Contemporary Methods for Identification of Bacterioplankton Species-Specific Biogeochemical Functions

Abstract

Contemporary identification methods of biogeochemical functions of individual bacterioplankton species (taxa) in aquatic ecosystems are considered in this review. Currently popular metagenomic methods are not suitable for determination of species-specific biogeochemical functions of various bacterioplankton taxa. Cultivation of naturally occurring bacterioplankton communities amended with nutrients is quite promising in combination with such methods as fingerprinting, some modifications of microautoradiography and multi-isotope imaging mass-spectrometry. Appropriate method or a combination of methods allows identification of biogeochemical functions of individual bacterioplankton species (taxa) in the community, which is essential for understanding of principles of aquatic ecosystems functioning.

Keywords

• bacterioplankton
• biogeochemical function