Distribution Characteristics of Alkaline Phosphatase Activity and Phosphatase Hydrolyzable Phosphorus in Northern Gamak Bay in Autumn and Winter, 2009

Abstract

We investigated variations in alkaline phosphatase (APase) activity and alkaline phosphatase hydrolyzable phosphorus (APHP) in northern Gamak Bay from September to December 2009. Dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) decreased gradually, and the DIN/DIP ratio was higher than the Redfield ratio (16) based on molecular concentrations during most of the observation period. The total APase (T-APase) activity increased with decreasing DIP concentration; i.e., the Relationship between T-APase and DIP showed a high negative correlation (r=-0.80, P<0.001), with APase activity being a good indicator of DIP limiting the Redfield ratio. The T-APase was positively correlated with the concentration of chlorophyll a (r=0.73, P<0.001). This suggests that a major portion of APase activity in northen Gamak Bay seawater is attributed to phytoplankton. The proportion of APHP among dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) was low in September and high in November. Thus, APase-producing phytoplankton may be able to grow by utilizing APHP as a phosphorus source in autumn when DIP is limiting. Thus, APase activity and the use of DOP by phytoplankton may play an important role in the growth of phytoplankton under DIP limiting conditions such as those of northern Gamak Bay.