DISTRIBUTION CHARACTERISTICS AND AFFECTING FACTORS OF SPRING HETEROTROPHIC BACTERIA IN BOHAI SEA

Distribution characteristics, variation patterns and affecting factors of hetorotrophic bacteria were studied from April to May 1999 in Bohai Sea by standard Acridine Orange epifluorescence microscopy (AO method). The biomass in surface waters showed a small day-night variation, varying from 0.13-2.51$\mu\textrm{m}$$.$dm$\^$-3/ with an average of 0.84 $\mu\textrm{m}$$.$dm$\^$-3/. The biomass in bottom waters showed, however, a large variation, changing from 0.15-4.18 $\mu\textrm{m}$$.$dm$\^$-3/ with an average of 1.36 $\mu\textrm{m}$$.$dm$\^$-3/. The peak values were obtained at 5 and 11 am. The bottom water biomass showed a significant correlation with particulate organic carbon (r=0.639, p<0.05). Heterotrophic bacteria showed high biomass in nearshore waters and low values in offshore areas with a high biomass zone around Yellow Sea river mouth, which was consistent with the distribution of nutrients. The vertical distribution of heterotrophic bacteria showed biomass in bottom waters was higher than in surface water. The biomass of heterotrophic bacteria in Bohai Sea was similar with that in other marine waters.