The Community Structure of Heterotrophic Bacteria and Microalgae in An Artificial Reef (Tire Modules) in Dalipuga Iligan City (Mindanao, Philippines)

Abstract

The colonization of heterotrophic bacteria and microalgae community structure were assessed from the 7 year old artificial reefs (tire modules) deployed in Barangay Dalipuga, lligan City at depths of 8 and 2 4 m. The community structure as used in this study refers to the composition, abundance and biomass. Twenty (20) genera of microalgae belonging ~o classes Bacillariophyceae, Cyanophyceae and Chrysophyceae with Navicula as the most abundant were observed. Seventeen (17) bacterial isolates tentatively identified as Bacillus sp., Pseudomonas sp. and Vibrio sp. With four (4) species possibly related to Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio alginolyticus, V. cholerae and V. mimicus were identified. The abundance of these Gt bacteria in the marine environment is an indication of terrestrial contamination. There were similar trends of decreasing microalgal-bacterial interactions.