Da in the Life of Picoplankton in Dickerson Ba , FL

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Da in the Life of Picoplankton in Dickerson Ba , FL )ORULGD6WDWH8QLYHUVLW\/LEUDULHV 2018 A Day in the Life of Picoplankton in Dickerson Bay, FL Isabelle G Basden Follow this and additional works at DigiNole: FSU's Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected] THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES A DAY IN THE LIFE OF PICOPLANKTON IN DICKERSON BAY, FL By ISABELLE BASDEN A Thesis submitted to the Department of Biological Sciences in partial fulfillment of the requirements for graduation with Honors in the Major Degree Awarded: Fall, 2018 The members of the Defense Committee approve the thesis of Isabelle Basden defended on November 28, 2018 ______________________________ Dr. Janie Wulff Thesis Director ______________________________ Dr. Markus Huettel Outside Committee Member ______________________________ Dr. Sophie McCoy Committee Member Acknowledgements I would like to thank Dr. Janie Wulff for all of her guidance through out the planning and execution of this project. I would also like to thank my committee members, Dr. Sophie McCoy and Dr. Markus Huettel, for their guidance on project design, data analysis, and writing. I would like to thank Kathleen Kaiser, Kate Hill, Alex Strawhand, Bobbie Renfro, Ashley Dawdy, Samantha Politano, Kristie Dick, Connor O’Halloran, and Ariel Basden for field assistance and data collection. I thank Ruth Didier for her assistance and patience with the flow cytometer at the Florida State University College of Medicine Flow Cytometry Facility. I thank Dr. Markus Huettel for analyzing DOC and TN in the Oceanography Department. I would like to thank Jack Rudloe and Gulf Specimen Marine Lab for allowing me to use their dock space for the picoplankton fluctuation project in Dickerson Bay. I would also like to thank Dr. Gregg Hoffman for allowing me to use his dock space to conduct the sponge feeding trials at Shell Point. This research was funded by the FSU IDEA Grant and the Bess H. Ward Honors Thesis Award. Finally I would like to thank my friends and family for their ongoing support and encouragement through out this project. Abstract Pelagic ecosystems play an important role in regulating the Earth’s biogeochemical processes. Picoplankton, cells > 2µm, are some of the most abundant plankton in the pelagic community and responsible for 44‐90% of primary production in tropical oceans. This study attempts to understand the daily fluctuations of picoplanktonic organisms in relation to the abiotic and biotic factors that may influence their dynamics by 1) analyzing the fluctuations in picoplankton community structure and density from 8am to 8pm 2) analyzing the relationship between picoplankton fluctuations and abiotic factors including light, temperature, and the tidal cycle and 3) analyzing the impact of a sponge filter feeder on picoplankton abundance. Picoplankton densities fluctuated significantly through out the day and tidal cycles and vertical mixing could play a large role in these daily dynamics. Sponge feeding can significantly decrease the density of autotrophic picoplankton and could be a form of control for picoplankton communities. Introduction Pelagic ecosystems play an important role in regulating the Earth’s biogeochemical processes. Life in marine benthic ecosystems relies on the primary production of plankton that occurs in pelagic zones. Therefore, many of the organisms found in these environments have a large ecological impact. Pelagic environments are composed of planktonic, free floating, and nektontic, swimming, organisms. Plankton can be extremely diverse and can range from microscopic bacteria or protists to larger zooplankton, such as copepods or even jellyfish. There are two size classes that compose the majority of the planktonic community in most environments; nanoplankton, cell size from 2µm‐20µm, and picoplankton, cell size < 2µm. Picoplankton are the most abundant and productive in the pelagic environment (Campbell & Vaulot, 1993; Chavez, 1989; Platt et al., 1983). Organisms that fall into the picoplankton size class include both heterotrophic and autotrophic organisms. The two main groups of autotrophic picoplankton are picoeukaryotic protists and bacterioplankton; Prochlorococcus‐like prochlorophytes and Synechococcus‐like cyanobacteria. Prochlorococcus phytoplankton (0.5‐0.7 µm) are the smallest photosynthesizers and are typically the most abundant plankton in warm, oligotrophic waters (Partensky et al., 1999). Synechococcus phytoplankton (0.6‐1.7µm) are slightly larger and can be found in cooler, more nutrient rich waters. The picoeukaryotic phytoplankton are much more diverse but less abundant than their prokaryotic counter parts (Otero‐Ferrer et al., 2018; Vaulot et al., 2008). The picoplanktonic autotrophs are the base of the marine food web and it is estimated that these phytoplankton make up 60‐80% of the planktonic biomass and 44‐90% of primary production in tropical oceans (Sherr & Sherr, 1991; Stockner & Anita, 1986). Phytoplankton capture energy from the sun to convert inorganic CO2 into organic carbon for synthesis of cellular materials. Some of the converted organic carbon is released as dissolved organic carbon (DOC) via exudation (Biddanda & Benner, 1997; Fogg, Nalewajko, & Watt, 1964). This is the beginning of the microbial loop. The next step involves the heterotrophic picoplankton. Heterotrophic bacteria utilize approximately 50% of the DOC released by the autotrophic picoplankton and convert it to biomass with 60% efficiency (Fogg et al., 1964; Larsson & Hagström, 1982). This biomass can now be transferred to higher trophic levels via predation by filter feeders. Filter feeding, the process of capturing plankton and dissolved nutrients suspended in the water column, is a widely used method for acquiring food in marine environments. Filter feeding animals are crucial in marine environments because they transfer energy from pelagic to benthic environments, improve water quality preventing phytoplankton blooms, and improve water clarity, which allows for more efficient photosynthesis for corals and algae (Gili & Coma, 1998; Lesser, 2006; Peterson et al., 2006; Wulff, 2013). Filter feeders have the ability to greatly impact the planktonic community depending on their abundance, clearance rate, filtering efficiency, and grazing selectivity. Do to their small size, very few organisms can efficiency feed on picoplankton. One of the groups of picoplanktivores includes the heterotrophic microflagellates (3‐7µm). These organisms feed by creating a current with their flagella to push bacteria prey towards the cell membrane where it is phagocytized. Mucus mesh feeders, such as the Appendicularians and Thalicean salps utilize mucus nets to capture picoplanktonic prey. The only major group of benthic picoplanktivores are the sponges (Phylum Porifera). Sponges are able to filter large amounts of water efficiently due to their aquiferous system made of extensive canals. Flagellated cells, called choanocytes, pull water through incurrent pores, ostia, and into the canal system by beating the flagella. Food particles are sieved through choanocyte villi and the water exits through the excurrent pore, called the osculum. Sponges play an important role in transferring pelagic biomass to benthic ecosystems. The Earth is changing do to anthropogenic influences. As CO2 continues to be released into the atmosphere, sea surface temperatures increase and the ocean becomes more acidic. Picoplankton are directly linked to these abiotic changes in many ways. Autotrophic picoplankton are needed to convert atmospheric CO2 into DOC. Increased sea surface temperatures can cause increased prevalence of increased picoplankton growth and harmful algal blooms. Biotic interactions in the oceans are also altered by human impact; such as overfishing, introduction of invasive species, and increased disease prevalence. It has been recorded that consumers can be a major form of control for primary productivity in Lakes via trophic cascades (S R Carpenter et al., 2001; Stephen R. Carpenter & Kitchell, 1988; Vanni & Layne, 1997). Overfishing of tertiary consumers in the ocean could cause picoplankton blooms via increases in secondary consumers and therefore decreases in planktivore populations. It is important to study the fine scale fluctuations of picoplankton to better understand how these populations will be affect by future global changes. This study attempts to understand the daily fluctuations of picoplanktonic organisms in relation to the abiotic and biotic factors that may influence their dynamics by 1) analyzing the fluctuations in picoplankton community structure and density from 8am to 8pm 2) analyzing the relationship between picoplankton fluctuations and abiotic factors including light, temperature, and the tidal cycle and 3) analyzing the impact of a sponge filter feeder on picoplankton abundance. Methods: Study Site This study was conducted in the Northern Gulf of Mexico in Dickerson Bay, Panacea FL. Samples were collected from Gulf Specimen Marine Lab’s a floating dock. Water Sample Collections A HOBO data logger was deployed off of the dock to measure light intensity and temperature through out the day. Three water samples were collected six inches from the surface of the water every hour from 8am to 8pm. samples were fixed for preservation immediately after being taken. For picoplankton analysis, 1.7mL were filtered through a 100µm mesh into a 2mL cryovial and fixed with formaldehyde to a concentration of 0.5%. Samples were put on dry ice until returned to FSU in a ‐80*C
Recommended publications
  • Does a Latitudinal Gradient Exist?
    Notes 1813 Limnol. Oceatzogr., 38(8). 1993, 1813-1818 (0 1993, by the Ameruzan Society of Limnology and Oceanography. Inc Chlorophyll a concentrations in the North Pacific: Does a latitudinal gradient exist? Abstract -Chlorophyll a concentrations were tion properties of glass-fiber and membrane measured as a function of depth from 28 to 48”N filters have demonstrated that glass-fiber filters along 152”W in March 199 1 with Whatman GF/F and 0.2~pm Nuclepore filters. Surface Chl a concen- inadequately retain < 1-pm-diameter cells due trations measured with 0.2~ym Nuclepore filters were to their large nominal pore size (0.7 and 1.2 up to fourfold higher than those measured with pm for Whatman GF/F and GF/C filters). Low Whatman GF/F filters. The largest difference be- retention efficiencies of glass-fiber filters result tween the two filter types was found in subtropical waters, where picoplankton were a major constituent when Chl a concentrations are low (<0.5-l .O of the phytoplankton assemblage. Chl a concentra- pg Chl a liter-‘) and when picoplankton are a tions integrated from 0 to 175 m showed a threefold dominant fraction of the phytoplankton as- increase (9-26 mg Chl a m-I) between 28 and 48”N semblage (Phinney and Yentsch 1985; Taguchi when Whatman GF/F filters were used. However, integrated Chl a concentrations based on measure- and Laws 1988). Under such conditions the ments with 0.2~pm Nuclepore filters were nearly con- use of membrane filters with submicron pore stant (25-3 1 mg Chl a mpZ) over the transect.
    [Show full text]
  • Biological Oceanography - Legendre, Louis and Rassoulzadegan, Fereidoun
    OCEANOGRAPHY – Vol.II - Biological Oceanography - Legendre, Louis and Rassoulzadegan, Fereidoun BIOLOGICAL OCEANOGRAPHY Legendre, Louis and Rassoulzadegan, Fereidoun Laboratoire d'Océanographie de Villefranche, France. Keywords: Algae, allochthonous nutrient, aphotic zone, autochthonous nutrient, Auxotrophs, bacteria, bacterioplankton, benthos, carbon dioxide, carnivory, chelator, chemoautotrophs, ciliates, coastal eutrophication, coccolithophores, convection, crustaceans, cyanobacteria, detritus, diatoms, dinoflagellates, disphotic zone, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), dissolved organic matter (DOM), ecosystem, eukaryotes, euphotic zone, eutrophic, excretion, exoenzymes, exudation, fecal pellet, femtoplankton, fish, fish lavae, flagellates, food web, foraminifers, fungi, harmful algal blooms (HABs), herbivorous food web, herbivory, heterotrophs, holoplankton, ichthyoplankton, irradiance, labile, large planktonic microphages, lysis, macroplankton, marine snow, megaplankton, meroplankton, mesoplankton, metazoan, metazooplankton, microbial food web, microbial loop, microheterotrophs, microplankton, mixotrophs, mollusks, multivorous food web, mutualism, mycoplankton, nanoplankton, nekton, net community production (NCP), neuston, new production, nutrient limitation, nutrient (macro-, micro-, inorganic, organic), oligotrophic, omnivory, osmotrophs, particulate organic carbon (POC), particulate organic matter (POM), pelagic, phagocytosis, phagotrophs, photoautotorphs, photosynthesis, phytoplankton, phytoplankton bloom, picoplankton, plankton,
    [Show full text]
  • Ocean Iron Fertilization Experiments – Past, Present, and Future Looking to a Future Korean Iron Fertilization Experiment in the Southern Ocean (KIFES) Project
    Biogeosciences, 15, 5847–5889, 2018 https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-5847-2018 © Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. Reviews and syntheses: Ocean iron fertilization experiments – past, present, and future looking to a future Korean Iron Fertilization Experiment in the Southern Ocean (KIFES) project Joo-Eun Yoon1, Kyu-Cheul Yoo2, Alison M. Macdonald3, Ho-Il Yoon2, Ki-Tae Park2, Eun Jin Yang2, Hyun-Cheol Kim2, Jae Il Lee2, Min Kyung Lee2, Jinyoung Jung2, Jisoo Park2, Jiyoung Lee1, Soyeon Kim1, Seong-Su Kim1, Kitae Kim2, and Il-Nam Kim1 1Department of Marine Science, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Republic of Korea 2Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon 21990, Republic of Korea 3Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, MS 21, 266 Woods Hold Rd., Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA Correspondence: Il-Nam Kim ([email protected]) Received: 2 November 2016 – Discussion started: 15 November 2016 Revised: 16 August 2018 – Accepted: 18 August 2018 – Published: 5 October 2018 Abstract. Since the start of the industrial revolution, hu- providing insight into mechanisms operating in real time and man activities have caused a rapid increase in atmospheric under in situ conditions. To maximize the effectiveness of carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations, which have, in turn, aOIF experiments under international aOIF regulations in the had an impact on climate leading to global warming and future, we therefore suggest a design that incorporates sev- ocean acidification. Various approaches have been proposed eral components. (1) Experiments conducted in the center of to reduce atmospheric CO2. The Martin (or iron) hypothesis an eddy structure when grazing pressure is low and silicate suggests that ocean iron fertilization (OIF) could be an ef- levels are high (e.g., in the SO south of the polar front during fective method for stimulating oceanic carbon sequestration early summer).
    [Show full text]
  • Factors Controlling the Community Structure of Picoplankton in Contrasting Marine Environments
    Biogeosciences, 15, 6199–6220, 2018 https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-6199-2018 © Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. Factors controlling the community structure of picoplankton in contrasting marine environments Jose Luis Otero-Ferrer1, Pedro Cermeño2, Antonio Bode6, Bieito Fernández-Castro1,3, Josep M. Gasol2,5, Xosé Anxelu G. Morán4, Emilio Marañon1, Victor Moreira-Coello1, Marta M. Varela6, Marina Villamaña1, and Beatriz Mouriño-Carballido1 1Departamento de Ecoloxía e Bioloxía Animal, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Spain 2Institut de Ciències del Mar, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Barcelona, Spain 3Departamento de Oceanografía, Instituto de investigacións Mariñas (IIM-CSIC), Vigo, Spain 4King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Read Sea Research Center, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia 5Centre for Marine Ecosystem Research, School of Sciences, Edith Cowan University, WA, Perth, Australia 6Centro Oceanográfico de A Coruña, Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO), A Coruña, Spain Correspondence: Jose Luis Otero-Ferrer ([email protected]) Received: 27 April 2018 – Discussion started: 4 June 2018 Revised: 4 October 2018 – Accepted: 10 October 2018 – Published: 26 October 2018 Abstract. The effect of inorganic nutrients on planktonic as- played a significant role. Nitrate supply was the only fac- semblages has traditionally relied on concentrations rather tor that allowed the distinction among the ecological
    [Show full text]
  • Diel Horizontal Migration of Zooplankton: Costs and Benefits Of
    Freshwater Biology (2002) 47, 343–365 FRESHWATER BIOLOGY SPECIAL REVIEW Diel horizontal migration of zooplankton: costs and benefits of inhabiting the littoral R. L. BURKS,* D. M. LODGE,* E. JEPPESEN† and T. L. LAURIDSEN† *Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, U.S.A. †Department of Lake and Estuarine Ecology, National Environmental Research Institute, Vejlsøvej, Silkeborg, Denmark SUMMARY 1. In some shallow lakes, Daphnia and other important pelagic consumers of phyto- plankton undergo diel horizontal migration (DHM) into macrophytes or other structures in the littoral zone. Some authors have suggested that DHM reduces predation by fishes on Daphnia and other cladocerans, resulting in a lower phytoplankton biomass in shallow lakes than would occur without DHM. The costs and benefits of DHM, and its potential implications in biomanipulation, are relatively unknown, however. 2. In this review, we compare studies on diel vertical migration (DVM) to assess factors potentially influencing DHM (e.g. predators, food, light, temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH). We first provide examples of DHM and examine avoidance by Daphnia of both planktivorous (PL) fishes and predacious invertebrates. 3. We argue that DHM should be favoured when the abundance of macrophytes is high (which reduces planktivory) and the abundance of piscivores in the littoral is sufficient to reduce planktivores. Food in the littoral zone may favour DHM by daphnids, but the quality of these resources relative to pelagic phytoplankton is largely unknown. 4. We suggest that abiotic conditions, such as light, temperature, dissolved oxygen and pH, are less likely to influence DHM than DVM because weaker gradients of these conditions occur horizontally in shallow lakes relative to vertical gradients in deep lakes.
    [Show full text]
  • Picoplankton Distribution and Activity in the Deep Waters of the Southern Adriatic Sea
    water Article Picoplankton Distribution and Activity in the Deep Waters of the Southern Adriatic Sea Danijela Šanti´c 1,* , Vedrana Kovaˇcevi´c 2, Manuel Bensi 2, Michele Giani 2 , Ana Vrdoljak Tomaš 1 , Marin Ordulj 3 , Chiara Santinelli 2, Stefanija Šestanovi´c 1, Mladen Šoli´c 1 and Branka Grbec 1 1 Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Šetalište Ivana Meštrovi´ca63, POB 500, 21000 Split, Croatia 2 National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics, Borgo Grotta Gigante 42/c, 34010 Sgonico (Ts), Italy 3 University of Split, University Department of Marine Studies, Ruđera Boškovi´ca37, 21000 Split, Croatia * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +385-21-408-006; Fax: +385-21-358-650 Received: 19 July 2019; Accepted: 8 August 2019; Published: 10 August 2019 Abstract: Southern Adriatic (Eastern Mediterranean Sea) is a region strongly dominated by large-scale oceanographic processes and local open-ocean dense water formation. In this study, picoplankton biomass, distribution, and activity were examined during two oceanographic cruises and analyzed in relation to environmental parameters and hydrographic conditions comparing pre and post-winter phases (December 2015, April 2016). Picoplankton density with the domination of autotrophic biomasses was higher in the pre-winter phase when significant amounts of picoaoutotrophs were also found in the meso-and bathy-pelagic layers, while Synechococcus dominated the picoautotrophic group. Higher values of bacterial production and domination of High Nucleic Acid content bacteria (HNA bacteria) were found in deep waters, especially during the post-winter phase, suggesting that bacteria can have an active role in the deep-sea environment. Aerobic anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria accounted for a small proportion of total heterotrophic bacteria but contributed up to 4% of bacterial carbon content.
    [Show full text]
  • Community Structure, Picoplankton Grazing and Zooplankton Control of Heterotrophic Nanoflagellates in a Eutrophic Reservoir During the Summer Phytoplankton Maximum
    AQUATIC MICROBIAL ECOLOGY Published January 30 Aquat Microb Ecol Community structure, picoplankton grazing and zooplankton control of heterotrophic nanoflagellates in a eutrophic reservoir during the summer phytoplankton maximum Karel Simekl,*,Petr art man', Jiii ~edomal,Jakob pernthaler2, Doris Springmann3,Jaroslav Vrbal, Roland psenner2 'Hydrobiological Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Na sadkach 7, CZ-37005 ~eskeBudejovice, Czech Republic 'Institute 01 Zoology and Limnology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstrasse 25, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria hstitute of Limnology, University of Konstanz. PO Box 5560, D-78434 Konstanz, Germany ABSTRACT. An intensive 5 wk study was conducted to investigate the role of protists, especially heterotrophic nanoflagellates (HNF),in microbial food webs during the summer phytoplankton bloom in the epilimnion and metalimnion of the eutrophic hmov reservoir (South Bohemia. Czech Republic). On average, protists consumed -90 % of bacterial production in both layers. The community composi- tion of HNF and the relative importance of different HNF groups as picoplankton consumers were determined. Small HNF (<8 pm), as chryson~onads,bodonlds and choanoflagellates, usually accounted for <30% of total HNF biomass but numerically dominated the community in both layers They con- sumed most of (-70 to 85%) the bacterioplankton as well as autotrophic picoplankton (APP, exclusively cyanobacteria) production in the reservoir, with the rest consumed by ciliates. Both ciliates and HNF had higher clearance rates on APP than on bactena and their grazing was likely responsible for a sharp decrease in APP abundance (from 3-4 X 105 to <2 X 103 ml-') and a very constant size structure of bac- terioplankton in which short rods in the size class of 0.4 to 0.8 pm constituted 55 to 80':') of the total bac- terial biomass in both layers.
    [Show full text]
  • A038p269.Pdf
    AQUATIC MICROBIAL ECOLOGY Vol. 38: 269–282, 2005 Published March 18 Aquat Microb Ecol Phytoplankton community structure changes following simulated upwelled iron inputs in the Peru upwelling region Clinton E. Hare1, Giacomo R. DiTullio2, Charles G. Trick3, Steven W. Wilhelm4 Kenneth W. Bruland5, Eden L. Rue5, David A. Hutchins1,* 1College of Marine Studies, University of Delaware, 700 Pilottown Road, Lewes, Delaware 19958, USA 2Hollings Marine Laboratory, University of Charleston, 205 Fort Johnson, Charleston, South Carolina 29412, USA 3Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, Biological and Geological Sciences Building, London, Ontario N6A 5B7, Canada 4Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, 1414 West Cumberland, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA 5Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, California 95064, USA ABSTRACT: The effects of iron on phytoplankton community structure in ‘High Nutrient Low Chlorophyll’ regions of the ocean have been examined using both shipboard batch cultures (growouts) and open ocean mesoscale fertilization experiments. The addition of iron in these areas frequently results in a shift from communities dominated by small non-siliceous species towards ones dominated by larger diatoms. We used a new shipboard continuous culture experimental design in iron-limited Peru upwelling waters to examine shifts in phytoplankton structure and their bio- geochemical consequences following simulated upwelled iron inputs. By allowing the added iron to pre-equilibrate with natural seawater ligands, we were able to supply iron in realistic chemical spe- cies at rates and concentrations similar to those found in upwelled waters off Peru. The community shifted strongly from cyanobacteria towards diatoms, and the extent of this shift was proportional to the increase in iron supply.
    [Show full text]
  • Distribution and Seasonal Variation of Picoplankton in Sanggou Bay, China
    Vol. 8: 261–271, 2016 AQUACULTURE ENVIRONMENT INTERACTIONS Published April 19 doi: 10.3354/aei00168 Aquacult Environ Interact Contribution to the Theme Section ‘Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) in Sanggou Bay, China’ OPENPEN ACCESSCCESS Distribution and seasonal variation of picoplankton in Sanggou Bay, China Li Zhao1,2, Yuan Zhao1,2,*, Jianhong Xu1,2, Wuchang Zhang1,2, Lingfeng Huang3, Zengjie Jiang4,5, Jianguang Fang4,5, Tian Xiao1,2 1Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, PR China 2Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Science, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266071, PR China 3Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystem, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, PR China 4Key Laboratory of Sustainable Development of Marine Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao 266071, PR China 5Function Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao 266071, PR China ABSTRACT: Picoplankton abundance and biomass in Sanggou Bay, China, were investigated in 4 successive seasons (April, August and October 2011, January 2012). Different distribution pat- terns of picoplankton abundance and biomass were observed according to season and culture areas (bivalves or macroalgae). Synechococcus, picoeukaryotes and heterotrophic prokaryotes exhibited higher abundance and biomass in warm seasons (summer and autumn) than in cold sea- sons (spring and winter). Over all 4 seasons, picoplankton abundance was higher in the bivalve culture area than in the macroalgae culture area. Among picoplankton, picoeukaryotes con- tributed most to the carbon standing stock in summer and autumn.
    [Show full text]
  • Consumption of Picoplankton by the Bivalve Larvae of Japanese Pearl Oyster Pinctada Fucata Martensii
    MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES Vol. 192: 195-202,2000 Published January 31 1 Mar Ecol Prog Ser / Consumption of picoplankton by the bivalve larvae of Japanese pearl oyster Pinctada fucata martensii Yuji ~omaru'~',Zen'ichixo Kawabata2,Shin-ichi Nakano3 'Department of Environmental Conservation Sciences, The United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Ehime University, Tarumi 3-5-7,Matsuyama 790-8566,Ehime, Japan 'Center for Ecological Research, Kyoto University, Otsuka 509-3,Kamitanakami-Hirano-cho, Otsu 520-2113, Shiga. Japan =Department of Environmental Conservation. Faculty of Agriculture. Ehime University. Tarumi 3-5-7,Matsuyama 790-8566. Ehime, Japan ABSTRACT: We examined grazing on bacteria and algal picoplankton (APP) by the larvae of Pinctada fucata martensii, using fluorescently labeled bacteria (FLB)and algae (FLA).Ingestion of both FLB and FLA by the larvae indicated that bacteria and APP serve as food sources for the larvae. With natural assemblages of bacteria and APP, the clearance rates of bacteria by the larvae (70 to 200 pm) ranged between 0.08 and 0.12 p1 larva-' h-', and those of APP between 0.12 and 1.5 p1 larva-' h-' Grazing pressure on natural populations of bacteria and APP by the larvae was estimated as < O.O1'bk d-' in Uchiumi Bay, suggesting that these larvae play a minor role in the consumption of p~coplankton. KEY WORDS: Pearl oyster larvae . Clearance rate - Picoplankton INTRODUCTION In Uchiumi Bay of Ehime Prefecture, Japan, culture of the bivalve pearl oyster Pinctada fucata martensii is Previous studies have demonstrated that bivalve extensively practiced. During the oyster breeding sea- larvae graze on particles of 2 to 10 pm as their primary son, in early summer, their larvae are temporarily very diet (Riisgard et al.
    [Show full text]
  • Autotrophic Picoplankton: Their Presence and Significance in Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 1 Harold G
    ______,...----- Virginia Journal of Science Volume 53, Number 1 Spring 2002 Autotrophic Picoplankton: Their Presence and Significance In Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 1 Harold G. Marshall, Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia, 23529-0266, U.S.A. During the first half of the 20th century, scientists collecting plankton specimens would use nets having different sized apertures to selectively obtain organisms within various plankton categories. As these net apertures were reduced in size, it was realized that there were numerous microscopic cells capable of passing through the smallest openings of these nets (Lohmann, 1911 ). The presence of these very small cells was later reported at numerous freshwater sites (Rodhe, 19 5 5, Bailey-Watts et al., 1968; Pennak, 1968; Votintsev et al., 1972; Pearl, 1977) and marine locations (Van Baalin, 1962; Saijo, 1964; Saijo and Takesue, 1965; Reynolds, 1973; Banse, 1974; Berman, 1975; etc.). In this early literature, various terms were used to describe these cells (e.g. ultraplankton, olive green cells, µ-algae, nanoplankton, etc.), but it wasn't until Sieburth et al. ( 1978) established a plankton reference classification system based on size, that the term picoplankton began to be used collectively for these microscopic cells. The standard definition of picoplankton refers to cells within the size range of 0.2 to 2.0 microns. This term has since been generally accepted as the category to assign plankton cells that occur singly or within colonies that are within this size range. However, one of the initial concerns in algal studies was the inability to distinguish many of the bacteria, cyanobacteria, and eukaryotes in this category with similar characteristics, and to specifically identify the heterotrophs from autotrophs when limited to standard light microscopy protocols.
    [Show full text]
  • Zooplankton Diel Vertical Migration in the Corsica Channel (North-Western Mediterranean Sea) Detected by a Moored Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler
    Ocean Sci., 15, 631–649, 2019 https://doi.org/10.5194/os-15-631-2019 © Author(s) 2019. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. Zooplankton diel vertical migration in the Corsica Channel (north-western Mediterranean Sea) detected by a moored acoustic Doppler current profiler Davide Guerra1, Katrin Schroeder1, Mireno Borghini1, Elisa Camatti1, Marco Pansera1, Anna Schroeder1,2, Stefania Sparnocchia1, and Jacopo Chiggiato1 1Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Scienze Marine (CNR-ISMAR), 30122 Venice, 19036 La Spezia, 34149 Trieste, Italy 2University of Trieste, Faculty of Environmental Life Science, 34127 Trieste, Italy Correspondence: Katrin Schroeder ([email protected]) Received: 6 August 2018 – Discussion started: 7 September 2018 Revised: 17 April 2019 – Accepted: 6 May 2019 – Published: 29 May 2019 Abstract. Diel vertical migration (DVM) is a survival strat- reverse and twilight migration are also detected. Nocturnal egy adopted by zooplankton that we investigated in the Cor- DVM was more evident at mid-water than in the deep and the sica Channel using acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) upper layers. DVM occurred with different intensities during data from April 2014 to November 2016. The principal aim blooming and non-blooming periods. One of the main out- of the study is to characterize migration patterns and biomass comes is that the principal drivers for DVM are light inten- temporal evolution of zooplankton along the water column. sity and stratification, but other factors, like the moon cycle The ADCP measured vertical velocity and echo intensity and primary production, are also taken in consideration. in the water column range between about 70 and 390 m (the bottom depth is 443 m).
    [Show full text]