Contrasting effects of high‐intensity photosynthetically active radiation on two bloom‐forming dinoflagellates

While light limitation can inhibit bloom formation in dinoflagellates, the potential for high‐intensity photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) to inhibit blooms by causing stress or damage has not been well‐studied. We measured the effects of high‐intensity PAR on the bloom‐forming dinoflagellates Alexandrium fundyense and Heterocapsa rotundata. Various physiological parameters (photosynthetic efficiency F_v/F_m, cell permeability, dimethylsulfoniopropionate [DMSP], cell volume, and chlorophyll‐a content) were measured before and after exposure to high‐intensity natural sunlight in short‐term light stress experiments. In addition, photosynthesis‐irradiance (P‐E) responses were compared for cells grown at different light levels to assess the capacity for photophysiological acclimation in each species. Experiments revealed distinct species‐specific responses to high PAR. While high light decreased F_v/F_m in both species, A. fundyense showed little additional evidence of light stress in short‐term experiments, although increased membrane permeability and intracellular DMSP indicated a response to handling. P‐E responses further indicated a high light‐adapted species with Chl‐a inversely proportional to growth irradiance and no evidence of photoinhibition; reduced maximum per‐cell photosynthesis rates suggest a trade‐off between photoprotection and C fixation in high light‐acclimated cells. Heterocapsa rotundata cells, in contrast, swelled in response to high light and sometimes lysed in short‐term experiments, releasing DMSP. P‐E responses confirmed a low light‐adapted species with high photosynthetic efficiencies associated with trade‐offs in the form of substantial photoinhibition and a lack of plasticity in Chl‐a content. These contrasting responses illustrate that high light constrains dinoflagellate community composition through species‐specific stress effects, with consequences for bloom formation and ecological interactions within the plankton.     

三峡水库富营养化问题与对策研究

三峡水库蓄水后,大部分库湾已出现富营养化态势,并暴发了数次以甲藻(拟多甲藻)和硅藻(小环藻)为主的水华现象,特别是在春季。以香溪河库湾为例,分析两周年的营养状态变化,总体上说,除冬季外,大多数月份为富营养,在春季则为重富营养。对三峡水库22条入库支流库湾的营养状态进行综合评价,结果表明,有5条(22.7%)支流库湾为中营养,17条(77.3%)支流库湾为富营养(重富营养化支流库湾有10条,占45.5%);但三峡水库本身水质尚好,仍保持中营养状态。统计分析表明,入库支流流域的年均流量和流域面积与支流库湾叶绿素a存在显著负相关关系,说明支流库湾越小或年均流量越小,藻类叶绿素a浓度就越高,即越容易在春季形成水华。文中讨论了控制和减缓富营养化几项措施。       

人工蓝藻结皮对沙区表层土壤酶活性及其恢复速率的影响

土壤酶是土壤养分循环的重要参与者,也是反映土壤功能的重要指标之一。人工生物土壤结皮(Biological Soil Crusts, BSCs)是近年来新型的固沙技术之一,能够显著促进荒漠生态系统功能的恢复。然而,目前关于人工BSCs如何影响沙区土壤酶活性及恢复速率的研究仍鲜见报道。通过对腾格里沙漠东南缘人工培育以及自然发育的蓝藻结皮和流沙表层(0—2 cm)土壤酶活性(蔗糖酶、纤维素酶、淀粉酶、过氧化氢酶)以及BSCs的基本特征(叶绿素a和胞外多糖)进行测定,探讨了人工蓝藻结皮表层土壤酶活性的变化与恢复速率以及土壤酶活性与人工蓝藻结皮基本特征的关系。结果表明：人工蓝藻结皮表层土壤蔗糖酶(13.03—20.51 mg d^-1 g^-1)、纤维素酶(45.60—47.20 mg d^-1 g^-1)、过氧化氢酶(12.43—23.31μmol d^-1 g^-1)和淀粉酶活性(91.04—153.93 mg d^-1 g^-1),...     

也西湖噬藻体的分离与鉴定

【背景】噬藻体是一类特异性侵染蓝藻的病毒,广泛存在于淡水和海水水体中,参与调控宿主蓝藻的丰度和种群密度,被认为是潜在的蓝藻水华生物防控工具。但目前的研究多集中于海洋噬藻体,对淡水噬藻体的生物学特性和结构生物学等研究较少。【目的】分离更多种类的淡水噬藻体,为研究淡水噬藻体的三维结构、侵染机制、与宿主的共进化关系,及其在蓝藻水华防治中的应用提供理论基础。【方法】采集中国科学技术大学西校区内景观湖也西湖水华暴发水域的水样,利用液体培养基和双层固体平板法对17种宿主蓝藻进行筛选,通过NaCl-PEG沉淀法和氯化铯密度梯度离心分离和纯化噬藻体,并利用负染电镜观察噬藻体的形态,同时采用梯度稀释法测定裂解液的效价。【结果】发现也西湖的水样可特异性侵染本实验室分离自巢湖的一株拟鱼腥藻Pan。侵染后的裂解液中存在4株形态各异的噬藻体,包括1株短尾噬藻体和3株长尾噬藻体,其中包括首次发现的1株含有非典型长轴状头部结构的淡水噬藻体。【结论】也西湖作为巢湖流域的一个小型水体,具有与巢湖类似的水华蓝藻及其噬藻体分布谱,因此可以用于模拟大型湖泊进行相关分子生态学和生物防控的研究。     

Online forecasting chlorophyll a concentrations by an auto-regressive integrated moving average model: Feasibilities and potentials

Algal blooms are commonly observed in freshwater and coastal areas, causing significant damage to drinking water and aquaculture production. Predictive models are effective for algal bloom forecasting and management. In this paper, an auto-regressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model was developed to predict daily chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentrations, using data from Taihu Lake in China. For comparison, a multivariate linear regression (MVLR) model was also established to predict daily Chl a concentrations using the same data. Results showed that the ARIMA model generally performed better than the MVLR model with respect to the absolute error of peak value, root mean square error and index of agreement. Because the ARIMA model needs only one input variable, it shows greater applicability as an algal bloom early warning system using online sensors of Chl a.     

Resolving the complex relationship between harmful algal blooms and environmental factors in the coastal waters adjacent to the Changjiang River estuary

The sea area adjacent to the Changjiang River estuary is the most notable region for harmful algal blooms (HABs¹) in China as both diatom and dinoflagellate blooms have been recorded in this region. Affected by the Changjiang diluted water (CDW²) and currents from the open ocean (i.e., Taiwan warm current, TWC³), the environmental conditions in the coastal waters adjacent to the Changjiang River estuary are quite complex. To obtain a better understanding of the mechanisms of HABs in this region, analyses based on field investigation data collected by the National Basic Research Priority Program (CEOHAB I⁴) were performed using principle component analysis (PCA⁵), multiple regression analysis (MRA⁶) and path analysis (PA⁷). The results suggested that phosphate and silicate are the major factors that directly affect the diatom bloom, while dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN⁸), temperature and turbidity are the factors that influence the dinoflagellate bloom. CDW and the TWC have different roles in affecting the two types of algal blooms. CDW, which has a high concentration of nitrate and silicate, is essential for the diatom bloom, while the intrusion of the TWC (mainly Kuroshio subsurface water that is rich in phosphate at the bottom) is critical for the maintenance of the dinoflagellate bloom. The results of this study offer a better understanding of the mechanisms of HABs in the East China Sea.     

Phytoplankton Spring Bloom Intensity Index for the Baltic Sea Estimated for the years 1992 to 2004

We introduce an index for estimating the annual phytoplankton spring bloom intensity in the Baltic Sea. It is based on chlorophyll a estimates calculated from automatically sampled fluorescence and chlorophyll a measurements on board cargo ships from 1992 to 2004. The intensity is described by an index including information on the chlorophyll a concentration and duration of the spring bloom period. In all of the years studied, the spring bloom was most intense in the Gulf of Finland. In the Gulf of Finland and the Northern Baltic Proper there was a slight tendency for the bloom to start earlier in the spring.     

The water bloom of Cyanobacterial picoplankton in Lake Biwa,Japan

Unicellular autofluorescent picoplankton ranging from 0.4 to 1.5 µm in diameter were found to be a significant component of phytoplankton in the North Basin of Lake Biwa during early summer in 1989 and 1990. The abundance of these picoplankton varied seasonally by about three orders of magnitude with one maximum of up to 10⁶ cells ml^–1. Bloom-forming picoplankton were isolated by dilution and further cultivated in liquid medium. Three clones were found to be representative species of the bloom. Using epifluorescence and electron microscopy as well as absorption and fluorescence emission spectroscopy, we examined these clones according to shape and pigment composition. They have ringlike thylakoids, are photosynthetically active and have no nuclear envelope. The cyanobacterial clones isolated represent three types containing phycobilisomes with either phycocyanin or phycoerthrin as the dominant accessory pigment. They are described here as three new species, two phycoerythrin-rich types and one phycocyanin-rich type, all of them belonging to the Synechococcus group. The differences found by fluorescence emission of isolated clones are discussed with respect to in situ strain identification.     

Outer membrane efflux protein (OMEP) is a suitable molecular marker for resolving the phylogeny and taxonomic status of closely related cyanobacteria

Taxonomy of Cyanobacteria, the oldest phototrophic prokaryotes, is problematic for many years due to their simple morphology, high variability and adaptability to diverse ecological niches. After introduction of the polyphasic approach, which is based on the combination of several criteria (molecular sequencing, morphological and ecological), the whole classification system of these organisms is subject to reorganization. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the outer membrane efflux protein (OMEP) sequences can be used as a molecular marker for resolving the phylogeny and taxonomic status of closely related cyanobacteria. We have performed phylogenetic analyses based on the amino acid sequences of the OMEP and the DNA sequences of the 16S rRNA gene from 86 cyanobacterial species/strains with completely sequenced genomes. Phylogenetic trees based on the OMEP showed that most of the cyanobacterial species/strains belonging to different genera are clustered in separate clades supported by high bootstrap values. Comparing the OMEP trees with the 16S rDNA tree clearly showed that the OMEP is more suitable marker in resolving phylogenetic relationships within Cyanobacteria at generic and species level.