Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Heterotrophy by Plankton in Three Lakes of Different Productivity

Nature volume 236, pages 463–464 (1972)Cite this article

Abstract

THE utilization of dissolved organic compounds by heterotrophic microorganisms is an important process in the aquatic carbon cycle and in the functioning of aquatic ecosystems in general1. It has been hypothesized that the only significant uptake of naturally occurring dissolved organic compounds by plankton is carried out by heterotrophic bacteria and that competition by phytoplankton for these compounds is insignificant2. In this communication I present evidence which does not support this hypothesis and I also show the importance of heterotrophy in relation to the total metabolism of plankton communities in freshwater ecosystems.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Kuznetsov, S. I., Limnol. Oceanog., 13, 211 (1968).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Hobbie, J. E., and Wright, R. T., Mem. Inst. Ital. Idrobiol., 18, 175 (1965).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Strickland, J. D. H., and Parsons, T. R., A Manual of Sea Water Analysis, second ed. (Bull. No. 125, Fish Res. Board Canad., 1965).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Steel, R. G. D., and Torrie, J. H., Principles and Procedures of Statistics (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1960).

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  5. Myers, J., Ann. Rev. Microbiol., 5, 157 (1951).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Krauss, R. W., Ann. Rev. Plant Physiol., 9, 207 (1958).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Samejima, H., and Myers, J., J. Gen. Microbiol., 18, 107 (1958).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Vallentyne, J. R., J. Fish. Res. Board Canad., 14, 33 (1957).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Jacob, F., and Monod, J., Mol. Biol., 3, 318 (1961).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Stuiver, M., Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 31, 2151 (1967).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. RICHARD H. MONHEIMER

    Present address: Department of Biology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, 48202

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ecological Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, 37830

    RICHARD H. MONHEIMER

Authors
  1. RICHARD H. MONHEIMER
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

MONHEIMER, R. Heterotrophy by Plankton in Three Lakes of Different Productivity. Nature 236, 463–464 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1038/236463a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/236463a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing