Photosynthetic architecture differs in coastal and oceanic diatoms

Diatoms are a key taxon of eukaryotic phytoplankton and a major contributor to global carbon fixation. They are ubiquitous in the marine ecosystem despite marked gradients in environmental properties, such as dissolved iron concentrations, between coastal and oceanic waters. Previous studies have shown that offshore species of diatoms and other eukaryotic algae have evolved lower iron requirements to subsist in iron-poor oceanic waters, but the biochemical mechanisms responsible for their decreased iron demand are unknown. Here we show, using laboratory-cultured model species, a fundamental difference between a coastal and an oceanic diatom in their photosynthetic architecture. Specifically, the oceanic diatom had up to fivefold lower photosystem I and up to sevenfold lower cytochrome b6f complex concentrations than a coastal diatom. These changes to the photosynthetic apparatus markedly decrease the cellular iron requirements of the oceanic diatom but not its photosynthetic rates. However, oceanic diatoms might have also sacrificed their ability to acclimate to rapid fluctuations in light intensity--a characteristic of dynamic and turbid coastal waters. We suggest that diatoms, and probably other eukaryotic algal taxa, exploited this difference in the underwater light climate between oceanic and coastal waters, enabling them to decrease their iron requirements without compromising photosynthetic capacity. This adaptation probably facilitated the colonization of the open ocean by diatoms, and contributes to their persistence in this iron-impoverished environment.     

2010年夏季广西北部湾沿岸浮游植物分布特征及其与环境因子的相关性

2010年6月4日至26日在广西北部湾沿岸共设46个站位凋查分析浮游植物群落结构特征,以及浮游植物数量与环境因子的相关性。结果共鉴定出浮游植物70属149种(含变种和变型),其中硅藻41属106种,占总物种数的71.14%,占总细胞丰度的95.81%;甲藻18属32种,占总物种数的21.48%,占总细胞丰度的1.44%。浮游植物平均密度为61.10×104 cell/L,硅藻平均细胞丰度为58.54×104 cell/L,甲藻类平均细胞丰度为0.88×104cell/L。浮游植物密集区在防城港海区,此外在北海营盘附近海域有一个较高的密度区。浮游植物丰度在茅尾海和钦州港近岸较低,其余海区的浮游植物数量分布态势为近岸高、外海低。浮游植物主要优势种为尖刺拟菱形藻(Pseudo-nitzschia pungens)、中肋骨条藻(Skeletonema costatum)、拟旋链角毛藻(Chaetocerospseudocurvisetus)、菱形海线藻(Thalassionema nitzschioides)、丹麦细柱藻(Leptocylindrus danicus)。尖刺拟菱形藻、拟旋链角毛藻密集区主要在防城港海区,而中肋骨条藻密集区主要在北海海区。浮游植物数量与温度、盐度及硝酸盐、亚硝酸盐、氨盐和硅酸盐无相关性,北海海区和防城港海区浮游植物丰度与活性磷酸盐呈显著正相关,磷在以上两个海区成为浮游植物生长的限制因子。     

防城港近岸表层水化学需氧量的周年变化特征

【目的】分析防城港近岸海域表层水化学需氧量(COD)的平面分布及周年变化特征,并探讨海域表层水COD分布与不同环境要素的相关性。【方法】根据2010年6月至2011年3月在防城港近岸海域4个航次12个站位的生态环境调查数据,采用标准指数法、相关性系统法等对该海域表层水的COD时空分布及其环境影响因子进行分析讨论。【结果】COD超标的站位位于西湾顶部的防城江入海口附近海域,其余站位COD标准指数均1,处于一类海水水质范围。调查海域各季节COD浓度与水温之间的相关系数均为正值,其中春季最高为0.575;各季节COD浓度与盐度呈显著负相关,其相关系数均高于0.860(P0.01);在春、冬两季COD与叶绿素a之间的相关指数较高,分别为0.910(P0.01)及0.957(P0.01),呈显著正相关,夏、秋两季COD与叶绿素a的相关系数较低,分别为0.606和0.592;COD与悬浮物含量呈正相关,冬季较小,相关系数为0.478,其次为秋季0.694,春、夏季节的相关系数均在0.800以上。【结论】调查期间,防城港海域各季节表层海水COD的平面分布特征基本一致,均体现为近岸高、外海低,由沿岸向离岸方向呈逐渐降低的趋势。其COD主要来源于陆源输入,尤其是河流输入,同时还会受浮游植物等的影响。     

Effects of five heavy metals at sub-lethal concentrations on the growth and photosynthesis of Chlorella vulgaris

The impact of sub-lethal concentrations(0.05,0.5,5 μmol L 1) of the heavy metals copper(Cu),chromium(Cr),zinc(Zn),cadmium(Cd) and lead(Pb) on the growth and photosynthesis of Chlorella vulgaris was studied during 96 h exposure experiments.The results showed that the effects of these five metals on the growth of Chlorella vulgaris were dependent on both concentration and exposure time.It was found that 5 μmol L 1 treatments of Cu,Cr,Zn,Cd and Pb significantly inhibited the growth of Chlorella vulgaris,and the effect became weaker with an increase in exposure duration.Different effects on chlorophyll fluorescence were found for different metals,with Cu and Cr having an inhibiting effect and Zn and Cd having a promoting effect.The effects of heavy metals upon the growth and photosynthesis of Chlorella vulgaris were independent of each other and not causally related.     

Reduced mixing generates oscillations and chaos in the oceanic deep chlorophyll maximum

Deep chlorophyll maxima (DCMs) are widespread in large parts of the world's oceans. These deep layers of high chlorophyll concentration reflect a compromise of phytoplankton growth exposed to two opposing resource gradients: light supplied from above and nutrients supplied from below. It is often argued that DCMs are stable features. Here we show, however, that reduced vertical mixing can generate oscillations and chaos in phytoplankton biomass and species composition of DCMs. These fluctuations are caused by a difference in the timescales of two processes: (1) rapid export of sinking plankton, withdrawing nutrients from the euphotic zone and (2) a slow upward flux of nutrients fuelling new phytoplankton production. Climate models predict that global warming will reduce vertical mixing in the oceans. Our model indicates that reduced mixing will generate more variability in DCMs, thereby enhancing variability in oceanic primary production and in carbon export into the ocean interior.     

南麂列岛海域春秋季网采浮游植物群落结构特征

【目的】研究浙江南麂列岛海洋自然保护区浮游植物群落结构特征及其与环境的关系,为评价该海域生态环境质量的现状及其变化趋势提供科学依据。【方法】以2013年11月和2014年5月对该保护区28个站位的调查数据为基础,分析浮游植物的种类组成,以及细胞丰度、优势度指数、多样性指数、综合富营养化指数等。【结果】南麂列岛多数水体处于富营养状态。春季调查共发现浮游植物2门24种(属),秋季调查共发现浮游植物2门22种(属);物种组成以广温性近岸种为主,主要优势种为甲藻和硅藻。春季调查中夜光藻(Noctilucas cintillans)、圆筛藻属(Coscinodiscus sp.)和海链藻属(Thalassiosirasp.)成为优势类群;秋季调查中具槽帕拉藻(Paralia sulcata)成为优势类群。【结论】南麂列岛浮游植物群落在近二十年来物种数及丰度均发生了一定程度的变化:物种数大幅减少,春秋季平均丰度上升。     

Copepod hatching success in marine ecosystems with high diatom concentrations

Diatoms dominate spring bloom phytoplankton assemblages in temperate waters and coastal upwelling regions of the global ocean. Copepods usually dominate the zooplankton in these regions and are the prey of many larval fish species. Recent laboratory studies suggest that diatoms may have a deleterious effect on the success of copepod egg hatching. These findings challenge the classical view of marine food-web energy flow from diatoms to fish by means of copepods. Egg mortality is an important factor in copepod population dynamics, thus, if diatoms have a deleterious in situ effect, paradoxically, high diatom abundance could limit secondary production. Therefore, the current understanding of energy transfer from primary production to fisheries in some of the most productive and economically important marine ecosystems may be seriously flawed. Here we present in situ estimates of copepod egg hatching success from twelve globally distributed areas, where diatoms dominate the phytoplankton assemblage. We did not observe a negative relationship between copepod egg hatching success and either diatom biomass or dominance in the microplankton in any of these regions. The classical model for diatom-dominated system remains valid.     

中子活化法研究叶绿体中的稀土元素

用中子活化分析测定了油菜叶绿体中的稀土元素含量。结果表明叶绿体中含有微量稀土,其含量相当于每个稀土原子对应约2000个叶绿素分子,低于Fe, Mn, Cu等必需元素。     

黄河口日本鳗草(Zostera japonica)在环境胁迫下的光合响应研究

本文针对黄河口日本鳗草面临的水体浊度变化造成的光限制及重金属污染等双重胁迫,综合野外监测和室内控制实验,分别研究了水体浊度、重金属Cu胁迫以及重金属Cu与浊度耦合胁迫下的日本鳗草光合响应特征。研究发现:浊度胁迫、浊度与低浓度重金属Cu耦合胁迫下,日本鳗草叶片叶绿素含量降低,光合色素的合成受到抑制;叶绿素a与叶绿素b的比值较高,这一结果表明,捕光色素复合体II含量低的同时,叶片通过减少对光能的捕获,降低了日本鳗草光合机构遭受破坏的风险;而在单一的浊度胁迫下,随着光化学猝灭系数下降,日本鳗草用于电子传递的能量逐渐减少,光能利用效率降低;随胁迫时间延长,日本鳗草最大光化学效率也出现下降;同样单一重金属Cu胁迫下,日本鳗草对Cu长期处理表现出抗性差,其光合作用也受到较大影响。据此推测,日本鳗草是对浊度胁迫有一定适应性的海草种类,但污染胁迫如重金属Cu对日本鳗草光合作用影响比水体浊度胁迫影响更大。      

A mesoscale phytoplankton bloom in the polar Southern Ocean stimulated by iron fertilization

Changes in iron supply to oceanic plankton are thought to have a significant effect on concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide by altering rates of carbon sequestration, a theory known as the 'iron hypothesis'. For this reason, it is important to understand the response of pelagic biota to increased iron supply. Here we report the results of a mesoscale iron fertilization experiment in the polar Southern Ocean, where the potential to sequester iron-elevated algal carbon is probably greatest. Increased iron supply led to elevated phytoplankton biomass and rates of photosynthesis in surface waters, causing a large drawdown of carbon dioxide and macronutrients, and elevated dimethyl sulphide levels after 13 days. This drawdown was mostly due to the proliferation of diatom stocks. But downward export of biogenic carbon was not increased. Moreover, satellite observations of this massive bloom 30 days later, suggest that a sufficient proportion of the added iron was retained in surface waters. Our findings demonstrate that iron supply controls phytoplankton growth and community composition during summer in these polar Southern Ocean waters, but the fate of algal carbon remains unknown and depends on the interplay between the processes controlling export, remineralisation and timescales of water mass subduction.     

Deep carbon export from a Southern Ocean iron-fertilized diatom bloom

Fertilization of the ocean by adding iron compounds has induced diatom-dominated phytoplankton blooms accompanied by considerable carbon dioxide drawdown in the ocean surface layer. However, because the fate of bloom biomass could not be adequately resolved in these experiments, the timescales of carbon sequestration from the atmosphere are uncertain. Here we report the results of a five-week experiment carried out in the closed core of a vertically coherent, mesoscale eddy of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, during which we tracked sinking particles from the surface to the deep-sea floor. A large diatom bloom peaked in the fourth week after fertilization. This was followed by mass mortality of several diatom species that formed rapidly sinking, mucilaginous aggregates of entangled cells and chains. Taken together, multiple lines of evidence-although each with important uncertainties-lead us to conclude that at least half the bloom biomass sank far below a depth of 1,000 metres and that a substantial portion is likely to have reached the sea floor. Thus, iron-fertilized diatom blooms may sequester carbon for timescales of centuries in ocean bottom water and for longer in the sediments.     

拒马河浮游植物群落特征及水质评价

2004年4月至11月对拒马河北京段的浮游植物进行了调查研究,共鉴定出203种浮游植物,隶属8门29科64属,其中以硅藻门种数最多,占种类总数的64.04%.4月至11月硅藻在各采样点出现频度均为100%,其数量占藻类总数的73.92 %,说明硅藻为优势类群,浮游植物的群落结构属于硅藻型.浮游植物的平均密度为77.88×104个/L,呈现出明显的季节变化,并且各采样点也有差别.依据污染指示种判断拒马河的水质为β-中度污染至寡污染水体,依据Shannon-Weaver多样性指数判断总体为寡污染水体.从以上评价指标综合分析,拒马河水质污染较轻,为寡污染水域,但可能有向中污染类型转化的趋势.     

Bacterial growth and primary production along a north-south transect of the Atlantic Ocean

The oceanic carbon cycle is mainly determined by the combined activities of bacteria and phytoplankton, but the interdependence of climate, the carbon cycle and the microbes is not well understood. To elucidate this interdependence, we performed high-frequency sampling of sea water along a north-south transect of the Atlantic Ocean. Here we report that the interaction of bacteria and phytoplankton is closely related to the meridional profile of water temperature, a variable directly dependent on climate. Water temperature was positively correlated with the ratio of bacterial production to primary production, and, more strongly, with the ratio of bacterial carbon demand to primary production. In warm latitudes (25 degrees N to 30 degrees S), we observed alternating patches of predominantly heterotrophic and autotrophic community metabolism. The calculated regression lines (for data north and south of the Equator) between temperature and the ratio of bacterial production to primary production give a maximum value for this ratio of 40% in the oligotrophic equatorial regions. Taking into account a bacterial growth efficiency of 30%, the resulting area of net heterotrophy (where the bacterial carbon demand for growth plus respiration exceeds phytoplankton carbon fixation) expands from 8 degrees N (27 degrees C) to 20 degrees S (23 degrees C). This suggests an output of CO2 from parts of the ocean to the atmosphere.     

浮游植物评价颍河水质污染研究

对颍河阜阳段浮游植物在 8个段面四季采样 ,进行了种类组成、种群数量、优势种、污染指示种、多样性指数、硅藻指数等群落生态学初步研究 .选用种群数量、优势种、污染指示种、硅藻指数对颍河阜阳段水质污染进行评价 .颍河阜阳段水质受到中等偏重程度的污染 ,属有机污染严重的河流 ,与过去颍河浮游植物调查资料相比 ,表明近年人为有机污染进程在加速 .     

2013年夏季南黄海浮游植物群集

利用Utermhl方法,对2013年夏季取得的211个南黄海浮游植物样品进行鉴定分析,共鉴定出浮游植物3门60属114种(不包括未定名种),其中,硅藻42属75种,甲藻16属37种,金藻2属2种。群落组成以硅藻为主,其次是甲藻,然后是金藻。调查海区浮游植物的生态类型以温带近岸性为主,优势种为:小等刺硅鞭藻、简单裸甲藻、旋沟藻、蜂腰双壁藻、具槽帕拉藻和菱形海线藻等,小等刺硅鞭藻在本调查中作为绝对优势种出现。浮游植物细胞丰度介于0.037 0×103~32.3×103cells/L,平均值为2.04×103 cells/L;表层浮游植物细胞丰度大致从近岸到外海呈逐步降低趋势,在南黄海西部近岸的表层水体达到最高值32.3×103 cells/L,调查区东南部靠近外海区域也出现了丰度高值区。香农-威纳多样性指数在调查区北部和南部较高,而Pielou均匀度指数则在东部呈现高值区域。     

胶州湾表层沉积物重金属分布研究

本文通过对胶州湾近海及滩涂不同站位表层沉积物重金属含量的研究。分析了胶州湾表层沉积物中重金属含量与水深、离岸距离等方面的关系,探讨了胶州湾表层沉积物重金属的来源和分布特征,为预防胶州湾重金属污染提供了参考依据。     

北海近岸海域化学需氧量分布特征及其影响因素研究

【目的】系统分析北海近岸海域化学需氧量(COD)的平面分布特征及季节变化,探讨不同环境要素对COD分布的影响。【方法】根据2010年6月~2011年3月期间在北海近岸海域4个航次20个站位的生态环境调查数据,采用标准指数法、相关性系统法等对该海域的COD时空分布及其环境影响因子进行分析讨论。【结果】COD高值区及超标的站位主要位于河口附近海域,其余大部分海域COD标准指数均1,处于一类海水水质范围。除夏季外,调查海域各个季节COD浓度与温度之间的相关系数均为正值,且大于0.45;各季节COD浓度与盐度之间的相关系数普遍高于0.5,两者之间呈较好的负相关关系;春、夏及秋季COD与叶绿素之间的相关指数均较高;COD与悬浮物含量呈正相关性,除夏季较小相关系数为0.596外,其余季节的相关系数均在0.7以上。【结论】各季节调查海域表层海水COD的平面分布特征基本一致,主要表现为近岸高、外海低,由沿岸向离岸方向呈逐渐降低的趋势。COD主要来源于陆源输入,尤其是河流输入。     

Architecture and material properties of diatom shells provide effective mechanical protection

Diatoms are the major contributors to phytoplankton blooms in lakes and in the sea and hence are central in aquatic ecosystems and the global carbon cycle. All free-living diatoms differ from other phytoplankton groups in having silicified cell walls in the form of two 'shells' (the frustule) of manifold shape and intricate architecture whose function and role, if any, in contributing to the evolutionary success of diatoms is under debate. We explored the defence potential of the frustules as armour against predators by measuring their strength. Real and virtual loading tests (using calibrated glass microneedles and finite element analysis) were performed on centric and pennate diatom cells. Here we show that the frustules are remarkably strong by virtue of their architecture and the material properties of the diatom silica. We conclude that diatom frustules have evolved as mechanical protection for the cells because exceptional force is required to break them. The evolutionary arms race between diatoms and their specialized predators will have had considerable influence in structuring pelagic food webs and biogeochemical cycles.     

Spectral absorption coefficient of phytoplankton and its relation to chlorophyll a and remote sensing reflectance in coastal waters of southern China

The spectral absorption coefficient of phytoplankton in coastal waters of southern China is investigated. Large variations in the absorption coefficient of phytoplankton are found. The absorption coefficient of phytoplankton at 443 nm ranged from 0. 006 m- 1 to 0. 484 m - 1, with an average value of 0. 067 m - 1. The chlorophyll-specific absorption coefficient of phytoplankton is also a bio-optical varito pigment composition of phytoplankton and package effect. The chlorophyll-specific absorption coefficient of phytoplankton decreases with the increasing of chlorophyll a concentration. This relationship can be described by a power law function, with the parameters and the coefficient of determination r2 as functions of wavelength, but the parameters describing the relationships in present study differed from that in Case 1 waters, thus the regional adjustment of model parameters was of particular significance for improving the accuracy of bio-optical algorithms for estimation of Chl-a concentration and primary production from remotely sensed data. Regression analysis of reflectance (R rs) ratio and absorption coefficient of phytoplankton (a ph) indicates a close correlation between them, which means that it is possible to retrieve absorption coefficient of phytoplankton using ocean color remote sensing data in optically complex coastal waters.     

厦门市潘涂虾池一次简单裸甲藻（Gymnodinium simplex Lohmann）赤潮的调查

对厦门市潘涂虾场一口虾池1995年4月发生的一起简单裸甲藻赤潮进行跟踪调查,报道赤潮期间虾池水环境因子、浮游植物生物量的变化特征以及浮游植物的种类更替。调查显示,赤潮发生前浮游动物大量繁殖,快速消耗浮游植物进而引起池内无机营养盐（特别是活性磷酸盐）的积累是本次赤潮发生的重要原因。赤潮发生期间,赤潮生物的暴发性增殖在抑制多数藻类（主要是硅藻）的同时,也促进了一些裸藻类、甲藻类和蓝藻类的生长繁殖。