Phenotypic Response of Marine Cryptophytes to Varying Spectral Irradiance Kristin M
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
University of South Carolina Scholar Commons Theses and Dissertations 2018 Phenotypic Response Of Marine Cryptophytes To Varying Spectral Irradiance Kristin M. Heidenreich University of South Carolina Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/etd Part of the Marine Biology Commons Recommended Citation Heidenreich, K. M.(2018). Phenotypic Response Of Marine Cryptophytes To Varying Spectral Irradiance. (Master's thesis). Retrieved from https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/etd/4864 This Open Access Thesis is brought to you by Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. PHENOTYPIC RESPONSE OF MARINE CRYPTOPHYTES TO VARYING SPECTRAL IRRADIANCE By Kristin M. Heidenreich Bachelor of Science University of North Carolina-Wilmington, 2014 ___________________________________________________ Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of Master of Science in Marine Science College of Arts and Sciences University of South Carolina 2018 Accepted by: Tammi Richardson, Director of Thesis Jeffry Dudycha, Reader James Pinckney, Reader Cheryl L Addy, Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School © Copyright by Kristin M. Heidenreich, 2018 All Rights Reserved ii DEDICATION This work is dedicated to my family, countless friends who supported me throughout this work and my studies. Their constant encouragement and inspirational conversations helped me to push through and achieve my goals. I would also like to thank my roommate Jen for putting up with my stress and anxiety over the last two years. I would also like to thank my wonderful cat Misa for her unconditional love and support as a “support” animal. Finally, I would like to dedicate this work in memory of my grandparents John and Jackie Phelan who served as my homeschool teachers for many years and helped kindle in me the desire to constantly learn. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank my advisor, Dr. Tammi Richardson, for all of her assistance throughout the past two years. During the course of my studies, I have gained valuable skills and knowledge regarding phytoplankton dynamics under her guidance that will guide me in my future career. I would also like to thank my committee members, Dr. Jeffry Dudycha and Dr. James Pinckney, for all their advice in developing and producing this thesis. I would also like to thank all of the people who helped me while I conducted, presented, and wrote up my research. I would like to thank all current and past lab partners, especially Eric Lachenmyer for training me on laboratory procedures and protocols. I would also especially like to thank my friends Eilea Knotts and Rachel Schomaker for helping read many drafts and sit through many presentations and for all their insightful comments and edits during those processes. Finally, I would like to acknowledge my funding sources: the National Science Foundation Dimensions of Biodiversity grant obtained by Dr. Richardson and Dr. Dudycha, the Slocum-Lunz foundation, and the F. John Vernberg Bicentennial Fellowship in Marine Sciences, which provided the necessary financial support for this research. iv ABSTRACT Cryptophytes are eukaryotic algae found in a variety of aquatic ecosystems, that vary in the color of light available for photosynthesis. This algal division displays a diversity in necessary photosynthetic pigments, possessing either phycoerythrin (Cr-PE; “pink”) phycocyanin (Cr-PC; “green”). According to the theory of complementary chromatic adaptation, this diversity should help maximize absorption of light within natural environments. The objective of this study was to determine if pigmentation related to growth performance in environments of differing spectral irradiance. Eight species of marine cryptophytes (5 Cr-PE and 3 Cr-PC species) were grown under four different spectral light environments. Growth rates, cellular pigment concentration and volume, and absorption spectra were determined for all experimental species and light treatments. Cr-PE species grew fastest under blue light (0.4 to 0.6 d-1 depending on species), indicating the efficient absorbance of blue photons by their Cr-PEs and by non- PE pigments. Cr-PC cryptophytes grew fastest under red, white, or blue light depending on the species (0.5 to 0.8 d-1), which Cr-PC they contained and their complement of non- PC pigments. All Cr-PC species grew slowest under green light (0.3 to 0.5 d-1). Spectral irradiance had a significant impact on cellular pigment concentrations and cellular volumes; however, the results varied among species. This study showed that cryptophytes could acclimate to novel environments, as no mortality was observed. Future studies will look at longer term acclimation (at the scale of years) to determine if cryptophytes show adaptive capabilities that are expressed at the genetic level. v TABLE OF CONTENTS DEDICATION ................................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................... iv ABSTRACT .........................................................................................................................v LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................... viii LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................... ix LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ..............................................................................................x CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................1 CHAPTER 2: MATERIALS AND METHODS .................................................................5 2.1 STUDY SPECIES AND STOCK CULTURES ........................................................5 2.2 EXPERIMENTAL CULTURES ...............................................................................5 2.3 GROWTH EXPERIMENTS .....................................................................................6 2.4 CR-PBP ANALYSIS .................................................................................................7 2.5 ABSORPTION SPECTRUM ANALYSIS ...............................................................8 2.6 HPLC PIGMENT ANALYSIS ..................................................................................9 2.7 CELL VOLUME ANALYSIS .................................................................................10 2.8 STATISICAL ANALYSES .....................................................................................10 CHAPTER 3: RESULTS ...................................................................................................14 3.1 GROWTH RATES ..................................................................................................14 vi 3.2 PIGMENT CONCENTRATION: CHL A ...............................................................14 3.3 PIGMENT CONCENTRATION: CHL C2 ..............................................................15 3.4 PIGMENT CONCENTRATION: PBP ...................................................................16 3.5 PIGMENT CONCENTRATION: ALLOXANTHIN AND α-CAROTENE ..........17 3.6 CELL VOLUME .....................................................................................................17 3.7 ABSORPTION SPECTRA ......................................................................................18 CHAPTER 4: DISCUSSION .............................................................................................27 REFERENCES ..................................................................................................................32 APPENDIX A: P-VALUE TABLE AND ABSORPTION SPECTRA ............................38 vii LIST OF TABLES Table 2.1 Experimental cryptophyte strains used within this study, some identifying parameters, and ideal media type .......................................................................................12 Table 3.1 Growth rates and cell volumes for all cryptophyte species and light treatments used within this study.........................................................................................................19 Table 3.2 Cellular concentrations for photosynthetic pigments for all cryptophyte species and light treatments used within this study .......................................................................20 Table 3.3 Cellular concentrations for photoprotective pigments for all cryptophyte species and light treatments used within this study ...........................................................21 Table A.1 P-values among treatments for all parameters and experimental species used within this study ................................................................................................................38 viii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1 Qualitative spectrum showing the distribution of PAR for the full light, green light, blue light, and red light treatments. ..........................................................................13 Figure 3.1 Growth rates for phycoerythrin and phycocyanin containing cryptophyte species. ...............................................................................................................................22 Figure 3.2 Cellular chl a concentrations for phycoerythrin and phycocyanin containing cryptophyte