Interactions between marine bacteria and red tide organisms in Korean waters

There is increasing interest in the relationships between marine bacteria and red tide organisms. Some bacteria are known to kill red tide organisms, and may be responsible for accelerating the termination of red tides. Thus, certain algicidal bacteria have been proposed for the control of red tides. Meanwhile, many red tide organisms are known to feed on marine bacteria. The roles of marine bacteria and red tide organisms are therefore reversible. In Korean waters, the killing of red tide organisms by algicidal bacteria, and also the feeding of red tide organisms on marine bacteria have been extensively investigated. The findings of such studies may influence the conventional view of red tide dynamics, and also planktonic food webs. Here, we review the species and concentrations of algicidal bacteria that kill red tide organisms in Korean waters, as well as the ingestion rate and grazing impact of red tide organisms on marine bacteria. Furthermore, we offer an insight into the ecological roles of these 2 components in marine planktonic food webs.