| Bacterial abundance in the surface layer of the Central-East Atlantic varied within 2.24*10^5 = 1.64*10^6 cells per ml, the number of heterotrophs ranged from 2 to 419 colonies per ml. Bacterial density tended to increase from the North to the South. The bacterial heterotrophic potential was determined by an average uptake of glucose or hydrolizate of seaweeds, and its value varied from 0.07-0.68 and from 0.0-7.68 mgC*m^-3*day^-1, respectively. The highest rate of DOM uptake was observed in the trophic-equatorial region where bacterioplankton concentrations were high. Spatial distribution and heterotrophic activity of bacteria were influenced by temperature, specific structure and dynamics of water. |
