Effect of blue-green light on growth rate and chemical composition of three diatoms

The diatomsChaetoceros sp.,Skeletonema costatum andThalassiosira pseudonana were grown with different irradiances of white and of blue-green light, and with a mixture of blue-green plus 6.5 mol m^–2 s^–1 of white light. Exponential growth rates were higher in mixed blue for the first two, whileT. pseudonana grew faster in white light but, in all cases, mean cell division rates did not differ with increasing irradiances. Harvesting in stationary, rather than in late exponential growth phase, resulted in higher protein contents forChaetoceros sp. andS. costatum, but forT. pseudonana the highest value was in the exponential phase. The highest protein content was in blue-green light for the three species and it increased with irradiance. As to other fractions, the three strains showed different responses, related to quality and quantity, as well as to culture ages.     

Temperature effects on steady-state growth,phosphorus uptake,and the chemical composition of a marine phytoplankter

The marine chrysophyteMonochrysis lutheri was grown in phosphorus-limited continuous cultures at temperatures of 15°, 18.8° and 23°C. The effect of temperature on the maximum growth rate was well-defined by the Arrhenius equation, but the Q₁₀ for this alga (1.7) was somewhat lower than has been determined previously for many other phytoplankton species (2.0–2.2). The minimum phosphorus cell quota was relatively unaffected by temperature at 18.8°C and 23°C, but doubled in magnitude at 15°C. As a result, the internal nutrient equation of Droop described the relationship between specific growth rate and phosphorus cell quota well at 18.8° and 23°C, but was less successful at 15°C. The major limitation in using the Droop equation is that the ratio between the minimum and maximum cell quotas must be known, thus necessitating the need to establish the true maximum growth rate by the cell washout technique. In addition, the phosphorus uptake rate on a cell basis at a given steady state growth rate (=specific uptake rate) increased dramatically at 15°C, whereas the turnover rate of total available phosphorus was unaffected by temperature. Both the nitrogen and carbon cell quotas were relatively unaffected by growth rate at a given temperature, but the average values increased slightly with decreasing temperature. The overall conclusion is that phytoplankton growth and limiting-nutrient uptake rates are only synchronous at or near the optimum temperature. Because these types of responses are species specific, much additional data on temperature effects will be required before the importance of including such effects in phytoplankton-nutrient models can be determined.     

The effect of sodium bicarbonate supplementation on growth and biochemical composition of marine microalgae cultures

The addition of bicarbonate (NaHCO₃; 0, 1, or 2 g L^?1) to microalgal cultures has been evaluated for two species (Tetraselmis suecica and Nannochloropsis salina) in respect of growth and biochemical composition. In batch cultures, addition of bicarbonate (1 g L^?1) resulted in significantly (P?<?0.05) higher final mean cell abundances for both species. No differences in specific growth rates (SGRs) were recorded for T. suecica between treatments; however, increasing bicarbonate addition decreased SGR values in N. salina cultures. Bicarbonate addition (1 g L^?1) significantly improved nitrate utilisation from the external media and photosynthetic efficiency (F _v /F _m ) in both species. For both T. suecica and N. salina, bicarbonate addition significantly increased the cellular concentrations of total pigments (3,432–3,587 and 19–37 fg cell^?1, respectively) compared to cultures with no additional bicarbonate (1,727 and 11 fg cell^?1, respectively). Moreover, final concentrations of total cellular fatty acids in T. suecica and N. salina cultures supplemented with 2 g L^?1 bicarbonate (7.6?±?1.2 and 1.8?±?0.1 pg cell^?1, respectively) were significantly higher than those cells supplemented with 0 or 1 g L^?1 bicarbonate (3.2–3.5 and 0.9–1.0 pg cell^?1, respectively). In nitrate-deplete cultures, bicarbonate addition caused species-specific differences in the rate of cellular lipid production, rates of change in fatty acid composition and final lipid levels. In summary, the addition of sodium bicarbonate is a viable strategy to increase cellular abundance and concentrations of pigments and lipids in some microalgae as well as the rate of lipid accumulation in nitrate-deplete cultures.     

温度和光照强度对鼠尾藻生长和生化组成的影响

在实验室条件下,研究了温度(10、15、20、25 ℃)和光照强度(20、60、100、140、180 μE·m^-2·s^-1)对鼠尾藻生长和生化组成的影响.结果表明,温度、光照强度及两者的交互作用对鼠尾藻生长均具有极显著影响.鼠尾藻在15 ℃和20 ℃下生长速率较高,随着温度的升高,达到最大生长速率所需要的光照强度有上升趋势.在10 ℃和15 ℃下,较高的光照强度对鼠尾藻生长产生了一定抑制作用,而在20 ℃和25 ℃下,其生长速率总体随光照强度的增加而增加.温度和光照强度对鼠尾藻叶绿素a、墨角藻黄素的含量影响极显著,其中光照强度的影响大于温度.总体上,叶绿素a和墨角藻黄素的含量均随着光照强度的升高而显著下降,随着温度的升高而升高.鼠尾藻碳水化合物含量随着光照强度的升高而显著升高,而温度对碳水化合物含量影响不显著.鼠尾藻蛋白质含量随着光照强度的增加而显著下降,在10 ℃和15 ℃下含量较高,随着温度的继续升高,蛋白质含量呈下降趋势.光照强度和温度的变化可改变鼠尾藻的藻体成分含量,这种改变可能是鼠尾藻为了适应环境因子改变而做出的积极的生理调节,对其生长和生存具有重要的生态意义.     

Effects of density on growth rates of four benthic diatoms and variations in biochemical composition associated with growth phase

Diatom cell quantity and their biochemical composition vary among species and are greatly affected by harvest stage or culture conditions. This study compares growth pattern, cell attachment, and biochemical composition of four diatoms suitable for abalone post-larvae: Navicula incerta, Proschkinia sp., Nitzschia sp., and Amphora sp. The four diatoms were grown in F/2 medium at 28.5?±?1.4°C, under 62?±?8?μmol?photons?m^?2?s^?1, at different original inoculating densities (0.05?×?10⁶, 0.10?×?10⁶, and 0.25?×?10⁶?cells?mL^?1) and were harvested in log and stationary phase of growth for biochemical analysis. Total protein, carbohydrate, lipid, and ash composition, as well as fatty acid composition, were determined. All diatoms grew better when inoculated at 0.10?×?10⁶?cell?mL^?1 with Proschkinia sp. reaching the highest cell density of 6.56?×?10⁶?cells?mL^?1 in log phase. Amphora sp. had the highest cell attachment capacity when inoculated at 0.10?×?10⁶?cell?mL^?1 (11,580?cells?mm^?2), whereas N. incerta had the lowest (7,750?cells?mm^?2). Protein and lipid (percent dry weight) contents were generally highest in cells during log phase of growth; Amphora sp. in log phase of growth had the highest lipid content of 9.74% DW, whereas significant differences in carbohydrate between the two growth phases were only observed for Proschkinia sp. Besides, all diatoms had higher energy contents in log phase of growth. There were no significant differences in ash content among the four diatoms. Polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content ranged from 23.25% to 38.62% of the total fatty acids, and the four diatoms tested were richer in n-3 PUFA than in n-6 PUFA. All the diatoms had significant quantities of 20:5n-3 (EPA) (between 12.69% and 17.68% of TFA), and Proschkinia sp., in log phase of growth, had the highest quantity of arachidonic acid (20:4n-6; ARA). The results highlight the influence of culture conditions and harvest protocols on diatom nutritive value and enabled a preliminary approach towards the selection of novel diatom species.     

Environmental effects on growth and biochemical composition ofNitzschia inconspicua Grunow

The effects of nitrate and silicate levels, and carbon source on growth, biochemical composition and fatty acid composition ofNitzschia inconspicua were investigated using batch cultures. Within the range of silicate levels supplied (8.8–176 M), no marked variations in growth trend, biochemical composition or fatty acid composition were shown. Biomass at stationary phase, ranging from 64–66 mg ash-free dry weight (AFDW) L^–1, and specific growth rate () based on chlorophylla (0.41–0.50 d^–1) of the cultures grown within 0.3–3.0 mM NaNO₃ were not significantly different. Cultures supplemented with glucose (0.1 % w/v), acetate (0.1 % w/v) or 5% CO₂ attained higher biomass (85, 85, 97 mg AFDW L^–1) than the control which was grown in synthetic seawater and agitated by magnetic stirring. Cells grown at <3.0 mM NaNO₃ contained higher carbohydrate contents (14.8–21.5% AFDW) than those grown at 3.0 mM (4.0% AFDW). Lipid content increased at the expense of proteins in cells aerated with 5% CO₂. The dominant fatty acids, 16:0 and 16:1, ranged from 35.7–45.0% and 36.4–45.4% total fatty acids (TFA), respectively, while the relative proportions of 20:4 (n-6) and 20:5 (n-3) ranged from 1.7–5.4% and 3.4–5.9% TFA respectively. Cultures aerated with 5% CO₂ attained the highest biomass (97 mg AFDW L^–1) and yield of 20:5 (n-3) (0.34 mg L^–1).     

The effects of selected physical and chemical factors on attached diatoms in the Uintah Basin of Utah,U.S.A.

The relationships of diatom species to selected physical and chemical parameters in the streams of the Uintah Basin of Utah were studied through four seasons of 1977–1978. Niche center gradient analysis, cluster analysis and correlation analysis were performed.Achnanthes minutissima, Cyclotella meneghiniana, Cymbella minuta var.latens, Fragilaria capucina, andNavicula secreta var.apiculata appear to be indicator species of high or low levels of certain water quality parameters. Several other species also showed meaningful relationships to selected physical and chemical parameters.     

Autecological investigations on marine diatoms. I. Experimental results in biogeographical studies

Summary The upper and/or lower temperature limits for growth of 43 marine diatoms have been determined. According to the extent of the temperature tolerance range for growth and its position within the ecological relevant temperature range, the diatoms were divided in oligo-eurytherm (cold-, temperate-, warm-), meso-eurytherm (cold-, warm-) and eu-eurytherm species.The definition of the terms cosmopolites and circum-tropical could be enlarged, when the experimentai results and the distribution data from literature (19 distribution maps were combined.The results showed a significant relation between lower temperature limit for growth and both volume and cell size. In this way the lower temperature limit influences the size distribution of the phytoplankton in the oceans. Large diatoms are absent in cold water because of their high lower temperature limit for growth.The use of experimental results to reduce the number of sampling stations for determination of geographical distribution of diatoms, is discussed.     

The effect of growth temperature on the long-chain alkenes composition in the marine coccolithophorid Emiliania huxleyi

The hydrocarbon fraction of a pure culture of Emiliania huxleyi, composed of a mixture of C31, C33, C37 and C38 polyunsaturated n-alkenes, appeared strongly dependent on the growth temperature of the alga between 8 degrees C and 25 degrees C. The total hydrocarbon content increased linearly with decreasing temperatures. C37 and C38 alkenes (which accounted for more than 90% of the total hydrocarbons) showed distinct changes in distribution compared to C31 and C33 alkenes, suggesting different biological syntheses and/or functions for these two groups of compounds. C37 and C38 alkenes and C37 methyl ketones (alkenones) all showed a trend to lower proportions of the two diunsaturated isomers and to higher proportions of the corresponding trienes with decreasing temperature. Unlike the alkenone unsaturation ratio (U37k'), ratios based on the C37 and C38 alkadi- and trienes could be linearly related to the growth temperature of E. huxleyi only between 15 degrees C and 25 degrees C. The modifications in the distribution of alkenes induced by varying temperature appeared, however, to be twice as fast as the modifications undergone by the alkenones. Although structurally and biochemically related, the distinct evolutions of alkenes and alkenones in response to changes in growth temperature might indicate that these two classes of compounds play two distinct physiological functions. The non-systematic linearity of relationships to temperature of parameters based on alkenes distribution suggested that these compounds are of limited use as paleotemperature indicator in the marine environment in contrast with the alkenones.     

The amino acid and gross composition of marine diatoms potentially useful for mariculture

The amino acid and gross compositions of three benthic diatoms (Cylindrotheca fusiformis Reimann and Lewin, Navicula jeffreyi Hallegraeff et Burford and Nitzschia closterium (Ehr. W. Smith) and three chain-forming diatoms (Lauderia annulata Cleve, Skeletonema costatum (Greville) Cleve and a tropical Skeletonema sp. (CS-252)), were determined during late-logarithmic growth phase.Four of the six species were rich in protein, ranging from 31% (S. costatum) to 38% (N. closterium) of the dry weight, and contained 4.9 to 6.5% carbohydrate and 9.4 to 18% ash. The other two species, C. fusiformis and L. annulata contained only 16% protein but had nearly twice the total carbohydrate (11 to 12%) and two to three times the ash (29 to 35%) of the other species. All species contained a similar percentage of lipid (18 to 20%), and a high protein quality based on their total amino acid composition.The usefulness of these diatoms for mariculture will be determined by growth rates, gross composition and acceptability to the animal. N. closterium had the fastest growth rates of the benthic mat-forming diatoms, it was rich in protein, and it may be a good candidate for abalone culture. The two Skeletonema spp. had the fastest growth rates of the chain-forming diatoms, and are already widely used for prawn larval culture in Australia. Feeding trials are now necessary to confirm the high nutritional value of these diatom species for specific animals.     

Influence of environmental factors on the development of the valve in diatoms

Summary The species-specific form and structure of the diatom shell is variable within a given genetical reaction-norm, depending on the dynamic interrelation between cell and environment. The appearing modifications—based on quantitative disarrangement of construction-units as well as on a change in size and outline—can be understood as the morphological expression of a changed metabolism which has become necessary for adaption to adverse conditions. The diatoms react very sensitively, especially to the salinity factor, whereby actually two alternatives of adaption occur: a vegetative, in building resting spores (f.i., Navicula cuspidata) and a generative (f.i., Anomoeoneis sphaerophora, Surirella peisonis).Teratologies have been found in totally unbalanced surroundings (especially under conditions of ion unbalance), where the usually symmetrical forms have lost the coordination of the construction-units to each other (f.i., Surirella peisonis). They supply good criteria in clarifying the problems concerning pattern development.Dedicated to Univ.-Prof. Dr. H. A. v.Stosch's 70th Birthday.     

Effects of elevated CO2 and temperature on the growth,elemental composition,and cell size of two marine diatoms: potential implications of global climate change

Two pennate diatoms, Amphora coffeaeformis and Nitzschia ovalis, were used to evaluate potential responses to the future CO₂ and temperature increases with respect to cell-specific growth rate, elemental composition, size, population growth rate, and carrying capacity. Diatoms were subjected to four different treatments over a 2 week period (approximately 4 generations): a control (28°C and present-day CO₂, ~400 ppm), high CO₂ (28°C with high CO₂, ~750 ppm), high temperature (31°C and present-day CO₂, ~400 ppm), and greenhouse-effect treatment (31°C with high CO₂, ~750 ppm). The results indicated that both the cell-specific growth rates and the carrying capacity of A. coffeaeformis decreased at the higher temperature treatment, whereas N. ovalis did not differ among all treatments. No significant difference was found in either species’ elemental cell composition, but higher C:N and C:P ratios were observed for A. coffeaeformis and N. ovalis, respectively, in high CO₂ and greenhouse-effect treatments. Smaller cell sizes were observed for both species under the greenhouse-effect treatment, a phenomenon that could alter benthic food webs in the future.     

Environmental factors and chemical agents affecting the growth of the pathogenic marine ciliate Uronema nigricans.

The scuticociliate Uronema nigricans is an opportunistically parasitic marine ciliate known to cause disease in some aquacultural environments with epizootics documented from marine larval rearing systems, marine aquaria and in southern bluefin tuna Thunnus macoyii growout enclosures. This study examined growth responses of laboratory cultures of the ciliate and prey bacteria to variations in temperature and salinity, and the efficacy of potential chemotherapeutants for control of U. nigricans infections. Differences in ciliate growth responses were marginal at temperatures of 10 to 25 degrees C and at salinities between 15 and 35 ppt, though 3.5 ppt or less was lethal. Ciliates were found to be sensitive to fluctuations in bacterial densities, which may be a factor in the seasonal occurrence of the ciliate-related disease in tuna. Commonly used chemotherapeutants such as formalin, malachite green and hydrogen peroxide were all effective against the ciliate during in vitro trials.     

A comparative study of the size-dependent organic composition of marine diatoms and dinoflagellates

Cellular chlorophyll a, protein, carbohydrate and lipid contentwas determined for eleven clones of centric marine diatoms (volume89–1.47 x 10⁷ µ³) and eight species of marine dinoflagellates(597–4.45 x 10⁴ µ³) cultured under continuous illuminationat 18°C and 20°C, respectively. In both groups the logof cellular concentrations of each constituent was directlyrelated to the log of cell volume; diatoms generally had lowercellular concentrations than dinoflagellates of an equivalentvolume. Diatom chlorophyll a, protein and lipid concentrationsnormalized to a unit cell volume (pg µ^–3) decreasedexponentially with increasing cell size; this decrease is aconsequence of the diatoms' unique morphology restricting cellcytoplasm to a thin parietal layer within the frustule. Althoughdinoflagellates yield a wide range of cytoplasm concentrations,small dinoflagellates contained up to 3-fold higher cytoplasmconcentrations of all constituents than diatoms of equal volume.The log of cellular caloric values, summed from the caloricequivalents of cellular protein, carbohydrate and lipid, wasa linear function of log volume. Diatoms contained ca. halfthe caloric value of dinoflagellates of an equivalent volume.Although the evaluation of caloric content provides a basisfor comparing the "nutritional value" of phytoplankton groups,evidence from the literature suggests subjective factors suchas taste and digestibility are equally important in determiningnutritional values of individual species.     

The potential effects of energy related activities on the seasonal trajectories of epiphytic marine diatoms

Seasonal successional trajectories of transplanted and experimental diatom communities were studied during the summer of 1973. Manipulation of these diatom assemblages was accomplished through the development of an in situ experimental apparatus capable of incubating these organisms without doing violence to the community itself.In one set of experiments the effects of water quality were tested on the development of inocula from grossly similar but fairly distant locations. In another set the native inoculum was incubated in the continual presence of Fe, Cu, Cr, Pb, Zn and crude oil. Seasonal succession took place in all of the control and experimental communities. During the course of succession the trajectories of assemblages under some conditions converged while others diverged. Since the random fluctuations in the environment were constant for all assemblages, the abundances of individual species were due to niche packing and interspecific restraints on the biotic potential of selected diatom species as well as the changes in water quality. The most diverse community was an experimentally mixed one. The high diversity of this community was probably due to niche packing a phenomenon which restricted the realized niches of many species and hindered their blooming. Paradoxically twice as many species (40%) had their greatest niche breadth in the mixed community as did species in the transplanted (20%) or native controls (17%). Enrichment of the incubation medium with heavy metals and oil altered the community structure and diversity of most experimental vessels. Growth of some species was depressed while that of others was enhanced. The trajectories of the communities enriched with oil and Pb were quite similar throughout the summer. The Cu and Cr assemblages initially followed the trajectory of oil and Pb but later diverged. Greatest species diversity was consistantly found in the community incubated in the presence of Cu. The Fe enriched community generally diverged from all the others. Recurrent group analysis identified distinctive groups of species for each of the experimental assemblages as well as controls.The response of these diatom communities incubated under natural conditions were characteristic of resilient communities in which populations with different structures were quickly established.Supported by ERDA Contract E (11-1) 3254, Reference Number (COO) 3254-28. The authors would like to acknowledge Dr. Howard Rubin for his assistance in writing the many computer programs used in this investigation.This paper represents a revised expansion of a thesis project accepted by the CCNY Biology Faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the M.A. degree in September 1976.     

The effects of copper and zinc on growth of the fouling diatoms amphora and amphiprora

Copper and zinc salts act synergistically and have inhibitory effects on the growth of the diatoms Amphora coffeaeformis and Amphiprora hyalina. The concentrations required to cause a significant reduction in growth yields indicate that the isolates of the two species used are copper and zinc tolerant. Some growth stimulation was found in lower concentrations of the two metals. Cellular levels generally increased with increasing concentrations in the external medium, resulting in increased growth inhibition. Growth yields and cellular copper concentrations were found to be related to calculated cupric ion activities in the medium. Relative inhibitory and cellular concentrations of copper and zinc tor A. coffeaeformis and A. hyalina suggest that the latter species may be more sensitive to CuC1₂‐2HjO and more tolerant to ZnCl₂ than the former. The results suggest that inclusion of ZnO as an additional biocide in self‐polishing copolymer antifouling paints would result in more effective antifouling action.     

The influence of irradiance,photoperiod and temperature on the growth kinetics of three planktonic diatoms

The influence of irradiance, photoperiod and temperature was determined for the growth kinetics of the diatoms Aulacoseira subarctica, Stephanodiscus astraea and Stephanodiscus hantzschii and the results compared with those of cyanobacteria. Irradiance and photoperiod relationships were qualitatively similar to those for cyanobacteria in that: (1) growth rate (K) was proportionally greater under short photoperiods, with ratios of K under continuous light to K under 3:21 light:dark (LD) cycles of 1·50, 1·80 and 2·96 for A. subarctica, S. astraea and S. hantzschii respectively; (2) at subsaturating irradiances, K was proportional to irradiance and independent of temperature with a negligible predicted maintenance growth rate requirement. Apparent growth efficiencies (GE) at subsaturating irradiances were 0·26±0·03, 0·42±0·03 and 0·50±0·03 divisions mol^-1m² for A. subarctica, S. astraea and S. hantzschii with the values for Stephanodiscus species comparable to values for Oscillatoria species. Under a 3:21 LD cycle at 4 °C, light-saturated growth rates were 0·066±0·004, 0·197±0·033 and 0·285±0·018 divisions day^-1 for A. subarctica, S. astraea and S. hantzschii. S. hantzschii growth rate at 4 °C exceeded maximum Oscillatoria growth rates at 23 °C and the S. astraea growth rate at 4 °C was equivalent to O. agardhii growth rate at 20 °C. Temperature increases above 4 °C gave Q₁₀ values between 4 °C and 12 °C of 3·68, 2·39 and 1·92 for A. subarctica, S. astraea and S. hantzschii, but higher temperatures resulted in minor increases in K. S. astraea growth rate peaked at 16 °C, declining sharply at higher temperatures. February to March in situ growth rates in Lough Neagh, mean temperature 4·3 °C, showed that the A. subarctica in situ K of 0·058 divisions day^-1 was close to the laboratory K at 4 °C, but that S. astraea in situ K of 0·101 divisions day^-1 was lower than the laboratory K at 4 °C.     

The effect of temperature on growth and lipid and fatty acid composition on marine microalgae used for biodiesel production

Cultivation temperature is one of the major factors affecting the growth and lipid accumulation of microalgae. In this study, the effects of temperature on the growth, lipid content, fatty acid composition and biodiesel properties of the marine microalgae Chaetoceros sp. FIKU035, Tetraselmis suecica FIKU032 and Nannochloropsis sp. FIKU036 were investigated. These species were cultured at different temperatures (25, 30, 35 and 40 °C). The results showed that the specific growth rate, biomass and lipid content of all microalgae decreased with increasing temperature. With regards to fatty acids, the presence of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) in T. suecica FIKU032 and Nannochloropsis sp. FIKU036 decreased with increasing temperature, in contrast with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Moreover, Chaetoceros sp. FIKU035 was the only species that could grow at 40 °C. The highest lipid productivity was observed in Chaetoceros sp. FIKU035 when cultivated at 25 °C (66.73 ± 1.34 mg L^?1 day^?1) and 30 °C (61.35 ± 2.89 mg L^?1 day^?1). Moreover, the biodiesel properties (cetane number, cold filter plugging point, kinematic viscosity and density) of the lipids obtained from this species were in accordance with biodiesel standards. This study indicated that Chaetoceros sp. FIKU035 can be considered as a suitable species for biodiesel production in outdoor cultivation.