Research on Measurable Nonlinear Relationship Between Phytoplankton Biomass and Environmental Factors in Bohai Bay

B ased on the data of phytoplankton and environmental factors in the Bohai Bay, the dependence between the concentration of phytoplankton and environmental factors is analysed by linear correlation coefficient, rank correlation coefficient and Hoeffding test of independence .The result shows that wind-speed, air-pressure, surface temperature, field pH, salinity, DO, silicate and NO3- have a great impact on the concentration of phytoplankton.

Negative effects of Phaeocystis globosa on microalgae

The potential allelopathic effects of the microalga,Phaeocystis globosa Scherffel,on three harmful bloom algae,Prorocentrum donghaiense Lu,Chattonella marina(Subrahmanyan) Hara et Chihara and Chattonella ovata Hara et Chihara were studied.The growth of C.marina and C.ovata was markedly reduced when the organisms were co-cultured with P.globosa or cultured in cell-free spent medium.Haemolytic extracts from P.globosa cells in the senescence phase had a similar inhibitory effect on the three harmful bloom algae.However,P.globosa had less influence on the brine shrimp,Artemia salina.These results indicate that P.globosa may have an allelopathic effect on microalgae,which would explain the superior competitive abilities of P.globosa.Because the addition of the haemolytic toxins from P.globosa had similar effects on algae as spent media,these compounds may be involved in the allelopathic action of P.globosa.

I mpact of several harmful algal bloom(HAB) causing species, on life history characteristics of rotifer Brachionus plicatilis Müller

In recent years, harmful algal blooms(HABs) have occurred frequently along the coast of China, and have been exhibiting succession from diatom- to dinofl agellate-dominated blooms. To examine the eff ects of dif ferent diatom and dinofl agellate HABs, the life history parameters of rotifers(B rachionus plicatilis Müller) were measured after exposure to dif ferent concentrations of HAB species. The HAB species examined included a diatom(S keletonema costatum) and four dinofl agellates( Prorocentrum donghaiense, Alexandrium catenella, Prorocentrum lima and Karlodinium venefi cum). Compared with the control treatment(CT), the diatom S. costatum showed no adverse impacts on rotifers. Exposure to dinofl agellates at densities equivalent to those measured in the fi eld resulted in a reduction in all the life history parameters measured. This included a reduction in: lifetime egg production(CT: 20.34 eggs/ind.) reduced to 10.11, 3.22, 4.17, 7.16 eggs/ind., life span(CT: 394.53 h) reduced to 261.11, 162.90, 203.67, 196 h, net reproductive rate(CT: 19.51/ind.) reduced to 3.01, 1.26, 3.53, 5.96/ind., fi nite rate of increase(CT: 1.47/d) reduced to 1.16, 1.03, 1.33, 1.38/d, and intrinsic rate of population increase(CT: 0.39/d) reduced to 0.15, 0.03, 0.28, 0.32/d, for the dinofl agellates P. donghaiense, A. catenella, P. lima and K. venefi cum, respectively. The results showed that the diatom S. costatum had no detrimental consequences on the reproduction and growth of B. plicatilis, however, the four dinofl agellates tested did show adverse ef fects. This suggests that dinofl agellate HABs may suppress microzooplankton, resulting in an increase in algal numbers.

Laboratory study on the ecological impact of sophorolipid used for harmful algae elimination

We studied the role of sophorolipid in inhibiting harmful algae bloom （HAB）. Different sophorolipid concentrations were tested on marine microalgae, zooplankton, fish, and bivalve （Mytilus edulis） in laboratory. The result shows that sophorolipid could inhibit the growth of algal species selectively. Among three algae species selected, Platymonas helgolandica var. tsingtaoensis was promoted with increasing sophorolipid concentration; Isochrysis galbana was inhibited seven days later in sophorolipid concentration below 40 mg/L; and Nitzschia closterium f. minutissima was inhibited obviously in only a high sophorolipid concentration over 20 mg/L. Therefore, sophorolipid in a low concentration at 〈20 mg/L could remove certain harmful algae species effectivelywithout harming other non-harmful microalgae. For other animals, sophorolipid could inhibit the growth of ciliate Strombidium sp. by 50% at 20 mg/L sophorolipid concentration after 96 h. The concentration in 96-h LC50 for Calanus sinicus, Neomysis awatschensis, Lateolabrax japonicus, and Paralichthys olivaceus was 15, 150, 60, and 110 mg/L, respectively. The 24 h LC50 value for Arternia salina was 600 mg/L. The relative clearance rate of mussel Mytilus edulis decreased to 80%, 40%, and 20% of the control group after being exposed to 20, 50, and 100 mg/L sophorolipid for 24 h. Therefore, the toxicity for mitigation of harmful algae bloom at previously recommended concentration of 5-20 mg/L sophorolipid is low for most tested organisms in this reaserch.

Free polyamine content during algal bloom succession in the East China Sea in spring 2010

We measured the concentrations and distribution of major polyamines(spermine, putrescine and spermidine) in seawater during successive spring algal blooms in an area of frequent harmful blooms in the East China Sea. Spermine, putrescine, and spermidine concentrations were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography and ranged from 1–64, 7–81, and 0–19 nmol/L. Spermine was present at the highest concentrations, followed by putrescine and spermidine. In late April, when a diatom bloom dominated by Skeletonema costatum dispersed, polyamine concentrations increased, presumably as a result of diatom decomposition. In early May, when a dinoflagellate bloom dominated by Prorocentrum donghaiense occurred, the polyamine concentration decreased from the level seen in late April. The abundant polyamines that decomposed and were released during the diatom bloom in late April may have promoted the growth of P. donghaiense, resulting in its dominance.

HPLC Pigment Profiles of 31 Harmful Algal Bloom Species Isolated from the Coastal Sea Areas of China

Chemotaxonomy based on diagnostic pigments is now a routine tool for macroscopic determination of the composition and abundance of phytoplankton in various aquatic environments. Since the taxonomic capability of this method depends on the relationships between diagnostic pigments and chlorophyll a of classified groups, it is critical to calibrate it by using pigment relationships obtained from representative and/or dominant species local to targeted investigation area. In this study, pigment profiles of 31 harmful algal bloom(HAB) species isolated from the coastal sea areas of China were analyzed with high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC). Pigment compositions, cellular pigment densities and ratios of pigments to chlorophyll a were determined and calculated. Among all these species, 25 kinds of pigments were detected, of which fucoxanthin, peridinin, 19'-butanoyloxyfucoxanthin, 19'-hexanoyloxyfucoxanthin, violaxanthin, and antheraxanthin were diagnostic pigments. Cellular pigment density was basically independent of species and environmental conditions, and therefore was recommended as a bridge to compare the results of HPLC-CHEMTAX technique with the traditional microscopy method. Pigment ratios of algal species isolated from the coast of China, especially the diagnostic pigment ratios, were higher than those from other locations. According to these results, pigment ratio ranges of four classes of phytoplankton common off the coast of China were summarized for using in the current chemotaxonomic method. Moreover, the differences of pigments ratios among different species under the same culturing conditions were consistent with their biological differences. Such differences have the potential to be used to classify the phytoplankton below class, which is meaningful for monitoring HABs by HPLC-CHEMTAX.

Detecting Chlorophyll a Concentration and Bloom Patterns at Upwelling Area in South Central Vietnam by High Resolution Multi-satellite Data

Study on Chlorophyll a （Chl. a） distribution and bloom patterns is essential in the upwelling areas that constitute the main fishery grounds of Vietnam. Based on high resolution satellite imagery and monthly in-situ data in period from 2007 to 2008, the spatial and temporal variations ofChl, a in the upwelling region including algal blooms have been detected. Anomalies of higher Chl. a concentration and bloom patterns occurred at different periods, locations, and bloom shapes in coastal waters of Southern Center of Vietnam. The appearances of these bloom are related to four difference reasons, such as： （i） Their locations coincided to main center of upwelling phenomena that usually occur during southwest monsoon （SWM）; （ii） Effect of northeast monsoon （NEM） that brings and attaches the nutrient into the coast and created ＂floating＂ algae bloom patches in coastal zones; （iii） The algae blooms can be potentially associated with Harmful Algae Bloom （HAB） during the SWM or local eddies during NEM and （iv） Their appearances are also as a result of distinctive nutrient inflow fi＇om Mekong delta and pumping of nutrients by internal waves in coastal shallow waters.

Harmful algal blooms in fresh and marine water systems： The role of toxin producing phytoplankton

In this paper, we have investigated a model with three interacting species： non-toxic phy- toplankton, toxic phytoplankton and zooplankton with Holling type II and III functional responses over the space and time. The role of toxin producing phytoplankton （TPP） has been studied. We have presented the theoretical analysis of pattern formation in spatially distributed population with local diffusion. The paper highlights the hetero- geneity of HABs over space and time. The choice of parameter values and the functional response is important to study the effect of TPP, also it would depend more on the non- linearity of the system. With the help of numerical simulations, we have observed the spatial and spatiotemporal patterns for plankton system. This study demonstrates that TPP plays an important role in controlling the dynamics. We have observed that prey＇s anti-predator efforts promote predator switching. It has been found that high predation of TPP helps for the coexistence of toxic, non-toxic phytoplankton and zooplankton population.