Aims: Abiotic factors may influence the settlement of bacterial populations in similar marine environments. Exhibition aquaria are a model for the study of the settlement of bacteria in different environment. Vibrio populations in the seawater reservoir, the Mediterranean tank and the Tropical tank from an exhibition aquarium on the western coast of the Mediterranean were compared and the effect of abiotic factors on the structure of these populations was considered.
Methods and results: High diversity indexes and similar Vibrio populations were found in the water of the reservoir and of the Mediterranean tank, whereas a lower diversity and different main populations were found in the water of the Tropical tank. The antibiotic resistance profiles of the most representative strains, presented a number of differences depending on the origin of the sample.
Conclusion: Abiotic conditions, mainly temperature, may determine the structure and composition of Vibrio populations in exhibition aquaria.
Significance and impact of the study: Bacterial monitoring of water could be useful for health management of aquatic environments.