| In depths > 1,000 m viable counts of sediment bacteria from the continental slope off West-Africa were significantly higher after incubation of agar plates at 2 degree C than at 20 degree C. At a depth of 1,500 m in 17 degree N, for example, 438,000 cells/ml of wet sediment were found after incubation at 2 degree C, but at 20 degree C the counts were only 54,000 cells/ml. In the deep-sea of the eastern tropical Atlantic bacterial counts were low, between 70 and 14,000 cells/ml of wet sediment, and bout the same for both incubation temperatures. However, different types of bacteria were isolated, depending upon the incubation temperature applied. Most of the bacteria isolated from 20 degree C agar plates were Gram-positive and mesophilic. In contrast,... |
