A shift in the dominant toxin-producing algal species in central California alters phycotoxins in food webs

In California, the toxic algal species of primary concern are the dinoflagellate Alexandrium catenella and members of the pennate diatom genus Pseudo-nitzschia, both producers of potent neurotoxins that are capable of sickening and killing marine life and humans. During the summer of 2004 in Monterey Bay, we observed a change in the taxonomic structure of the phytoplankton community—the typically diatom-dominated community shifted to a red tide, dinoflagellate-dominated community. Here we use a 6-year time series (2000–2006) to show how the abundance of the dominant harmful algal bloom (HAB) species in the Bay up to that point, Pseudo-nitzschia, significantly declined during the dinoflagellate-dominated interval, while two genera of toxic dinoflagellates, Alexandrium and Dinophysis, became the predominant toxin producers. This change represents a shift from a genus of toxin producers that typically dominates the community during a toxic bloom, to HAB taxa that are generally only minor components of the community in a toxic event. This change in the local HAB species was also reflected in the toxins present in higher trophic levels. Despite the small contribution of A. catenella to the overall phytoplankton community, the increase in the presence of this species in Monterey Bay was associated with an increase in the presence of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxins in sentinel shellfish and clupeoid fish. This report provides the first evidence that PSP toxins are present in California's pelagic food web, as PSP toxins were detected in both northern anchovies (Engraulis mordax) and Pacific sardines (Sardinops sagax). Another interesting observation from our data is the co-occurrence of DA and PSP toxins in both planktivorous fish and sentinel shellfish. We also provide evidence, based on the statewide biotoxin monitoring program, that this increase in the frequency and abundance of PSP events related to A. catenella occurred not just in Monterey Bay, but also in other coastal regions of California. Our results demonstrate that changes in the taxonomic structure of the phytoplankton community influences the nature of the algal toxins that move through local food webs and also emphasizes the importance of monitoring for the full suite of toxic algae, rather than just one genus or species.     

Coupling planktonic and benthic shifts during a bloom of Alexandrium catenella in southern Chile: Implications for bloom dynamics and recurrence

Cell abundances and distributions of Alexandrium catenella resting cysts in recent sediments were studied along time at two locations in the Chilean Inland Sea exposed to different oceanographic conditions: Low Bay, which is much more open to the ocean than the more interior and protected Ovalada Island. The bloom began in interior areas but maximum cyst concentrations were recorded in locations more open to the ocean, at the end of the Moraleda channel. Our results showed a time lapse of around 3 months from the bloom peak (planktonic population) until the number of resting cysts in the sediments reached a maximum. Three months later, less than 10% of the A. catenella cysts remained in the sediments. Maximum cyst numbers in the water column occurred one month after the planktonic peak, when no cells were present. The dinoflagellate assemblage at both study sites was dominated by heterotrophic cysts, except during the A. catenella bloom. CCA analyses of species composition and environmental factors indicated that the frequency of A. catenella blooms was associated with low temperatures, but not with salinity, chlorophyll a concentration, and predator presence (measured as clam biomass). However, resting cyst distribution was only related to cell abundance and location. The occurrence of A. catenella cysts was also associated with that of cysts from the toxic species Protoceratium reticulatum. By shedding light on the ecological requirements of A. catenella blooms, our observations support the relevance of encystment as a mechanism of bloom termination and show a very fast depletion of cysts from the sediments (<3 months), which suggest a small role for resting cyst deposits in the recurrence of A. catenella blooms in this area.     

Biological interactions in enclosed plankton communities including Alexandrium catenella and copepods: Role of phosphorus

A microcosm approach was used to test whether: a) growth under unbalanced nutrient conditions (varying N:P ratios) affected the susceptibility of a phytoplankton community including the dinoflagellate Alexandrium catenella (a paralytic shellfish toxin producer) to mesozooplankton grazing, and b) the potential effects of unbalanced nutrient conditions were mediated by changes in toxicity of A. catenella or by other mechanisms. The experimental setup consisted of fifteen 30 l microcosms, filled with water from the Barcelona Harbour and subjected to treatments combining nutrient inputs at three different N:P ratios (Redfield N:P ratio or nutrient-balanced, high N:P and low N:P), addition or omission of A. catenella (an estimated initial concentration of 38 A. catenella cells ml^− 1, a value typical for blooms in harbours of the Catalan coast), and selective addition of a cultured population of Acartia grani. P sufficiency had a strong positive effect on the growth of A. grani, both with or without A. catenella addition, presumably due to enhanced food quality of the prey community. The presence of this copepod resulted in lower concentrations of ciliates, A. catenella, and other dinoflagellates, suggesting active grazing by the copepods. No noxious effects of A. catenella on the copepods were detected at the relatively low cell concentrations of that dinoflagellate used in the experiment.     

太湖西北湖区2003-2012年间氮磷浓度及浮游植物主要类群变化趋势分析

基于2003-2012年太湖竺山湖和西部沿岸区水体理化指标与浮游植物丰度的逐月监测数据,分析了两个湖区氮磷营养盐状态和浮游植物丰度以及浮游植物主要类群的年际变化趋势及季节变化特征,探讨了浮游植物群落变化与水温及营养盐指标间的关系。结果表明：10年间两个湖区氮磷营养盐浓度总体呈下降趋势,以竺山湖TN、NH₃-N浓度和西部沿岸区NO₃-N浓度下降最为显著;浮游植物丰度总体呈上升趋势,蓝藻在群落结构中日益占据绝对优势;季节变化上,氮营养盐浓度表现为春冬季节高于夏秋季节,TP浓度和浮游植物丰度呈相反的变化趋势。Pearson相关分析显示,水温、NH₃-N浓度和TN/TP是影响蓝藻丰度及其在浮游植物群落中所占比例的主要因素。在温度和营养盐结构的共同作用下,10年间两个湖区蓝藻水华暴发时间逐渐提前,而消退时间逐渐滞后,水华持续时间逐年上升。在全球变暖背景下,太湖水华治理需执行更加严格的氮磷限制阈值,且在重污染的西北湖区控磷依然是关键。     

The growth,toxicity and genetic characterization of seven strains of Alexandrium catenella (Whedon and Kofoid) Balech 1985 (Dinophyceae) isolated during the 2009 summer outbreak in southern Chile

The dinoflagellate Alexandrium catenella causes recurrent harmful algal blooms in southern Chile. This species belongs to the “Alexandrium tamarense/catenella/fundyense species complex” (the “tamarensis complex”), defined by morphological attributes. Ribosomal sequences serve to differentiate five evolutionary lineages (clades) in this species complex. These distinctions reflect the geographic distribution and toxicity of the populations rather than their morphological designations. Despite the social and economic impact that harmful blooms produce in Chile, few strains of A. catenella have been isolated. Moreover, physiological and/or genetic studies of the group are scarce. The aim of this work was to examine possible physiological and genetic variability among populations of A. catenella having different geographical origins but isolated from the same toxic event. Seven strains of A. catenella were isolated and established from phytoplankton samples collected in the Aysén and Los Lagos regions of southern Chile during a recent outbreak (February–March 2009). Growth, toxicity, and ITS sequences were compared among these strains. All the strains included in this study were grouped with strains belonging to the previously described “North America” clade. The genetic diversity detected among Chilean strains was 3%, a much higher value than those reported for comparisons among strains from other parts of the world. In addition, a remarkable variability of growth parameters and toxicity was detected among strains. Strain PFB45 showed the highest PSP toxin content, whereas strain PFB41 had the lowest value of this parameter but had the highest maximum cell density. In strains PFB38, PFB42, and PFB37, more than 98% of the total PSP toxin content occurred in the form of gonyautoxins (primarily GTX-4,1 and GTX-3,2). In strains PFB39, PFB36, and PFB45, neoSTX, and STX toxins were detected. These results demonstrated remarkable variability at the genetic and physiological level among strains of A. catenella isolated from the same outbreak. No correlations were found between the phenotypic traits (growth and toxicity) and the genetic affiliation of the strains studied.     

Roles of mixotrophy in blooms of different dinoflagellates: Implications from the growth experiment

Studies over the last two decades suggested that mixotrophy could be an important adaptive strategy for some bloom-forming dinoflagellates. In the coastal waters adjacent to the Changjiang River estuary in the East China Sea, recurrent blooms of dinoflagellates Prorocentrum donghaiense, Karenia mikimotoi and Alexandrium catenella started to appear from the beginning of the 21 century, but roles of mixotrophy in the formation of dinoflagellate blooms were not well understood. In the current study, mixotrophy-based growth of four selected bloom-causative dinoflagellate species, i.e. K. mikimotoi, A. catenella, P. donghaiense and Prorocentrum micans, were studied. Dinoflagellates were co-cultured with different prey organisms, including bacterium Marinobacter sp., microalgae Isochrysis galbana and Hemiselmis virescens, under a variant of nutrient conditions. It was found that growth of dinoflagellate K. mikimotoi was significantly promoted with the presence of prey organisms. Growth of P. donghaiense and P. micans was only slightly improved. For A. catenella, the addition of prey organisms has no effects on the growth, while both of the two prey microalgae I. galbana and H. virescens were killed, probably by allelochemicals released from A. catenella. There was no apparent relationship between nutrient conditions and the mixotrophy-based growth of the tested dinoflagellates. Based on the results of the growth experiment, it is implicated that mixotrophy may play different roles in the growth and bloom of the four dinoflagellate species. It can be an important competitive strategy for K. mikimotoi. For the two Prorocentrum species and A. catenella, however, the role of mixotrophy is much limited. They may depend more on other competitive strategies, such as phototrophy-based growth and allelopathic effect, to prevail in the phytoplankton community and form blooms.     

Species diversity and abundance of dinoflagellate resting cysts seven months after a bloom of Alexandrium catenella in two contrasting coastal systems of the Chilean Inland Sea

In Chile, 90% of the fish farms and major natural shellfish beds are located in the region surrounding the Inland Sea, where over the last few decades harmful phytoplankton blooms have often been observed. The onset and recurrence of bloom events are often related to the resuspension and germination of resting cysts that have accumulated in the sediments. The degree of cyst settling, accumulation and germination is highly variable between areas and depends on physical and environmental factors. To learn how differences in oceanographic exposure, amount of river runoff and bathymetry affect dinoflagellate cyst deposition, we examined the diversity and abundance of dinoflagellate resting cysts from two hydrographically contrasting coastal areas (oceanic Guaitecas Archipelago and estuarine Pitipalena Fjord) of the Chilean Inland Sea in September 2006, seven months after a bloom of Alexandrium catenella, a producer of paralytic shellfish toxin. Cyst species diversity consisted of 18 taxa, including A. catenella and the noxious species Protoceratium reticulatum, both of which have caused blooms in the study area. Our results revealed significant differences between the two study sites in terms of the abundance and diversity of resting cysts, suggesting that in the specific case of A. catenella, only Guaitecas stations have potential for cyst accumulation and successful growth of cells. However, there was no evidence of long-term resting cyst beds of A. catenella at either study site.     

Which species,Alexandrium catenella (Group I) or A. pacificum (Group IV), is really responsible for past paralytic shellfish poisoning outbreaks in Jinhae-Masan Bay,Korea?

Paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) caused the deaths of four people in coastal area of Korea, mainly Jinhae-Masan Bay and adjacent areas, in April 1986 and in 1996. The PSP outbreaks were caused by the consumption of mussels, Mytilus edulis. The organism that caused PSP was identified, from morphological data only, as Alexandrium tamarense which is recently renamed as A. catenella, however recent studies have shown that the morphological diagnostic characteristics used to identify Alexandrium species have uncertainties and molecular tools and other criteria should be considered as well. The organism that caused past PSP outbreaks and incidents in Korea therefore need to be carefully reconsidered. The aim of this study was to re-evaluate the species really responsible for past outbreaks of PSP in Jinhae-Masan Bay, Korea. The temporal production and fluxes of the resting cysts of Alexandrium species were investigated for one year (from March 2011 to February 2012) using a sediment trap, and the morphology and phylogeny of vegetative cells germinated from the resting cysts were analysed. The production of Alexandrium species peaked in August and November, when temporal discrepancies were found in the water temperature (22.4 and 22.7 °C in August, 19.1 and 19.6 °C in November) and salinity (29.5 and 26.1 psu in August, 30.5 and 31.8 psu in November). The morphological data revealed that Alexandrium species germinated from resting cysts collected in August have a ventral pore on the 1′ plate, whereas the 1′ plate in Alexandrium species germinated from resting cysts collected in November lacks a ventral pore. Molecular phylogenetic data for the vegetative cells from the germination experiments allowed the August and November peaks to be assigned to Alexandrium catenella (Group I) and A. pacificum (Group IV), respectively. This indicates that the production of resting cysts of A. catenella can be enhanced by relatively high water temperature. This result is not consistent with those of previous studies that A. catenella responsible for PSP outbreaks was found at relatively low water temperature. In addition, large subunit ribosomal sequences data revealed that A. pacificum isolates from Korea were closely related to those from Australia, Japan and New Zealand where the PSP toxicity of shellfish and blooms occurred in the 1990s, indicating that the introduction of toxic dinoflagellates were related to ballast water from bulk-cargo shipping. Based on these results, we concluded that past PSP outbreaks in Jinhae-Masan Bay of Korea could have been caused by A. pacificum rather than by A. catenella.     

Bacterial community dynamics during a bloom caused by Akashiwo sanguinea in the Xiamen sea area,China

Phytoplankton blooms are a worldwide ecological problem and one of the major algae that cause phytoplankton blooms is Akashiwo sanguinea. Though much research has addressed the abiotic causes (e.g. growth condition) of A. sanguinea blooms, few studies have examined the dynamics of microbial communities associated with these blooms. In this study, polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis of 16S rDNA genes was used to document changes in the phylogenetic diversity of microbial communities associated with an A. sanguinea bloom that occurred in the Xiamen sea in May 2010. Surface sea water was sampled once a day within five consecutive days at four sites, and the microbial community composition was determined using DGGE. Sea water concentrations of chlorophyll a, nitrate and phosphate were also measured. The results indicated that the A. sanguinea bloom was probably stimulated by low salinity (26–30‰) and ended probably because inorganic nutrients were consumed and resulted in a N/P ratio unfavorable for this alga. Gammaproteobacteria populations increased significantly during bloom declines and then decreased post-bloom. Divergences in the microbial community composition during different bloom periods were the result of changes in Candidatus, Pelagibacter, Alteromonas, Rhodobacteraceae, Vibrio and Pseudoalteromonas populations. Sediminimonas qiaohouensis was the first bacterium shown to be significantly negatively correlated with A. sanguinea concentration. This study indicated that bacteria may play an important role in A. sanguinea–bloom regulation and provides a deeper insight into bacterial community succession during and after an A. sanguinea–bloom.     

Toxigenic phytoplankton and concomitant toxicity in the mussel Choromytilus meridionalis off the west coast of South Africa

The variability of toxigenic phytoplankton and the consequent uptake and loss of toxins by the mussel Choromytilus meridionalis was investigated in the southern Benguela at the event scale (3–10 days) in response to the upwelling–downwelling cycle. Phytoplankton and mussel samples were collected daily (20 March–11 April 2007) from a mooring station (32.04°S; 18.26°E) located 3.5 km offshore of Lambert's Bay, within the St Helena Bay region. Rapid changes in phytoplankton assemblages incorporated three groups of toxigenic phytoplankton: (1) the dinoflagellate Alexandrium catenella; (2) several species of Dinophysis, including Dinophysis acuminata, Dinophysis fortii, Dinophysis hastata and Dinophysis rotundata; and (3) members of the diatom genus Pseudo-nitzschia. Analysis of phytoplankton concentrates by LC–MS/MS or LC-FD provided information on the toxin composition and calculated toxicity of each group. Several additional in vitro assays were used for the analysis of toxins in mussels (ELISA, RBA, MBA for PSP toxins; and ELISA for DSP toxins). Good correspondence was observed between methods except for the MBA, which provided significantly lower (approximately 2-fold) estimates of PSP toxins. PSP and DSP toxins both exceeded the regulatory limits in Choromytilis meridionalis, but ASP toxins were undetected. Differences were observed in the composition of both PSP and DSP toxins in C. meridionalis from that of the ingested dinoflagellates (PSP toxins showed an increase in STX, C1,2, and traces of dcSTX and GTX1,4 and a decrease in NEO; DSP toxins showed an increased in DTX1, and traces of PTX2sa, and a decrease in OA). The rate of loss of PSP toxins following dispersal of the A. catenella boom was 0.12 d⁻¹. Variation in the loss rates of different PSP toxins contributed to the change in toxin profile in C. meridionalis. Prediction of net toxicity in shellfish of the nearshore environment in the southern Benguela is limited due to rapid phytoplankton community changes, high variability in cellular toxicity, and the selective uptake and loss of toxins, and/or transformation of toxins.     

Effects of increasing temperature and acidification on the growth and competitive success of Alexandrium catenella from the Gulf of Maine

Climate driven increases in ocean temperature and pCO₂ have the potential to alter the growth and prevalence of future Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs), but systematic studies on how climate drivers influence toxic algal species relative to non-toxic phytoplankton are lacking. In particular, little is known about how future climate scenarios will affect the growth of the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium catenella, which is responsible for the paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) events that threaten the health and economy of coastal communities in the Gulf of Maine and elsewhere. The growth responses of A. catenella and two other naturally co-occurring dinoflagellates in the Gulf of Maine—Scrippsiella sp., and Amphidinium carterae—were studied in mono and mixed species cultures. Experimental treatments tested the effects of elevated temperature (20 °C), lower pH (7.8), and the combination of elevated temperature and lower pH on growth rates relative to those in near-current conditions (15 °C; pH 8.1). Growth rates of A. catenella decreased under elevated temperature and lower pH conditions, a response that was largely attributable to the effect of temperature. In contrast, growth rates of Scrippsiella sp. and A. carterae increased under elevated temperature and lower pH conditions, with temperature also being the primary driver of the response. These trends did not change substantially when these species were grown in mixed cultures (A. catenella + Scrippsiella sp., and A. catenella + A. carterae), indicating that allelopathic or competitive interactions did not affect the experimental outcome under the conditions tested. These findings suggest that A. catenella blooms may become less prevalent in the southern regions of the Gulf of Maine, but potentially more prevalent in the northeastern regions of the Gulf of Maine with continued climate change.     

Effects of Nutrients,Temperature and Their Interactions on Spring Phytoplankton Community Succession in Lake Taihu,China

We examined the potential effects of environmental variables, and their interaction, on phytoplankton community succession in spring using long-term data from 1992 to 2012 in Lake Taihu, China. Laboratory experiments were additionally performed to test the sensitivity of the phytoplankton community to nutrient concentrations and temperature. A phytoplankton community structure analysis from 1992 to 2012 showed that Cryptomonas (Cryptophyta) was the dominant genus in spring during the early 1990s. Dominance then shifted to Ulothrix (Chlorophyta) in 1996 and 1997. However, Cryptomonas again dominated in 1999, 2000, and 2002, with Ulothrix regaining dominance from 2003 to 2006. The bloom-forming cyanobacterial genus Microcystis dominated in 1995, 2001 and 2007–2012. The results of ordinations indicated that the nutrient concentration (as indicated by the trophic state index) was the most important factor affecting phytoplankton community succession during the past two decades. In the laboratory experiments, shifts in dominance among phytoplankton taxa occurred in all nutrient addition treatments. Results of both long term monitoring and experiment indicated that nutrients exert a stronger control than water temperature on phytoplankton communities during spring. Interactive effect of nutrients and water temperature was the next principal factor. Overall, phytoplankton community composition was mediated by nutrients concentrations, but this effect was strongly enhanced by elevated water temperatures.     

Daily and vertical dynamics of rotifers under the impact of diatom blooms in the Three Gorges Reservoir,China

The Three Gorges Dam was built in 2005 with a storage capacity of 39.3 billion m³, ranking 22nd in the world. However, since the impoundment of the reservoir, serious blooms of phytoplankton have occurred. Rotifers, having a key role in the freshwater aquatic food web, are important grazers of phytoplankton and an essential food resource to higher trophic consumers. To explore the impacts of phytoplankton blooms on the rotifer community, daily and vertical surveys of rotifers were conducted in a bay of the Three Gorges Reservoir (Xiangxi Bay). Altogether 46 rotifer species were registered, and Synchaeta tremula, Polyarthra vulgaris, and Brachionus calyciflorus were the most abundant species accounting for 36, 26, and 16% of the mean rotifer densities, respectively. Although these dominant species always prevailed in the rotifer community, their proportions changed significantly from non-bloom phase to bloom phase, e.g., the significance of S. tremula deceased from 46.8 to 33.2%, while P. vulgaris and B. calyciflorus increased from 23.9 and 13.9% to 26.2 and 16.2%, respectively. In the vertical water column, all the rotifer following phytoplankton displayed an aggregated distribution, concentrating at the upper layers (0.5–5 m), especially during the bloom phase. From the non-bloom phase to the bloom phase, rotifer densities, the dominant rotifers, Shannon–Wiener and Margalef’s diversity increased significantly, while the evenness displayed the opposite trend. Non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis (NMDS) revealed that the samples in the non-bloom phase were well separated from those in the bloom phase. This means that the outbreak of the diatom bloom in the Xiangxi Bay had significant impacts on the rotifer community. Further investigations are needed to address the impacts of the changes of rotifer community on higher trophic levels.     

Changes in community structure and photosynthetic activities of total phytoplankton species during the growth,maintenance, and dissipation phases of a Prorocentrum donghaiense bloom

The potential interactions between the bloom-forming dinoflagellates and other phytoplankton during the algal bloom cycle are interesting, while the causes for the phytoplankton community changes were not fully understood. We hypothesized that phytoplankton community structure and photosynthetic activities of total phytoplankton have their special characteristics in different phases of the algal blooms. To test this hypothesis, a survey covering the process of a Prorocentrum donghaiense bloom in coastal waters between Dongtou and Nanji Islands was carried out from 9 to 20 May 2016, and the changes in the phytoplankton community and photosynthetic activities of total phytoplankton were determined. Surface seawater was sampled for microscopic analysis of phytoplankton composition and pulse amplitude modulated (PAM) chlorophyll fluorescence analysis of photosynthetic activities of the total phytoplankton species. A total of 25, 31, and 19 phytoplankton species were identified in its growth (9–12 May), maintenance (13–18 May) and dissipation phases (19–20 May), respectively. Diatoms were dominant in terms of species number while dinoflagellates were predominant at cell abundance. Dinoflagellates were the major dominant species during three phases of the bloom based on the dominance (Y) value, whereas the dominant species extended to dinoflagellates and diatoms including P. donghaiense, Coscinodiscus argus, Gonyaulax spinifera, Cyclotella sp. and Scrippsiella trochoidea in the dissipation phase. In the maintenance phase, the average cell abundances of the total phytoplankton and P. donghaiense were consistent with the chlorophyll a (Chla) concentration in the seawater; for the diversity indices of total phytoplankton species, Simpson index (C) was the highest while Shannon index (H′) and Pielou evenness index (J′) were the lowest. Furthermore, photosynthetic activities of the total phytoplankton species represented by the effective quantum yield (F_q'/F_m') and the maximum relative electron transport rate (rETR_max) in the maintenance phase were higher than those in the growth and dissipation phases. The results indicated that the characteristics of phytoplankton community structure and photosynthetic activities could be regarded as criteria in predicting the phases of algal blooms.     

NITROGENOUS NUTRITION OF ALEXANDRIUM CATENELLA (DINOPHYCEAE) IN CULTURES AND IN THAU LAGOON,SOUTHERN FRANCE1

Alexandrium catenella (Whedon et Kofoid) Balech was isolated from Thau lagoon (northern Mediterranean) and its growth and uptake characteristics measured for nitrate, ammonium, and urea. Although affinity constants did not indicate a preference for ammonium over nitrate, there was a strong inhibition of nitrate uptake by ammonium when both nitrogen (N) sources were present. Nitrogen budgets during growth in cultures revealed major imbalances between decreases in dissolved N and increases in particulate N, indicating excretion of dissolved organic N during the early part of the growth phase and uptake during the later part. A quasi‐unialgal bloom in November 2001 (4×10⁶ cells·L^?1) allowed measurements of uptake of nitrate, nitrite, ammonium, and urea; net and gross growth rate of A. catenella; and grazing rates on this organism. The affinity constants indicate that it is not a strong competitor for the N nutrients tested when these are in low concentrations (<10 μgat N·L^?1), compared with other members of the phytoplankton community. Indirect evidence from cultures indicate that dissolved organic N compounds could be important in triggering those blooms. Finally, the strongly unbalanced growth observed in the field indicates that A. catenella exhibits a storage rather than a growth response to a nutrient pulse and is adapted to low frequency events such as the passage of frontal disturbances. The disappearance of A. catenella was due to grazing that balanced growth at the peak of the bloom.     

Contribution of several nitrogen sources to growth of Alexandrium catenella during blooms in Thau lagoon,southern France

A monitoring program with a weekly sampling frequency over a 15-month period indicates that urea concentrations above a certain threshold level may trigger the blooms of Alexandrium catenella in Thau lagoon. However, urea concentrations were also sometimes related to ammonium and dissolved organic nitrogen concentrations, indicating that the role of urea may not be a direct one. An original approach is used to assess the relative contribution of several nitrogen sources (nitrate, nitrite, ammonium, urea) to growth of A. catenella by comparing nitrogen uptake rates to nitrogen-based growth rates estimated from dilution experiments during four blooms over a 4-year period (2001–2004) in Thau lagoon. Nitrate and nitrite contributed 0.1–14% and 0.1–5% respectively of growth requirements. Ammonium and urea were the main N sources fueling growth of A. catenella (30–100% and 2–59%, respectively). Indirect estimates indicated that an unidentified N source could also contribute significantly to growth at specific times. Concerning ammonium and urea uptake kinetics, half-saturation constants varied between 0.2 and 20 μgat N L⁻¹ for ammonium and between 0.1 and 44 μgat N L⁻¹ over the 4-year period, indicating that A. catenella can have a competitive advantage over other members of the phytoplankton even under low concentrations of ammonium and urea. However, the observed large changes in ammonium and urea uptake kinetics on a short time scale (days) during blooms preclude more precise estimates of those contributions to growth and require further investigation.     

Structure and spatial patterns of macrobenthic community in Tai Lake,a large shallow lake,China

Tai Lake (Chinese: Taihu), the third-largest freshwater lake in China, suffers from harmful cyanobacteria blooms that are caused by economic development and population growth near the lake. Several studies have focused on phytoplankton in Tai Lake after a drinking water crisis in 2007; however, these studies primarily focused on microcystin bioaccumulation and toxicity to individual species without examining the effects of microcystin on macrobenthic community diversity. In this study, we conducted a survey of the lake to examine the effects of microcystine and other pollutants on marcobenthic community diversity. A totally of forty-nine species of macroinvertebrates were found in Tai Lake. Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri and Corbicula fluminea were the most abundant species. Cluster-analysis and one-way analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) identified three significantly different macrobenthic communities among the sample sites. More specifically, sites in the eastern bays, where aquatic macrophytes were abundant, had the highest diversity of macrobenthic communities, which were dominated by Bellamya aeruginosa, Bellamya purificata, L. hoffmeisteri, and Alocinma longicornis. Sites in Zhushan Bay contained relatively diverse communities, mainly composed of L. hoffmeisteri, C. fluminea, L. claparederanus, R. sinicus, and Cythura sp. Sites in the western region, Meiliang Bay and Wuli Bay had the lowest diversity, mainly composed of L. hoffmeisteri, C. fluminea, Branchiura sowerbyi, and Rhyacodrilus sinicus. In addition, the relationships between macrobenthic metrics (Shannon–Wiener, Margalef, and Pielou) and environmental variables showed that community structure and spatial patterns of macrobenthos in Tai Lake were significantly influenced by chemical oxygen demand (COD_Cr), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD₅), lead (Pb), and microcystin-LR (L for leucine and R for arginine). Our findings provide critical information that could help managers and policymakers assess and modify ecological restoration practices.     

In situ microcosm experiments on the influence of nitrate and light on phytoplankton community composition

Phytoplankton blooms are fundamental features of coastal ecosystems, but the processes that select for blooms of certain species are not well understood. The aim of this work was to investigate experimentally the interaction of light and nutrients (nitrate) in structuring phytoplankton community composition in Pelorus Sound, New Zealand. Microcosm experiments were conducted in situ nine times throughout the year, providing controls and treatments for increased nutrients and decreased light. Nitrate availability was found to be limiting to phytoplankton growth during spring and summer. Small- to medium-sized, chain-forming diatom taxa such as Chaetoceros sp., Skeletonema sp., Pseudonitzschia sp. and Thalassiosira sp. responded most rapidly to nitrate enrichment, increasing their biovolume up to 32-fold during the 5-day experiments. A long-term phytoplankton monitoring database showed that these taxa have historically dominated the phytoplankton assemblage, suggesting that intense competition for nitrate is a key component in structuring the phytoplankton community. Many of the taxa that were able to withstand light reduction in the shaded treatments were rare historically in Pelorus Sound, suggesting that light is secondary to nitrate availability in structuring the phytoplankton community composition in this coastal embayment.     

Longitudinal Differences of Phytoplankton Community during a Period of Small Water Level Fluctuations in a Subtropical Reservoir Bay (Xiangxi Bay,Three Gorges Reservoir,China)

The Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) had a great inflow discharge with small water level fluctuations in the flood season of the year 2008, when a large‐scale cyanobacterial bloom broke out in Xiangxi Bay (a tributary bay behaving like a lake) for the first time after the construction of the TGR impoundment. To compare spatiotemporal longitudinal differences of phytoplankton community structure during this period, weekly surveys were performed in Xiangxi Bay. The cyanobacterial bloom lasted from June 6 to July 18, 2008, with Microcystis aeruginosa as the dominant species. During this bloom the species diversity, evenness and community change rate was relatively low. The probable causes for the interruption of the bloom were precipitation and water temperature. In the non‐cyanobacterial bloom period (July 25 to September 26, 2008) many other species dominated the community including Stephanodiscus hantzschii and Cryptomonas ovata, with higher values of species diversity, evenness and community change rate. As for the longitudinal differences, the community structure in the riverine zone was different from that in other zones, indicating the important effect of inflow from the upstream of Xiangxi Bay. The management actions in Xiangxi Bay should prevent blooms in the mainstream, lacustrine and transitional zone. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

锦州湾浮游植物群落结构特征及其对环境变化的响应

锦州湾是我国北方污染严重的海湾,以水体的富营养化和重金属污染为特征。基于2011年8月(夏季)和2012年5月(春季)在锦州湾进行的航次调查,研究了该湾水采浮游植物的群落结构、时空分布及其对生态环境变化的响应。研究结果表明:锦州湾海域浮游植物群落主要由硅、甲藻组成,其生态类型主要为温带近岸型。春季和夏季共鉴定出浮游植物4门41属62种,硅藻在两个季节的物种数和细胞丰度上均占绝对优势,且底栖硅藻比例较高。夏季浮游植物细胞丰度平均值为41.44×103个/L,主要优势种为海链藻Thalassiosira spp.和叉角藻Cerarium furca;春季浮游植物细胞丰度平均值为13.80×103个/L,主要优势种为新月柱鞘藻Cylindrotheca closterium和中肋骨条藻Skeletonema costatum。锦州湾春季和夏季浮游植物群落组成差异明显,冗余分析(Redundancy analysis,RDA)表明硝酸盐浓度和水温分别是夏季和春季影响浮游植物群落结构的最重要环境因子。与历史资料相比,锦州湾优势种发生了显著变化,适于富营养化环境的微型浮游植物和部分耐污种在群落中占优势,表明人类活动引起的水体富营养化以及其它污染物,可能对浮游植物种类组成及分布产生了一定影响。