Mixotrophic algae in three ice-covered lakes of the Pocono Mountains, U.S.A

SUMMARY 1. The occurrence and grazing activity of mixotrophic (phagotrophic) algae in three icecovered freshwater lakes of different trophic status were examined (oligotrophic Lake Giles, mesotrophic Lake Lacawac, eutrophic Lake Waynewood), Microbial population densities were low (4.1–7.2 × 105 bacteria ml−1 and 1.2–2.4 × 103 nanoplanktonic protists ml−1). All three nanoplankton communities were dominated by chloroplast‐bearing forms (60–96%). 2. Mixotrophs formed up to 48% of the phototrophic nanoplankton in Lake Lacawac and were responsible for up to ∼90% of the observed uptake of bacteria‐sized particles. The abundance of mixotrophic algae in Lakes Giles and Waynewood were extremely low (3 and 2% of the phototrophic algae, respectively), and heterotrophs dominated nanoplankton bacterivory. 3. The overall impact of nanoplankton feeding activity on the bacterial assemblage was low under the ice in Lakes Giles and Waynewood. Removal rates of bacteria based on our particle uptake experiments were 1.0 and 4.0% of the bacterial standing stock day−1 in these lakes, respectively. Removal rates were higher in Lake Lacawac and ranged from 4.9 to 11% of the bacterial standing stock day−1 on 2 successive sampling days.