Bacterioplankton, Picoeukaryotes and Synechococcus Distribution Associated with Seagrass in South Coast of Hainan Island, China

Seagrass ecosystem is a potential bank for carbon sink. In the paper, we compared the distribution of bacterioplankton, picoeukaryotes and Synechococcus in seagrass ecosystem in Xincun Bay and coral ecosystem in Sanya Bay and found that quantity of bacterioplankton was higher in seagrass ecosystem, and picoeukaryotes had similar distribution pattern with that of bacterioplankton. However, quantity of Synechococcus distribution was higher in coral ecosystem and higher in Sanya Bay. Comparing the unit of quantity of bacterioplankton, picoeukaryotes and Synechococcus in Xincun Bay with that of Sanya Bay, open sea of the South China Sea and Indian Ocean, results showed that the highest quantity of bacterioplankton was in Xincun Bay, and the lowest was in open sea of the South China Sea. The quantity of picoeukaryotes had the similar pattern with that of bacterioplankton. Pattern of Synechococcus quantity was different, which was the highest in Sanya Bay. These results indicated that seagrass ecosystem was more suitable for bacterioplankton and picoeukaryotes growth.

Standing stock and community structure of photosynthetic picoplankton in the northern South China Sea

The investigation on community structure of standing stock of photosynthetic picoplankton: Synechococcus (Syn), Prochlorococcus (Pro) and Picoeukaryotes (Euk) and their environmental regulation mechanisms in the northern South China Sea was carried out in the summer of 1999. The results showed that the average abundances of Syn, Pro and Euk in the study sea areas were (5.0±7.6)×104 cell/cm3 (51%), (4.6±4.2)×104 cell /cm3 (47%) and (1.8±1.1)×103 cell/cm3 (2%) respectively, and those of their carbon biomass were (12.5±18.9) ?滋g/dm3 (74%), (2.7±2.5) ?滋g/dm3 (16 %) and (1.7±1.0) ?滋g /dm3 (10%). The most of high values of Syn appeared in the estuaries, coastal zone and continental shelf in the sea area to the east of Leizhou Peninsula and Hainan Island where nutrients were rich, and those appeared in the Beibu Gulf were the second, while those appeared in continental slope and open sea were tens times lower than the above those. Its distribution in water column was mainly above the thermocline and its abundance below it sharply decreased. Two different populations of Pro were found, the surface population and deep one. The distribution pattern of the former was similar to that of Syn; while with marked difference from that of the former, the abundance and biomass of the latter markedly increased towards outer sea, continental slope and open sea where nutrients were poor; the high values in the water column mainly appeared at the bottom of euphotic zone and above the nitrocline, where it often vigorously grow. The distribution difference of Euk in the various sea areas is not as obvious as those of Syn and Pro, but it was high in coastal and shelf waters and low in continental slope and open sea. The high values in the water column were mostly appeared at the bottom of euphotic zone. This difference of distribution pattern for the three type of photosynthetic picoplankton depends on environmental effects and their ecophysiological differences.

Seasonal Variations of Picoeukaryote Community Structure in Zhoushan Fishing Ground,East China Sea

Picoeukaryotes(<2-3μm)are major oceanic primary producers and play a crucial role for the functioning of marine ecosystems.However,the community structure of such communities remains poorly understood,especially in the East China Sea(ECS).We investigated the seasonal variations of abundance and diversity of picoeukaryotes,and recorded environmental variables,along a transect in Zhoushan Fishing Ground.High-throughput sequencing was used for sequencing the V4-V5 variable region within the 18S rRNA gene to analyze genetic diversity and relative abundance of picoeukaryotes.A total of 40 phyla,68 classes,99 orders,126 families,and 140 genera were observed.The estimated richness and diversity indices were both higher in each season.The composition and dominant picoeukaryotes changed significantly at the class level with the seasons alternating.Basidiomycota,Ciliophora,Ascomycota and Cryptomonadales were observed throughout the year.The Linear Discriminant Analysis(LDA)revealed the predominant discriminant taxa of four seasonal groups.Redundancy analysis(RDA)showed that NO2^−and salinity played very important roles to picoeukaryotes for all the spring samples and DS5 sample in winter,PO4^3−and pH affected mostly picoeukaryotes for winter samples and autumn samples.

ECOLOGICAL STUDY OF PICOPLANKTON IN NORTHERN SOUTH CHINA SEA

Abundance, carbon biomass and composition of picoplankton along a transect (fromthe Pearl River estuary to Dongsha Island) in the northern South China Sea were measured by flow cytom-etry (FCM); and the vertical structure, composition variation, relationship between heterotrophic and au-totrophic picoplankton as well as the controlling mechanism of diel variation were studied. Results showedthat along the horizontal direction, both Synechococcus (SYN) and picoeukaryote (PEUK) were highest inabundance and dominated autotrophic picoplankton in the Pearl River estuary, but decreased

Distribution Pattern of Photosynthetic Picoplankton and Heterotrophic Bacteria in the Northern South China Sea

The environmental regulation of plcoplankton distribution in the northern South China Sea was examined In winter and summer of 2004. The average abundance of Synechococcus, Prochlorococcus, and heterotrophlc bacteria was lower In winter （30, 21, and 780×10^3 cells/cm^3, respectively） than In summer （53, 85, and 1 090×10^3 cells/cm^3, respectively）, but the seasonal pattern was opposite for plcoeukaryotlc phytoplankton （4 500 and 3 200 cells/cm^3 In winter and summer, respectively）. Synechococcus, picoeukaryotes, and bacteria were most abundant in the nutrient-rich coastal zone and continental shelf, but Prochlorococcus was most abundant In the continental slope and open ocean. The vertical distribution of each photosynthetic group and heterotrophlc bacteria changed between the two seasons. Synechococcus populations with apparently different phycoerythrobilin content occurred at many stations In the summer. In addition, two different populations of Prochlorococcus were found： （i） small, weakly fluorescing cells in the surface layer; and （ii） larger, strongly fluorescent cells In the deep layer. The distribution pattern of photosynthetic plcoplankton and heterotrophlc bacteria depends on environmental effects and their ecophyslologlcal differences. The distribution of Synechococcus appeared to be related to nutrient availability, whereas the distribution of Prochlorococcus appeared to be limited by temperature. Synechococcus was the only plcophytoplankton with a consistent strong relationship with bacteria.