We measured the carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus content and production of cultured SAR11 cells in the genus
Heterotrophic bacteria in the surface ocean play a critical role in the global carbon cycle and the magnitude of this role depends on their growth rates. Although methods for determining bacterial community growth rates based on incorporation of radiolabeled thymidine and leucine are widely accepted, they are based on a number of assumptions and simplifications. We sought to independently assess these methods by comparing bacterial growth rates to turnover rates of bacterial membranes using previously published methods in a range of open‐ocean settings. We found that turnover rates for heterotrophic bacterial phospholipids averaged 0.80 ± 0.35 d−1. This was supported by independent measurements of turnover rates of a membrane‐bound pigment in photoheterotrophic bacteria, bacteriochlorophyll
- Award ID(s):
- 1756254
- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10455282
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Limnology and Oceanography
- Volume:
- 65
- Issue:
- 8
- ISSN:
- 0024-3590
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- p. 1876-1890
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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