ECOLOGY OF AQUATIC MICROORGANISMS IN SOUTHERN BRAZIL: STATE OF ART

Abstract

In this work we accomplish an analysis of the past and ongoing research on aquatic microbial ecology carried out by the Laboratótio de Ecologia do Fitoplâncton c de Microorganismos Marinhos, Departamento de Oceanografia - FURG since 1985. The studies were conducted in the Patos Lagoon (10,360 Km²), its estuarine sector and adjacent beach and coastal region. We present information about the abundance and biomass of microorganisms, as well as their production respiration and decomposition rates. It is concluded that microorganisms represent an important component of the microbial food web of these environments due to their high biomass, representing an important food source, as well as by their high metabolic activity.