Influence of salinity and nitrogen content on production of dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) and dimethylsulfide (DMS) by Skeletonema costatum

The effects of changing salinity and nitrogen limitation on dimethylsulfoniopropionate(DMSP) and dimethylsulfide(DMS) concentrations were investigated in batch cultures of coastal diatom Skeletonema costatum,an ecologically important species.Changes in salinity from 20-32 caused no measurable variation in cell growth or culture yield,but increased intracellular DMSP per cell by 30%.Nitrogen limitation caused up to a two-fold increase in total DMSP per cell and up to a three-fold increase in DMS per cell.These changes in DMSP and DMS per cell in the Skeletonema costatum cultures with nitrogen limitation and changing salinity were primarily attributed to the physiological functions of DMSP as an osmolyte and an antioxidant.The data obtained in this study indicated that nitrogen limitation and salinity may play an important role in climate feedback mechanisms involving biologically derived DMS.     

Production of dimethylsulfide and acrylic acid from dimethylsulfoniopropionate during growth of three marine microalgae

We measured the concentrations of dimethylsulfide （DMS）, acrylic acid （AA）, and dimethylsulfoniopropionate （DMSP） during growth of three microalgae： Prorocentrum micans, Gephyrocapsa oceanica, and Platymonas subcordiformis. The DMSP, AA, and DMS concentrations in culture media varied significantly among algal growth stages, with the highest concentrations in the late stationary growth stage or the senescent stage. In the stationary growth stage, the average DMSP concentration per cell in P. micans （0.066 5 pmol/cell） was 1.3 times that in G. oceanica （0.049 5 pmol/ cell） and 20.2 times that in P. subcordiformis （0.003 29 pmol/cell）. The average concentrations of AA were 0.044 6, 0.026 9, and 0.003 05 pmol/cell in P. micans, G. oceanica, and P. subcordiformis, respectively, higher than the concentrations of DMS （0.272, 0.497, and 0.086 2 fmol/cell, respectively）. There were significant positive correlations between cell density and AA, DMSP, and DMS concentrations. The ratios of DMS/AA and AA/（DMSP＋AA） in the three algae differed significantly over the growth cycle. In all three microalgae, the DMS/AA ratios were less than 25% during the growth period, suggesting that the enzymatic cleavage pathway, which generates DMS, was not the main DMSP degradation pathway. The changes in the DMS/AA ratio indicated that there was a higher rate of enzymatic breakdown of DMSP in the early growth period and a lower rate during senescence. In all three microalgae, the AA/（DMSP＋AA） ratio （degradation ratio of DMSP） decreased during the exponential growth phase, and then increased. The variations in these ratios can approximately indicate the cleavage mechanism of DMSP at different stages of algal growth.     

Phaeocystis globosa Scherffel, a harmful microalga, and its production of dimethylsulfoniopropionate

The production of dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) and its cleavage products (DMS) are well studied in phytoplankton worldwide. However, less is known about their sources, distributions, and impacts in the coast of China. We examined the production of DMSP and DMS in Phaeocystis globosa Scherffel and other benthic macroalgae from the South China coast in relation to environmental conditions. P. globosa was a harmful marine microalgal species and its bloom took place in the eutrophic waters along the South China Sea frequently. It also produced high content of DMSP at different growth stages, with the highest concentration usually observed in the stationary period. Moreover, the production of DMSP in P. globosa was significantly affected by salinity and temperature with the highest contents associated with high salinity (e.g. 40) and low temperature (e.g. 20°C). In field benthic macroalgae, there was also a marked difference in the DMSP of various species or different samples of the same species. Chlorophyll a contents were also determined for each macroalgal species. The highest chlorophyll a (238.7 ng/g fresh weight) was recorded in Chlorophyta Ulva lactuca at Guishan Island (Zhuhai), while the lowest value (1.5 ng/g fresh weight) was found in Rhodophyta Gracilaria tenuistipitata in Zhanjiang. Further correlation analysis indicated that there was no significant relationship between the content of DMSP and chl-a in macroalgae samples (P > 0.05). All the results suggested that the production of DMSP in marine algae was not only species- and stage-related, but also greatly affected by various environmental factors.     

Study on the dimethylsulfide and dimethylsulfoni-opropionate in algae by laboratory batch cultures

INTRODUCTIONDimethylsulfide(DMS)anditsprecursordimethylsulfoniopropionate(DMSP)areofbiogenicorigin .DMSandDMSPconcentrationsshownoclearcorrelationwithplanktonbiomassorproductivityinsomesearegions.ThismaybeduetothefactthatfactorslikephytoplanktonspeciationandphysiologicalstatearemoreimportantthanalgalbiomassorproductivityincontrollingDMSlevelsinseawater (Barnardetal.,1 984 ) .TurnerandMalin (1 988)andAndreae (1 990 )suggestedthattheunderlyingreasonfortherelativelyhighabundancesofDM…     

Characteristics of phytoplankton community structure during and after a bloom of the dinoflagellate Scrippsiella trochoidea by HPLC pigment analysis

A bloom of the dinoflagellate Scrippsiella trochoidea was detected for the first time in inner Tolo Harbor, Hong Kong in 2 000. Water samples were collected at eight stations along a transect passing through a red tide patch for microscopic analysis of phytoplankton composition and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of phytoplankton pigments. During the bloom, the density of dinoflagellates was 1.1×10⁶ cells L⁻¹ within the patch and 8.6×10⁵ cells L⁻¹ outside the patch where the phytoplankton community was dominated by diatoms. After the bloom the S. trochoidea began to decrease in density and was replaced by diatoms as the dominating bloom-causing organisms at all stations, and the density of dinoflagellates at most stations was less than 1.0 × 10⁶ cells L⁻¹. The status of S. trochoidea as the causative species of the bloom was indicated by the presence of peridinin, the marker pigment for dinoflagellates. The shift from dinoflagellates to diatoms was marked by the decline of peridinin and the prevalence of fucoxanthin. Phytoplankton pigment markers also revealed the presence of other minor phytoplankton assemblages such as cryptomonads and blue-green algal.     

Oxygen consumption and ammonia-N excretion of Meretrix meretrix in different temperature and salinity

Effects of temperatures and salinities on oxygen consumption and ammonia-N excretion rate of clamMeretrix meretrix were studied in laboratory from Oct. 2003 to Jan. 2004. Two schemes were designed in incremented temperature at 10, 15, 20, 25°C at 31.5 salinity and in incremented salinity at 16.0, 21.0, 26.0, 31.5, 36.0, and 41.0 at 20°C, all for 8–10 days. From 10 to 25°C, both respiration and excretion rate were increased. One-way ANOVA analysis demonstrated significant difference (P<0.01) in physiological parameters in this temperature range except between 15 and 20°C. The highestQ ₁₀ thermal coefficient value (12.27) was acquired between 10 and 15°C, and about 1 between 15 and 20°C, indicatingM. meretrix could well acclimate to temperature changes in this range. Salinity also had significant effects on respiration and excretion rate (P<0.05). The highest values of respiration and excretion rate ofM. meretrix were recorded at 16.0 salinity (20°C). These two physiological parameters decreased as salinity increased until reached the minimumQ ₁₀ value at 31.5 (20°C), then again, these parameters increased with increasing salinity from 31.5 to 41.0.M. meretrix can catabolize body protein to cope with osmotic pressure stress when environmental salinity is away from its optimal range. No significant difference was observed between 26.0 and 36.0 in salinity (P>0.05), suggesting that a best metabolic salinity range for this species is between 26.0 and 36.0. This work is supported by National High-Tech R & D Program of China. (863 Program) (2002AA603014).     

Effect of nitrogen to phosphorus ratios on cell proliferation in marine micro algae

The ratio of nitrogen/phosphorus (N/P) is known to affect cell proliferation of some marine micro algae. We evaluated the effect of N/P ratios on the proliferation and succession of phytoplankton using five marine micro algae species. We used two sources of nitrogen, NH₄Cl (N₁) and urea (N₂), and a single source of phosphorous, NaH₂PO₄(P). The optimal N/P ratio that differed among the five species was affected by the source of nitrogen, being as follows (N₁/P, N₂/P in order): Thalassiosira sp. (30/1, 20/1), Heterosigma akashiwo (30/1, 30/1), Chroomonas salina (20/1, 30/1), Chaetoceros gracilis (40/1, 60/1), and Alexandrium sp. (10/1, 30/1). Thus, the source of nitrogen must be considered when analyzing the N/P ratio. Our results provide insight for predicting phytoplankton succession in coastal waters and may be used to forecast the potential risk of harmful algal blooms.     

Strategy of photo-protection in phytoplankton assemblages in the Kongsfjorden,Svalbard, Arctic

Photo-protective functions were investigated in phytoplankton assemblages at Kongsfjorden, Svalbard in spring, using their UV-absorbing compounds (mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs)), xanthophyll pigments (diadinoxanthin (DD) and diatoxanthin (DT)) and < beta >- dimethylsulphoniopropionate (< beta >_-DMSP). The dominant phytoplankton species in the inner bay were dominated by Phaeocystis spp. and nanoflagellates, while the offshore waters were dominated by Thalassiosira spp. In the inner bay, UVabsorbing compounds and xanthophyll pigments exhibited higher ratios of MAA to chlorophyll a (MAA:chl a ratio), and both DD and DT to chlorophyll a (DD:chl a ratio and DT:chl a ratio), respectively. Thus, the photoprotective-pigments such as DD and DT appear to complement MAAs in the natural phytoplankton assemblage. However, the ratio of < beta >_-DMSP to chlorophyll a (< beta >_-DMSP:chl a ratio) did not show a distinct spatial distribution according to environmental factors or interspecies differences. In this study, we found that photoprotective compounds occurred in a manner dependent on the phytoplankton species composition in Kongsfjorden Bay, where Phaeocystis is the dominant species.     

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.     

Size-fractionated phytoplankton biomass in autumn of the Changjiang （Yangtze） River Estuary and its adjacent waters after the Three Gorges Dam construction

A cruise was undertaken from 3rd to 8th November 2004 in Changjiang （Yangtze） River Estuary and its adjacent waters to investigate the spatial biomass distribution and size composition of phytoplankton. Chlorophyll-a （Chl-a） concentration ranged 0.42-1.17 μg L^-1 and 0.41-10.43 μg L^-1 inside and outside the river mouth, with the mean value 0.73 μg L^-1 and 1.86 μg L^-1, respectively. Compared with the Chl-a concentration in summer of 2004, the mean value was much lower inside, and a little higher outside the river mouth. The maximal Chl-a was 10.43 μg L^-1 at station 18 （122.67°E, 31.25°N）, and the region of high Chl-a concentration was observed in the central survey area between 122.5°E and 123.0°E. In the stations located east of 122.5°E, Chl-a concentration was generally high in the upper layers above 5 m due to water stratification. In the survey area, the average Chl-a in sizes of 〉20 μm and 〈20 μm was 0.28 μg L^-1 and 1.40 μg L^-1, respectively. High Chl-a concentration of 〈20 μm size-fraction indicated that the nanophytoplankton and picophytoplankton contributed the most to the biomass of phytoplankton. Skeletonema costatum, Prorocentrum micans and Scrippsiella trochoidea were the dominant species in surface water. The spatial distribution of cell abundance of phytoplankton was patchy and did not agree well with that of Chl-a, as the cell abundance could not distinguish the differences in shape and size of phytoplankton cells. Nitrate and silicate behaved conservatively, but the former could probably be the limitation factor to algal biomass at offshore stations. The distribution of phosphate scattered considerably, and its relation to the phytoplankton biomass was complicated.     

Spatio-temporal distribution of net-collected phytoplankton community and its response to marine exploitation in Xiangshan Bay

To explore the spatial-temporal distribution of the phytoplankton community and evaluate the combined effects of marine resource exploitation, net-collected phytoplankton and physical-chemical parameters were investigated in the Xiangshan Bay during the four seasons of 2010. A total of eight phyla, 97 genera, and 310 species were found, including 232 diatom species, 45 dinoflagellate species and 33 other taxa. The phytoplankton abundances presented a significant (P<0.001) seasonal difference with the average of 60.66×10⁴ cells/m³. Diatoms (mainly consisting of Coscinodiscus jonesianus, Cerataulina pelagica, Skeleto n ema costatum, and genus Chaetoceros) dominated the phytoplankton assemblage in all seasons. We found great spatio-temporal variation in community composition based on the multidimensional scaling and similarity analysis. Canonical correspondence analysis show that temperature, nutrition, illumination, and salinity were the main variables associated with microalgal assemblage. Compared with the previous studies, an increase in phytoplankton abundance and change in the dominant species coincided with increased exploitation activities in this bay (e.g. operation of coastal power plants, intensive mariculture, tidal flat reclamation, and industrial and agricultural development). The present findings suggest that the government should exercise caution when deciding upon developmental patterns in the sea-related economy.     

Dimethylsulfide in the South China Sea

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Periphyton response to nitrogen and phosphorus enrichment in a eutrophic shallow aquatic ecosystem

We examined changes in biomass and species dominance of periphyton in response to nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) enrichment in 12 mesocosms representing eutrophic aquatic ecosystems. The 100-L mesocosms consisted of lake water and pond sediment, and N and P were applied weekly. Periphyton samples were taken to assess the biomass (as estimated by the concentration of chlorophyll a (chl a)) and to determine which species were dominant. The mean periphyton biomass (chl a) in the P-enriched treatment did not differ from that in the control group, but increased with N enrichment. Compared with that in the control group, the chl a concentration increased with N+P enrichment in the early stages of the experiment, but decreased in the later stages. The decline in periphyton biomass at the later stages of the experiment was due to limited light availability, which resulted from the increased phytoplankton density in the experiment. The nutrient enrichment treatments resulted in changes in the dominant algal species in the periphyton, suggesting that various algal species showed different responses to different nutrients. The results of this study have implications for nutrient management in aquatic ecosystems.     

Winter phytoplankton assemblages of coastal Yellow Sea connected to Jiaozhou Bay, China

I Introduction Phytoplankton play an important role in the primary production of ocean (Ning et al., 1995). They are impor-tant biological mediators of carbon turnover in seawater ecosystems (Zhu et al., 1993). Phytoplankton in Jiaozhou Bay have been preliminarily studied on the subjects of community structure, primary productivity and carbon budget (Qian et al., 1983; Guo et al., 1992; Jiao et al., 1994). It has been found that seasonal variation of phytoplankton cell abundance presents w…     

Study on the phytoplankton · in a large reservoir

A comprehensive study on the community structure and function of the phytoplankton in Taipinghu Reservoir, the largest reservoir (9400 ha) in Anhui Province, China, was carried out during 1985–1986. A total of 175 species of algae belonging to 8 phyla and 87 genera was noted. The composition of phytoplankton was dominated by species of Chlorophyta, Cyanophyta and Bacillariophyta. The species number, cell density and biomass of the three groups were respectively 88%, 86.5% and 78.9% of the total phytoplankton. The weighted annual average biomass was 1.52 mg/L and cell density was 1.43×10⁶ ind/L. The growth maximum was observed in summer. Diatoms were abundant in the region adjoining a river. A large number of flagellated algae such asEuglena andChromulina occurred in the artificial fish culture bay. It can be inferred from the algal composition and total nitrogen concentration (1.48 mg/L) that this reservoir is a mesotrophic water body that had undergone slight natural eutrophication. Presented are an equation for the relation between cell density and biomass of algae and a newly developed method based on the energy flow principle in ecology for theoretically estimating algal fishery potential. The algae volumes of 128 species were measured for calculating the biomass.     

Tissue culture of three species of Laurencia complex

To establish a micropropagation system of three Laurencia complex species (Laurencia okamurai, Laurencia tristicha, and Chondrophycus undulatus) by tissue culture techniques, we studied the regeneration characteristics and optimal culture conditions of axenic algal fragments cultured on solid medium and in liquid medium. Regeneration structures were observed and counted regularly under a reverse microscope to investigate the regeneration process, polarity and optimal illumination, and temperature and salinity levels. The results show that in most cultures of the three species, we obtained bud regeneration on solidified medium with 0.5% agar and in liquid medium. Rhizoid-like regeneration was filamentous and developed from the lower cut surface of fragments in L. okamurai, but was discoid and developed from the apical back side of bud regeneration in L. tristicha and C. undulatus. Regeneration polarity was localized to the apical part of algal fronds in all three species, and on fragments cut from the basal part of algae buds could develop from both the upper and the lower cut surfaces. Buds could develop from both the medullary and the cortical portions in L. okamurai and C. undulatus, while in L. tristicha, buds only emerged from the cortex. The optimal culture conditions for L. okamurai were 4 500 lx, 20°C and 35 (salinity); for C. undulatus, 4 500 lx, 20°C and 30; and for L. tristicha, 4 500 lx, 25°C and 30.     

Screening for lipophilic marine toxins and their potential producers in coastal waters of Weihai in autumn, 2020

Lipophilic marine toxins (LMTs) produced by some microalgae in the sea could accumulate in shellfish and pose potential threats to the health of seafood consumers. Phytoplankton and shellfish samples were collected from coastal waters of Weihai in Shandong Peninsula, China in autumn, 2020, and screened for lipophilic marine toxins and their potential producers using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis and high throughput sequencing of partial DNA (V4 region of the 18S rRNA gene) extracted from phytoplankton. Pectenotoxin-2 (PTX2), trace amounts of azaspiracid (AZA1 or AZA40), and 13-desmethyl spirolide C (13-DesMe-C) were detected in phytoplankton samples, while PTX2 and gymnodimine (GYM) were detected in shellfish samples. The toxin content in shellfish samples was much lower than the regulatory limit or values reported previously. Results suggest that lipophilic marine toxins should have low risk in coastal waters of Weihai in autumn. Based on the data of high throughput sequencing, the OTUs were assigned to 5 identified species of Alexandrium, including A. ostenfeldii capable of producing 13-DesMe-C and GYM. Two OTUs were found closely related to the toxic species in genus Dinophysis, but it is impossible to assign them to any identified species due to the low resolving power of the V4 region for Dinophysis. The OTUs could not be assigned to any identified species in the genus Azadinium, suggesting the existence of unidentified species in this region.

     

Phytoplankton distribution and community structure in the East China Sea (ECS) continental shelf

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Development and evaluation of a DNA microarray assay for the simultaneous detection of nine harmful algal species in ship ballast and seaport waters

Rapid, high-throughput and reliable methods are urgently required to accurately detect and monitor harmful algae, which are responsible for algal blooms, such as red and green tides. In this study, we successfully developed a multiplex PCR-based DNA microarray method capable of detecting nine harmful algal species simultaneously, namely Alexandrium tamarense, Gyrodinium instriatum, Heterosigma akashiwo, Karenia mikimotoi, Prorocentrum donghaiense, Prorocentrum minimum, Ulva compressa, Ulva ohnoi and Ulva prolifera. This method achieved a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.5 ng of genomic DNA (orders of magnitude of the deci-nanogram range) in the tested algae cultures. Altogether, 230 field samples from ship ballast waters and seaport waters were used to evaluate the DNA microarray. The clinical sensitivity and specificity of the DNA microarray assay in detecting field samples were 96.4% and 90.9%, respectively, relative to conventional morphological methods. This indicated that this high-throughput, automatic, and specific method is well suited for the detection of algae in water samples.