicated that allelochemicals did not inhibit the growth of the microbial community. Nevertheless, bacterial seawater culture experiments provided evidence that lytic filtrate addition provoked the release of bioavailable DOM from the microbial community. Since DOM was only released from the largest seawater fraction, microorganisms >60 μm were probably most sensitive towards allelochemicals.

► Alexandrium does not affect a diatom dominated phytoplanktonplankton community. ► Allelochemicals lead to the additional release of dom. ► Allelochemicals can increase the growth of bacteria due to the DOM release.