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The carbon-flux via algal bloom events involves bacteria as an important mediator. The present study, carried out during the spring inter-monsoon month of April 2008 onboard CRV Sagar Manjusha-06 in the Eastern Arabian Sea, addresses the bloom-specific flow of carbon to bacteria via chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM). Eleven stations monitored were located in the coastal, shelf and openocean areas off Ratnagiri (16°59′N, 73°17′E), Goa (15°30′N, 73°48′E) and Bhatkal (13°58′N, 74°33′E) coasts. Visible bloom of "saw-dust" color in the Ratnagiri shelf were microscopically examined and the presence of cyanobacteria Trichodesmium erythraeum and T. thieabautii with cell concentrations as high as 3.05×10 6 trichomes L −1 was recorded. Total bacterial counts (TBC) varied between 94.09×10 8 cells L −1 in the bloom to 1.34×10 8 cells L −1 in the non-bloom area. Chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) concentrations averaged 2.27±3.02 m −1 (absorption coefficient 325 nm) in the bloom to 0.28±0.07 m −1 in the non-bloom waters respectively. CDOM composition varied from a higher molecular size with lower aromaticity in the bloom to lower molecular size and increased aromaticity in the non-bloom areas respectively. Strong positive relationship of TBC with Chlorophyll a (R 2 =0.65, p<0.01) and CDOM concentrations (R 2 =0.8373, p=0.01) in the bloom area indicated hydrolysis and/or uptake of CDOM by bacteria. Absorption by mycosporine-like amino acid palythene (λ max =360 nm) was recorded in the filtrate of bloom. Morphotypes of Trichodesmium-associated bacteria revealed a higher frequency of Gram-positive rods. The role of bacteria in relation to changing CDOM nature and as a factor in affecting oxygen content of the water column is discussed in context of the Arabian Sea.

The effects of exposure to aniline on growth and pigmentation in three haloarchaeal isolates from the Indian subcontinent--GUSF (MTCC 3265), from the estuarine saltpans of Goa, India; and GURFT-1 and GURFP-1, both from continental shelf sediments of the west coast of India--were studied. In nutrient-rich tryptone yeast extract medium containing 25% NaCl/crude salt, the growth of GUSF, measured as absorbance at 600 nm, was not affected significantly at all concentrations of aniline used [0.005%-0.04% (v/v)], whereas the growth phases of GURFT-1 and GURFP-1 were affected at concentrations > 0.005%; the total yield, however, was nearly equal to the yield of cultures growing in the absence of aniline. GURFT-1 reached approximately 40% of total yield on the 7th day in the presence of 0.04% aniline, which declined thereafter. The pigmentation observed visually was completely abolished at concentrations of aniline greater than 0.01%. Spectral scans of acetone extracts of the pigment of each of the cultures exposed to concentrations of aniline > 0.01% showed that (i) the bacterioruberin component of the pigments (absorbance in the range 390-500 nm) was completely abolished and (ii) the pigment component(s) shifted toward squalene and phytofluene derivatives (320-360 nm). This is the first report examining the effect of an aromatic pollutant such as aniline on the growth and pigmentation of haloarchaeal cultures.