Abstract
Aerobic bacteria in pond water, sediments, and Artemia in earthen saline ponds in Saudi Arabia were quantified. Total viable counts (TVC; mean ± SD) in pond water ranged between 7.9 ± 4.8 × 103 and 1.6 ± 3.7 × 104 colony forming units (cfu)/mL; in sediments between 7.1 ± 4.2 × 106 and 6.5 ± 3.8 × 107 cfu/g; on Artemia surfaces, 3.9 ± 0.9 × 103 and 1.0 ± 2.9 × 104 cfu/Artemia; and in Artemia homogenate, 4.6 ± 2.4 × 107 and 3.2 ± 3.6 × 108 cfu/g. The bacterial flora was predominantly Gram-negative rods, accounting for 89% of total isolates. Altogether, nine bacterial species of seven genera were identified. Bacteria in pond sediments were the most diverse compared to other populations. In all populations, Vibrio alginolyticus, Vibrio sp., and Staphylococcus sp. were dominant (P < 0.005). The bacterial flora of pond water and sediments were reflected in the bacterial composition on and in Artemia.
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The authors are grateful to King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for research support.