Temporal population dynamics of dinoflagellate Prorocentrum minimum in a semi-enclosed mariculture pond and its relationship to environmental factors and protozoan grazers

The ecological processes and interrelationships between protists, either autotrophic or heterotrophic, and environmental factors in mariculture ponds are largely unknown. This study investigated the temporal dynamics of potentially harmful dinoflagellate, Prorocentrum minimum (Pavillard) Schiller, and its relationship to physico-chemical factors and protozoan grazers over a complete cycle in a semi-enclosed shrimp-farming pond near Qingdao, Northern China. P. minimum occurred frequently in low numbers from June to August, followed by a sharp increase from the middle of August, reaching a single maximum peak value of 2.2×10⁵ cells L⁻¹ in October. Temporal variation in abundance was positively correlated with dissolved nitrogen, but showed a significant inverse relationship to abundance of the dominant ciliates, Tintinnopsis lohmanni and Askenasia stellaris. The results provide statistical evidence that the number of P. minimum increased with increasing nitrogen, and the suppression or shortening of algal bloom may be associated with protozoan grazers, such as Tintinnopsis lohmanni, in mariculture ponds.     

Temporal dynamics of phytoplankton communities in a semi-enclosed mariculture pond and their responses to environmental factors

Variations in physical-chemical factors, species composition, abundance and biomass of nano-and micro-phytoplankton assemblages, as well as their responses to environmental factors, were investigated over a complete cycle (6 months) in a semi-enclosed shrimp-farming pond near Qingdao, northern China. The aim was to establish the temporal patterns of phytoplankton communities and to evaluate protists as suitable bioindicators to water quality in mariculture systems. A total of 34 taxa with nine dominant species were identified, belonging to six taxonomic groups (dinoflagellates, diatoms, cryptophyceans, chlorophyceans, euglenophyceans and chrysophyceans). A single peak of protist abundance occurred in October, mainly due to chlorophyceans, diatoms and chrysophyceans. Two biomass peaks in July and October were primarily due to dinoflagellates and diatoms. Temporal patterns of the phytoplankton communities significantly correlated with the changes in nutrients, temperature and pH, especially phosphate, either alone or in combination with NO3-N and NH3-N. Species diversity, evenness and richness indices were clearly correlated with water temperature and/or salinity, whereas the biomass/abundance ratio showed a significant correlation with NO3-N. The results suggest that phytoplankton are potentially useful bioindicators to water quality in semi-enclosed mariculture systems.     

Temporal dynamics of phytoplankton communities in a semi-enclosed mariculture pond and their responses to environmental factors

Variations in physical-chemical factors, species composition, abundance and biomass of nano- and micro-phytoplankton assemblages, as well as their responses to environmental factors, were investigated over a complete cycle (6 months) in a semi-enclosed shrimp-farming pond near Qingdao, northern China. The aim was to establish the temporal patterns of phytoplankton communities and to evaluate protists as suitable bioindicators to water quality in mariculture systems. A total of 34 taxa with nine dominant species were identified, belonging to six taxonomic groups (dinoflagellates, diatoms, cryptophyceans, chlorophyceans, euglenophyceans and chrysophyceans). A single peak of protist abundance occurred in October, mainly due to chlorophyceans, diatoms and chrysophyceans. Two biomass peaks in July and October were primarily due to dinoflagellates and diatoms. Temporal patterns of the phytoplankton communities significantly correlated with the changes in nutrients, temperature and pH, especially phosphate, either alone or in combination with NO₃-N and NH₃-N. Species diversity, evenness and richness indices were clearly correlated with water temperature and/or salinity, whereas the biomass/abundance ratio showed a significant correlation with NO₃-N. The results suggest that phytoplankton are potentially useful bioindicators to water quality in semi-enclosed mariculture systems.     

Effects of ambient DIN:DIP ratio on the nitrogen uptake of harmful dinoflagellate Prorocentrum minimum and Prorocentrum donghaiense in turbidistat

The effects of varying nitrogen (N): phosphorus (P) ratios on the growth and N-uptake and assimilation of the harmful dinoflagellates Prorocentrum minimum and Prorocentrum donghaiense were examined in turbidistat culture experiments. Algal cultures were supplied with media containing PO34? in various concentrations to obtain a wide range of N:P ratios. Experiments to determine rates of N uptake and assimilation of different N sources (NO3?, NH4+, urea and glycine by P. minimum and NO3?, NH4+ by P. donghaiense) were conducted using 15N tracer techniques at each N:P ratio. The growth rates suggested nutrient limitation at both high and low N:P ratios relative to the Redfield ratio. On a diel basis, the growth of both species was regulated by the light-dark cycle, which may be a result of regulation of both light- dependent growth and light-independent nutrient uptake. Maximum growth rates of both species always occurred at the beginning of light phase. In P-rich medium (low N:P ratio), both species had higher N assimilation rates, suggesting N limitation. Low assimilation coefficients at high N:P ratios suggested P limitation of N uptake and assimilation. NO3? and NH4+ contributed more than 90% of the total N uptake of P. minimum. Reduced N sources were more quickly assimilated than NO3?. Highest average daily growth rates were recorded near an N:P ratio of 12 for both species. The N uptake rates of cultures at N:P ratios near Redfield ratio were more balanced with growth rates. The linkage between growth rates and N uptake/assimilation rates were conceptually described by the variation of cell N quota. The N:P ratios affect the N uptake and growth of Prorocentrum spp., and may regulate their bloom progression in eutrophic ecosystems.     

Acute Toxicity of Formalin to the Red-tide Dinoflagellate Prorocentrum minimum Schiller (Protozoa, Mastigophora)

1Introduction Red tides occur in recorded history,but in recentyears there is a global increase in the number of theseevents due to coastal pollution and other unclear fac-tors.Some kinds of red tides cause mass deaths of cul-tured animals and thus cause heavy economic losses forcoastwise mariculture(Nakanishi et al.,1996;Changet al.,1998;Zhu et al.,1998;Tada et al.,2001).The investigation on red tide control,however,rem-ains insufficient(Burkholder,1998;Edwards and Clark,1999).Although man…     

Exposure to Prorocentrum minimum Induces Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis in the Ridgetail White Prawn,Exopalaemon carinicauda

Prorocentrum minimum is a bloom-forming, planktonic mixotrophic dinoflagellate, and can cause stress in shrimp ponds. In this study, healthy Exopalaemon carinicauda were exposed to 5 × 10^4 cells mL^-1 P. minimum for 72 hours to investigate the adverse effect of P. minimum on shrimps. Elevated superoxide dismutase(SOD) activity and malondialdehyde(MDA) content, reduced total antioxidant capacity(T-AOC) and catalase(CAT) activity, and regulatory glutathione peroxidase(GPX) activity were found in the hemolymph of E. carinicauda after exposure to P. minimum. In this study, P. minimum exposure induced oxidative stress and caused significant oxidative damage to E. carinicauda. P. minimum exposure increased the expression of HSP70 gene in the hemocyte, gills and hepatopancreas. Compared with the enhanced level of caspase-3 gene mR NA in the hemocyte and gills, the up-regulation of caspase-3 gene in the hepatopancreas was only observed from 3 to 6 h, and then the mRNA level of glutathione-S-transferase(GST) gene increased. These results indicated that GST might be involved in the shrimp hepatopancreas’ defense against P. minimum exposure. The present study demonstrates that exposure to P. minimum could induce oxidative stress and apoptosis in E. carinicauda. The SOD activity, HSP70 and GST(in the hepatopancreas) were evoked to protect cells from oxidative stress and apoptosis. This study will provide new insights into the toxic mechanism of P. minimum on shrimps.     

Seasonal distribution of macrobenthos and its relationship with environmental factors in Yellow Sea and East China Sea

Macrobenthos samples were collected from the Yellow and East China Seas in four seasons during 2011 to 2012. The seasonal distribution of macrobenthos and its relationship with environmental factors were analyzed. A total of 562 macrobenthic species were identified, with polychaetes and mollusks accounting for 67% of the total number of species. A similarity percentage(SIMPER) analysis showed that the dominant species were bivalve mollusks in the Yellow Sea and small-sized polychaetes in the East China Sea. A two-factor analysis of variance showed significant seasonal variations in species number, density and diversity index, and significant regional differences of biomass and density. Two-factor community similarity analysis also showed significant seasonal and regional differences in macrobenthic communities. Canonical correspondence analysis indicated that the main environmental factors af fecting the macrobenthic communities were water depth, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and inorganic nitrogen. The results demonstrate significant regional differences and seasonal variations in macrobenthos in the two seas. Sediment properties and water mass characteristics are speculated to be the causes of regional differences.     

Seasonal dynamics of crustacean zooplankton community structure in Erhai Lake,a plateau lake,with reference to phytoplankton and environmental factors

The seasonal dynamics of a crustacean zooplankton community in Erhai Lake was investigated from May 2010 to April 2011. In total, 11 species were recorded, including six （6 genera） cladoceran and five （5 genera） copepod species. The crustacean zooplankton densities ranged from 24.3 to 155.4 ind./L. In winter and spring, the large-bodied cladoceran Daphnia galeata dominated the crustacean plankton community. In summer and autumn, when the colonial or filamentous algae dominated the phytoplankton communities, the small-bodied species （e.g. Bosminafatalis, Ceriodaphnia quadrangular, and Mesocyclops leuckarti） replaced the large-bodied ones. One-way ANOVA and redundancy analysis revealed that community structure was dependent upon total nitrogen, total phosphorus, water temperature, transparency, and the biomass of small algae. The variation in both phytoplankton structure and environmental variables were important factors in the seasonal succession of crustacean zooplankton structure in Erhai Lake.     

Spatial heterogeneity of a microbial community in Kongsfjorden, Svalbard during late summer 2006 and its relationship to biotic and abiotic factors

The 16S and 18S ribosomal ribonucleic acid genes of microbial organisms collected from the contrasting environments (temperature, salinity, silicate, phosphate and nitrate, p <0.05) of the inner and outer basins of Kongsfjorden (Spitsbergen, Arctic) were studied using polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis(DGGE) fingerprinting. Comparison of the microbial fingerprints and the physicochemical parameters revealed that molecular methodology exhibited a greater sensitivity. Sequences obtained from bacterial DGGE were affiliated with four main phylogenetic groups of bacteria:Proteobacteria(Alpha, Beta and Gamma), Bacteroidetes, Verrucomicrobia and Cyanobacteria. The relationships between the genotype distribution of these microbes and associated biotic/abiotic factors, revealed by canonical correspondence analysis, showed that Station 1 at 30 m (outer fjord) was grouped separately from the other sites. This difference could be a consequence of the thermocline and base of the euphotic layer at this depth where the Atlantic and Arctic-type waters overlapped.     

Seasonal change in body length of important small copepods and relationship with environmental factors in Jiaozhou Bay,China

Differences among species in prosome length and in species’ response to environmental factors do exist. Therefore, it is useful to examine prosome length for different copepod species in variable environments. Seasonal variations in prosome length of four small copepods and their copepodite stages in the Jiaozhou Bay were compared and the relative influence of temperature, salinity, and chlorophyll concentration were examined. Two peaks were found in the mean prosome length of Paracalanus parvus (in early winter and May). For Acartia bifilosa, the maximum values of all copepodites occurred mainly from February to April, and decreased to the bottom in July. Prosome length of Acartia pacifica peaked when it first appeared in June, then reached to the minimum in July. Parvocalanus crassirostris only appeared from late summer to autumn and the mean prosome length showed no clear changes. Correlations of adult prosome length with environmental factors were evaluated. For the four species, temperature was negatively correlated to prosome length except for P. crassirostris. But the different species varied markedly in their responds to temperature. A. bifilosa showed a more definite trend of size variation with temperature than P. parvus and A. pacifica. Correlations of prosome length with salinity were significantly positive for almost all the small copepods. The relationship between chlorophyll concentration and prosome length was complicated for these copepods, but for P. parvus, chlorophyll concentration was also an important affecting factor. Furthermore, investigation needs to be done on food quality for some copepod. These results are essential to estimate the biomass and the production, and to understand these small copepods’ population dynamics in this human-affected bay.     

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE OF THE ZHUJIANG RIVER DELTA IN HOLOCENE AND ITS CULTURAL ORIGINS AND PROPAGATION

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Characterization of a mutant of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alteromonas aurantia</Emphasis> A18 and its application in mariculture

Mutant J61321 with enhanced siderophore production of Alteromonas aurantia AI8 was obtained after a series of chemical-physical mutageneses. It was found that the antibacterial activity against Vibrio anguillarum W-1 and siderophore production of the mutant were higher than those by the original strain A 18 which had been used in mariculture. The results of the specific assay（Csaky and Arnow methods） of siderophore showed that the sidrophore with hydroxamate group was produced by mutant J61321 and the original strain A 18, respectively, while the siderophore with catechol group was yielded by strain W-1 （Aibrio anguillarum）. Meanwhile, the siderophore yield, antibacterial activity and anti-chelator activity of strain J61321 were higher than those of its parent strain A 18.     

ORIGIN OF CARBONATE MATERIALS IN THE NORTHERN BASIN OF LAKE BAIKAL AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO HOLOCENE PALEOCLIMATE

Fine-grained disseminated carbonate was found in Holocene sediments in a core taken from the northern basin of Lake Baikal. The core had two distinct facies. a terrigenous blue-clay overlain by a diatomaceous silt. Oxygen and carbon stable isotope analyses, combined with SEM , X-ray diffraction and .palynology, show that the carbonate in the blue-clay layer is pedogenic in origin, rather than biogenic or authigenic . The S C values in the blue clay suggest that the carbonate is derived from a single source , while the carbonate in the diatom-rich layer might be transported by winds from different sources. On the assumption that the carbonate was formed during the post-glacial age and was transported primarily by river runoff, the 18O isotopic values suggest that the annual temperature in the northern Baikal drainage area was about 3℃ warmer during the middle Holocene (8500-7000 a, B. P.) than during the early Holocene (11 000-8 500a, B.P.) when the blue clay was being deposited . This interpretation is     

Zooplankton community structure in relation to environmental factors and ecological assessment of water quality in the Harbin Section of the Songhua River

To study the relationship between zooplankton community structure and environmental factors and water quality in the Harbin Section of the Songhua River, investigations were carried out in June, August, and October 2011. Canonical correspondence analysis （CCA） and saprobic indices were used to process and analyze the data. Seasonal variability was identified as a significant source of variation, which explains the fluctuation in zooplankton density. In autumn, the dry season, water residence time increased and zooplankton biomass and abundance accumulated in the slow flowing waters. Zooplankton abundance increased when food conditions improved. Therefore, the total zooplankton abundance in autumn is much higher than that in spring and summer. According to the saprobic indices, all the sample sites had mesosaprobic water and water quality was worse in autumn. CCA revealed that temperature accounted for most of the spatial variation in the zooplankton community. Moreover, pH, dissolved oxygen saturation, and turbidity were important factors affecting zooplankton community distribution.     

Production dynamics and life cycle of dominant chironomids （Diptera, Chironomidae） in a subtropical stream in China： adaptation to variable flow conditions in summer and autumn

The production dynamics and trophic basis of 7 dominant species of chironomids were investigated in the area of a second-order river of the Hanjiang River basin, in central China from June 2003 to June 2004. The results showed that Tvetenia discoloripes was by far the most abundant chironomid, dominating the overall standing stock of the taxa. In terms of life cycle, Chaetocladius sp., Eukiefferiella potthasti and T. discoloripes developed 1 generation a year, whereas Microtendipes sp. and Pagastia sp. developed two, while Pentaneura sp. and Polypedilum sp. developed three. T. discoloripes was the most productive chironomid with 120.305 8 g/m2.a, Pentaneura sp. and E. potthasti had relatively high production values of >17 g/m2.a, and the rest were <10 g/m2.a. All the production temporal variation tended to follow biomass patterns. T. discoloripes, Chaetocladius sp. and Pagastia sp. concentrated most of their production in winter, whereas E. potthasti, Pentaneura sp. and Polypedilum sp. had relatively higher production throughout the year. Only Microtendipes sp. had a production that peaked in summer. The overlap in temporal distribution of production among the chironomid species was generally high (>0.5), especially for filter-collectors Microtendipes sp., Chaetocladius sp., Chaetocladius sp., T. discoloripes and Pagastia sp. All species except Pentaneura sp. consumed a large portion of amorphous detritus, constituting more than 90% of their diets, and contributing nearly 90% to their secondary production. All the 7 chironomids represent obvious adaptation to local highly variable climate in summer and autumn in life cycle pattern, production dynamics, and food type.