Observations on the microbial biomass in two stations of Terra Nova Bay (Antarctica) by ATP and LPS measurements.

Microbial estimates showed an unstable temporal trend and a range characteristic for water with low or, seldom, moderate trophism. Biomass decreased with increasing depth, and photo-autotrophic organisms seem to dominate the whole microbial assemblage. The bacterial population did not show much variability and was well-correlated to other microbiological and chemical parameters. This data showed that larger microplankters were dominant, but that sometimes pico-sized organisms contributed about 60% to the microbial biomass