Epilithic bacterial responses to variations in algal biomass and labile dissolved organic carbon during biofilm colonization

This study experimentally examines potential shifts in epilithic bacterial biomass and productivity in response to variations in epilithic algal biomass and labile dissolved organic carbon (DOC) during stream biofilm colonization. I predicted that epilithic bacteria would respond positively to allochthonous DOC early in biofilm colonization and respond positively to increased algal biomass late in biofilm colonization. Using once-through, experimental-stream channels, a 2 × 2 factorial design was employed in which light (shaded vs. non-shaded) and labile DOC (glucose-amended vs. ambient) were manipulated. Ceramic tiles were used as substrates for biofilm colonization and were sampled at different colonization stages. Shading significantly reduced chlorophyll a, live-algal bio-volume, and ash-free dry mass throughout colonization. Bacterial biomass increased significantly during biofilm colonization, but was not significantly different among treatments. Incorporation of [3H]thymidine into bacterial DNA, which was measured as a surrogate for bacterial productivity, was significantly greater in the glucose-amended channels throughout colonization, but it increased in the unshaded, ambient treatment in late colonization as well. These results suggest that labile DOC in the water column can potentially function as a control for epilithic bacteria throughout biofilm colonization, whereas epilithic algae can stimulate bacteria late in biofilm colonization in productive stream ecosystems