Effects of zooplankton grazing on phytoplankton communities in Mt Bold Reservoir, South Australia, using enclosures

1988 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 503 ◽  
Author(s):  
CJ Merrick ◽  
GG Ganf
Keyword(s):  
Chlorophyll A ◽  
Selection Criteria ◽  
Phytoplankton Community ◽  
Food Selection ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Zooplankton Grazing ◽  
Multivariate Statistical ◽  
Phytoplankton Communities ◽  
Phytoplankton Size ◽  
Temporal Path

Enclosure experiments demonstrated that zooplankton grazing changed the composition of the phytoplankton community in Mt Bold Reservoir. Phytoplankton biomass as measured by chlorophyll a did not change within the enclosures but changed across the experiments in response to zooplankton grazing. The chlorophyll a : phaeophytin a ratio did not reflect zooplankton grazing activity. Phytoplankton species richness and diversity did not change but the frequencies of many individual phytoplankton taxa differed in response to zooplankton grazing. Neither taxonomic identity nor phytoplankton size as measured by greatest axial linear dimension and volume determined the susceptibility of a taxon to grazing. This suggests that other criteria are important in food selection, criteria which vary between experiments. Multivariate statistical techniques successfully differentiated the grazed and the ungrazed phytoplankton communities based on the different frequencies of the component taxa. There was an indication that, within the enclosures, zooplankton grazing advanced the phytoplankton community along a temporal path. Microzooplankton grazing was not examined in these experiments but there was evidence that it was significant.

Differences between Nearshore and Offshore Phytoplankton Communities in Lake Ontario

1987 ◽  
Vol 44 (12) ◽  
pp. 2155-2163 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. M. Gray
Keyword(s):  
Chlorophyll A ◽  
Phytoplankton Biomass ◽  
Algal Biomass ◽  
Phytoplankton Community ◽  
Seasonal Pattern ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Lake Ontario ◽  
Dominant Group ◽  
Phytoplankton Communities ◽  
Eutrophic Species

Differences between nearshore and offshore phytoplankton biomass and composition were evident in Lake Ontario in 1982. Phytoplankton biomass was characterized by multiple peaks which ranged over three orders of magnitude. Perhaps as a consequence of the three times higher current velocities at the northshore station, phytoplankton biomass ranged from 0.09 to 9.00 g∙m−3 compared with 0.10 to 2.40 g∙m−3 for the midlake station. Bacillariophyceae was the dominant group at the northshore station until September when Cyanophyta contributed most to the biomass (83%). Although Bacillariophyceae was the principal component of the spring phytoplankton community at the midlake station, phytoflagellates (49%) and Chlorophyceae (25%) were responsible for summer biomass, with the Chlorophyceae expanding to 80% in the fall. The seasonal pattern of epilimnetic chlorophyll a correlated with temperature. While chlorophyll a concentrations were similar to values from 1970 and 1972, algal biomass had declined and a number of eutrophic species (Melosira binderana, Stephanodiscus tenuis, S. hantzschii var. pusilla, and S. alpinus) previously found were absent in 1982.

scholarly journals Phytoplankton dynamics in contrasting early stage North Atlantic spring blooms: composition, succession, and potential drivers

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 2395-2409 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. J. Daniels ◽  
A. J. Poulton ◽  
M. Esposito ◽  
M. L. Paulsen ◽  
R. Bellerby ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Production ◽  
Chlorophyll A ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Phytoplankton Community ◽  
Spring Bloom ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Biological Factors ◽  
Phytoplankton Composition ◽  
Bloom Formation ◽  
Phytoplankton Communities

Abstract. The spring bloom is a key annual event in the phenology of pelagic ecosystems, making a major contribution to the oceanic biological carbon pump through the production and export of organic carbon. However, there is little consensus as to the main drivers of spring bloom formation, exacerbated by a lack of in situ observations of the phytoplankton community composition and its evolution during this critical period. We investigated the dynamics of the phytoplankton community structure at two contrasting sites in the Iceland and Norwegian basins during the early stage (25 March–25 April) of the 2012 North Atlantic spring bloom. The plankton composition and characteristics of the initial stages of the bloom were markedly different between the two basins. The Iceland Basin (ICB) appeared well mixed down to >400 m, yet surface chlorophyll a (0.27–2.2 mg m−3) and primary production (0.06–0.66 mmol C m−3 d−1) were elevated in the upper 100 m. Although the Norwegian Basin (NWB) had a persistently shallower mixed layer (<100 m), chlorophyll a (0.58–0.93 mg m−3) and primary production (0.08–0.15 mmol C m−3 d−1) remained lower than in the ICB, with picoplankton (<2 μm) dominating chlorophyll a biomass. The ICB phytoplankton composition appeared primarily driven by the physicochemical environment, with periodic events of increased mixing restricting further increases in biomass. In contrast, the NWB phytoplankton community was potentially limited by physicochemical and/or biological factors such as grazing. Diatoms dominated the ICB, with the genus Chaetoceros (1–166 cells mL−1) being succeeded by Pseudo-nitzschia (0.2–210 cells mL−1). However, large diatoms (>10 μm) were virtually absent (<0.5 cells mL−1) from the NWB, with only small nano-sized (<5 μm) diatoms (i.e. Minidiscus spp.) present (101–600 cells mL−1). We suggest microzooplankton grazing, potentially coupled with the lack of a seed population of bloom-forming diatoms, was restricting diatom growth in the NWB, and that large diatoms may be absent in NWB spring blooms. Despite both phytoplankton communities being in the early stages of bloom formation, different physicochemical and biological factors controlled bloom formation at the two sites. If these differences in phytoplankton composition persist, the subsequent spring blooms are likely to be significantly different in terms of biogeochemistry and trophic interactions throughout the growth season, with important implications for carbon cycling and organic matter export.

scholarly journals Effect of silver nanoparticles on water quality and phytoplankton communities in fresh waterbody

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 185-190
Author(s):  
Thi Thu Huong Tran ◽  
Thi Thuy Duong ◽  
Trung Kien Nguyen ◽  
Thi Phuong Quynh Le ◽  
Duc Dien Nguyen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Silver Nanoparticles ◽  
Chlorophyll A ◽  
Environmental Variables ◽  
Phytoplankton Community ◽  
Chemical Reduction ◽  
Ammonium Phosphate ◽  
Uniform Size ◽  
Spherical Form ◽  
Phytoplankton Communities

This study aims to investigate the potential effects of environmental variables and the toxicity of nanosilver colloids synthesized by chemical reduction method on growth and development of phytoplankton community (the Microcystis genus dominance) in the eutrophication Tien lake water, Hanoi city, Vietnam. The variables analyzed including: physical (pH and Turbidity), chemical (content of NH4+, PO43- and silver metal), biological (content of Chlorophyll-a, cell density). The characteristic of nanomaterial was confirmed by using UV-visible spectrophotometer, TEM and HR-TEM methods. The obtained silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) showed that their spherical form and uniform size varied from 10 to 15 nm. The experimental results showed that the samples treated with AgNPs inhibition on growth against M. aeruginosa at concentration 1 mg/l after 8 days. The content of silver in aquarium water decreased from 1 mg/l (D0) to 0.8 mg/l (D8). The contents of chlorophyll-a of phytoplankton community, including Microcystis genus in samples exposed with AgNPs were declined from 11.27 ± 0.56g/L (D0) to 1.98 ± 0.37 g/L (D8) . The environmental variables such as: pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, ammonium, phosphate... in the experiment were below the limit of the Vietnam Standard 08:2015/MONRE for surface water quality. Mục đích của nghiên cứu này là khảo sát ảnh hưởng của vật liệu nano bạc tổng hợp bằng phương pháp khử hóa học đến sinh trưởng và phát triển của quần xã thực vật nổi (chủ yếu là chi Microcystis) trong nước hồ Tiền phú dưỡng, tại Hà Nội, Việt Nam. Các thông số phân tích bao gồm: thủy lý (pH và độ đục), hóa học (hàm lượng amoni, photphat và hàm lượng bạc kim loại), sinh học (hàm lượng chất diệp lục, mật độ tế bào). Đặc trưng của vật liệu được xác định bằng các phương pháp quang phổ UV-VIS, TEM và HR-TEM. Vật liệu nano bạc có dạng hình cầu, kích thước đồng nhất trong khoảng 10-15nm. Kết quả thử nghiệm sau 8 ngày cho thấy các mẫu có bổ sung vật liệu nano bạc ức chế sinh trưởng đối với vi khuẩn lam M. aeruginosa ở nồng độ 1mg/l. Hàm lượng bạc kim loại giảm từ 1 mg/l (ngày đầu tiên) xuống còn 0.8 mg/l (vào ngày cuối cùng). Sinh khối thực vật nổi trong đó có chi Microcystis trong mẫu xử lý với AgNPs đã giảm tương ứng từ 11.27 ± 0.56 g/L (ngày đầu tiên, D0) xuống 1.98 ± 0.37 g/L (ngày cuối cùng, D8). Các thông số môi trường của nước hồ đều nằm dưới giới hạn cho phép của QCVN 08:2015/BTNMT đối với chất lượng nước mặt.

scholarly journals Spring phytoplankton communities of the Labrador Sea (2005–2014): pigment signatures, photophysiology and elemental ratios

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 1235-1259 ◽  
Author(s):  
Glaucia M. Fragoso ◽  
Alex J. Poulton ◽  
Igor M. Yashayaev ◽  
Erica J. H. Head ◽  
Duncan A. Purdie
Keyword(s):  
Chlorophyll A ◽  
Community Composition ◽  
Phytoplankton Community ◽  
High Light ◽  
Labrador Sea ◽  
Total Chlorophyll ◽  
Phytoplankton Communities ◽  
Mixed Layers ◽  
Phytoplankton Group

Abstract. The Labrador Sea is an ideal region to study the biogeographical, physiological, and biogeochemical implications of phytoplankton community composition due to sharp transitions between distinct water masses across its shelves and central basin. We have investigated the multi-year (2005–2014) distributions of late spring and early summer (May to June) phytoplankton communities in the various hydrographic settings of the Labrador Sea. Our analysis is based on pigment markers (using CHEMTAX analysis), and photophysiological and biogeochemical characteristics associated with each phytoplankton community. Diatoms were the most abundant group, blooming first in shallow mixed layers of haline-stratified Arctic shelf waters. Along with diatoms, chlorophytes co-dominated at the western end of the section (particularly in the polar waters of the Labrador Current (LC)), whilst Phaeocystis co-dominated in the east (modified polar waters of the West Greenland Current (WGC)). Pre-bloom conditions occurred in deeper mixed layers of the central Labrador Sea in May, where a mixed assemblage of flagellates (dinoflagellates, prasinophytes, prymnesiophytes, particularly coccolithophores, and chrysophytes/pelagophytes) occurred in low-chlorophyll areas, succeeding to blooms of diatoms and dinoflagellates in thermally stratified Atlantic waters in June. Light-saturated photosynthetic rates and saturation irradiance levels were highest at stations where diatoms were the dominant phytoplankton group ( >  70 % of total chlorophyll a), as opposed to stations where flagellates were more abundant (from 40 up to 70 % of total chlorophyll a). Phytoplankton communities from the WGC (Phaeocystis and diatoms) had lower light-limited photosynthetic rates, with little evidence of photoinhibition, indicating greater tolerance to a high light environment. By contrast, communities from the central Labrador Sea (dinoflagellates and diatoms), which bloomed later in the season (June), appeared to be more sensitive to high light levels. Ratios of accessory pigments (AP) to total chlorophyll a (TChl a) varied according to phytoplankton community composition, with polar phytoplankton (cold-water related) having lower AP  :  TChl a. Polar waters (LC and WGC) also had higher and more variable particulate organic carbon (POC) to particulate organic nitrogen (PON) ratios, suggesting the influence of detritus from freshwater input, derived from riverine, glacial, and/or sea ice meltwater. Long-term observational shifts in phytoplankton communities were not assessed in this study due to the short temporal frame (May to June) of the data. Nevertheless, these results add to our current understanding of phytoplankton group distribution, as well as an evaluation of the biogeochemical role (in terms of C  :  N ratios) of spring phytoplankton communities in the Labrador Sea, which will assist our understanding of potential long-term responses of phytoplankton communities in high-latitude oceans to a changing climate.

scholarly journals Phytoplankton dynamics in contrasting early stage North Atlantic spring blooms: composition, succession, and potential drivers

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-133 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. J. Daniels ◽  
A. J. Poulton ◽  
M. Esposito ◽  
M. L. Paulsen ◽  
R. Bellerby ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Production ◽  
Chlorophyll A ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Phytoplankton Community ◽  
Spring Bloom ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Biological Factors ◽  
Phytoplankton Composition ◽  
Bloom Formation ◽  
Phytoplankton Communities

Abstract. The spring bloom is a key annual event in the phenology of pelagic ecosystems, making a major contribution to the oceanic biological carbon pump through the production and export of organic carbon. However, there is little consensus as to the main drivers of spring bloom formation, exacerbated by a lack of in situ observations of the phytoplankton community composition and its evolution during this critical period. We investigated the dynamics of the phytoplankton community structure at two contrasting sites in the Iceland and Norwegian Basins during the early stage (25 March–25 April) of the 2012 North Atlantic spring bloom. The plankton composition and characteristics of the initial stages of the bloom were markedly different between the two basins. The Iceland Basin (ICB) appeared well mixed to > 400 m, yet surface chlorophyll a (0.27–2.2 mg m–3) and primary production (0.06–0.66 mmol C m–3 d–1) were elevated in the upper 100 m. Although the Norwegian Basin (NWB) had a persistently shallower mixed layer (< 100 m), chlorophyll a (0.58–0.93 mg m–3) and primary production (0.08–0.15 mmol C m–3 d–1) remained lower than in the ICB, with picoplankton (> 2 μm) dominating chlorophyll a biomass. The ICB phytoplankton composition appeared primarily driven by the physicochemical environment, with periodic events of increased mixing restricting further increases in biomass. In contrast, the NWB phytoplankton community was potentially limited by physicochemical and/or biological factors such as grazing. Diatoms dominated the ICB, with the genus Chaetoceros (1–166 cells mL–1) being succeeded by Pseudo-nitzschia (0.2–210 cells mL–1). However, large diatoms (> 10 μm) were virtually absent (< 0.5 cells mL–1) from the NWB, with only small nanno-sized (< 5 μm) diatoms present (101–600 cells mL–1). We suggest micro-zooplankton grazing, potentially coupled with the lack of a seed population of bloom forming diatoms, was restricting diatom growth in the NWB, and that large diatoms may be absent in NWB spring blooms. Despite both phytoplankton communities being in the early stages of bloom formation, different physicochemical and biological factors controlled bloom formation at the two sites. If these differences in phytoplankton composition persist, the subsequent spring blooms are likely to be significantly different in terms of biogeochemistry and trophic interactions throughout the growth season, with important implications for carbon cycling and organic matter export.

scholarly journals Effects of warming on a Mediterranean phytoplankton community

Web Ecology ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvia Pulina ◽  
Andreas Brutemark ◽  
Sanna Suikkanen ◽  
Bachisio M. Padedda ◽  
Lorena M. Grubisic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Global Warming ◽  
Water Temperature ◽  
Chlorophyll A ◽  
Phytoplankton Community ◽  
Total Biomass ◽  
Planktothrix Agardhii ◽  
Mediterranean Lagoon ◽  
Chlorella Sp ◽  
Phytoplankton Communities ◽  
Different Temperatures

Abstract. Predicting the responses of organisms is a complex challenge especially when water temperature is expected to increase over the coming decades, as a result of global warming. In this work the effects of warming on phytoplankton communities were investigated. An indoor experiment was performed, where water from a Mediterranean lagoon was incubated at different temperatures. Three treatments were applied in triplicate incubation units: the control (11 °C), 3 °C increase (14 °C), and 6 °C increase (17 °C). Our results showed significant effects by warming on phytoplankton. The abundance of relatively smaller taxa (Chlorella sp. and Planktothrix agardhii–rubescens group) increased at 17 °C, whereas the abundance of relatively larger species (Cyclotella sp. and Thalassiosira sp.) decreased, compared with the control. This shift towards smaller taxa resulted in a higher total biomass but lower chlorophyll a concentrations at the highest temperature.

Winter browsing of moose on two different willow species: food selection in relation to plant chemistry and plant response

2005 ◽  
Vol 83 (6) ◽  
pp. 807-819 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline Stolter ◽  
John P Ball ◽  
Riitta Julkunen-Tiitto ◽  
Reinhard Lieberei ◽  
Jörg U Ganzhorn
Keyword(s):  
Phenolic Compounds ◽  
Selection Criteria ◽  
Food Selection ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
Willow Species ◽  
Low Concentrations ◽  
Sources Of Variation ◽  
Plant Animal Interactions ◽  
Salix Myrsinifolia ◽  
Moose Browsing

We investigated the selection criteria of moose, Alces alces (L., 1758), feeding on two willow species, Salix phylicifolia L. and Salix myrsinifolia Salisb., and whether these willows respond chemically. We correlated winter twig browsing with the concentrations of primary and secondary plant compounds in twigs and new leaves. Furthermore, we investigated 12 specific phenolics in twigs of S. phylicifolia. During winter, moose browsed twigs with low concentrations of phenolic compounds. Additionally, we found significant negative correlations between browsing and the concentration of 7 of the 12 specific phenolic compounds in S. phylicifolia. Most importantly, even though ours was a field study and had many potential sources of variation, a multivariate analysis revealed that these specific phenolics predicted 47% of the variation in moose browsing. The two willows reacted in different chemical ways to moose browsing, but both showed signs of defensive response in early spring and compensation growth in summer. Our data demonstrate the importance of plant secondary chemicals for feeding behaviour of moose and underline the importance of working at a species level in studies of plant–animal interactions, especially with the chemically heterogeneous willows.

Factors influencing the growth of Mougeotia in experimentally acidified mesocosms

2000 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 538-547 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer L Klug ◽  
Janet M Fischer
Keyword(s):  
Inorganic Carbon ◽  
Phytoplankton Community ◽  
Dissolved Inorganic Carbon ◽  
Abiotic Factors ◽  
Minor Role ◽  
Little Rock ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Phytoplankton Communities ◽  
Mesocosm Experiments ◽  
Potential Factors

Acidification causes profound changes in species composition in aquatic systems. We conducted mesocosm experiments in three northern Wisconsin lakes (Trout Lake, Little Rock - Reference, Little Rock - Treatment) to test how different phytoplankton communities respond to acidification. Major differences exist among these lakes in water chemistry and phytoplankton community composition. In each lake, three pH treatments (control, press (sustained pH 4.7), and pulse (alternating pH 4.7 and ambient pH)) were maintained for 6 weeks. We observed a striking increase in species in the genus Mougeotia in all systems. Mougeotia is a filamentous green alga often found in acidified lakes. The magnitude of the Mougeotia increase differed among lakes and treatments, and we used an autoregressive model to identify potential factors responsible for these differences. Our results suggest that biotic factors such as competition with other algae played a relatively minor role in regulating Mougeotia dynamics. Instead, pH and abiotic factors associated with changes in pH (e.g., dissolved inorganic carbon) were important predictors of Mougeotia dynamics.

scholarly journals Timing of sea ice retreat can alter phytoplankton community structure in the western Arctic Ocean

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1705-1716 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Fujiwara ◽  
T. Hirawake ◽  
K. Suzuki ◽  
I. Imai ◽  
S.-I. Saitoh
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
Sea Ice ◽  
Arctic Ocean ◽  
Phytoplankton Community ◽  
Phytoplankton Community Structure ◽  
Western Arctic Ocean ◽  
Phytoplankton Communities ◽  
Ice Retreat ◽  
Western Arctic ◽  
Sea Ice Retreat

Abstract. This study assesses the response of phytoplankton assemblages to recent climate change, especially with regard to the shrinking of sea ice in the northern Chukchi Sea of the western Arctic Ocean. Distribution patterns of phytoplankton groups in the late summers of 2008–2010 were analysed based on HPLC pigment signatures and, the following four major algal groups were inferred via multiple regression and cluster analyses: prasinophytes, diatoms, haptophytes and dinoflagellates. A remarkable interannual difference in the distribution pattern of the groups was found in the northern basin area. Haptophytes dominated and dispersed widely in warm surface waters in 2008, whereas prasinophytes dominated in cold water in 2009 and 2010. A difference in the onset date of sea ice retreat was evident among years–the sea ice retreat in 2008 was 1–2 months earlier than in 2009 and 2010. The spatial distribution of early sea ice retreat matched the areas in which a shift in algal community composition was observed. Steel-Dwass's multiple comparison tests were used to assess the physical, chemical and biological parameters of the four clusters. We found a statistically significant difference in temperature between the haptophyte-dominated cluster and the other clusters, suggesting that the change in the phytoplankton communities was related to the earlier sea ice retreat in 2008 and the corollary increase in sea surface temperatures. Longer periods of open water during the summer, which are expected in the future, may affect food webs and biogeochemical cycles in the western Arctic due to shifts in phytoplankton community structure.

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