Dynamics of phytoplankton and picoplankton over a tidal cycle in a subtropical lagoon

The influences of a tidal cycle on the distribution of autotrophic plankton were investigated in a hyper-eutrophic lagoon designated as a scenic area. Results showed that the highest concentrations of picoplankton and phytoplankton were found in the middle and inner part of the lagoon, irrespective of the tides. The MDS result also revealed that phytoplankton communities, dominated by Ceratium furca, were similar among stations in the inner bay during both flood tides and ebb tides. The time series sampling results at the inlet-outlet channel revealed that almost the same amounts of phytoplankton and picoplankton were carried through the channel during flood and ebb tides, with no trend in nutrient fluctuations except for phosphate which had a net loss from the lagoon. The results showed that tidal cycles do not effectively flush away phytoplankton and picoplankton from the lagoon, and the blooming of phyto- and picoplankton is inevitable should the situation stay the same. Steps are needed to alleviate the eutrophication condition instead of depending on the natural process such as tidal cycle.     

青藏高原盐湖微型和微微型真核浮游生物

 微型与微微型真核浮游生物通常是指粒径在0.2~20 μm之间的真核浮游生物。高原盐湖中微型与微微型真核生物具有丰富的遗传多样性,近年来对高原盐湖中微型与微微型真核生物的研究日渐增多。本文综述了国内外微型与微微型真核浮游生物主要类群的分类学和多样性研究进展,论述了青藏高原柴达木盆地盐湖微型与微微型真核浮游生物的群落结构、在不同盐湖中的分布差异及分子生物学研究方法自身的局限。最后对中国未来加强盐湖中微型与微微型真核浮游生物研究提出了4个建议：加强盐湖微型与微微型真核浮游生物遗传多样性研究,开展盐湖微型与微微型真核浮游生物的纯培养技术研究,充分挖掘盐湖微型与微微型真核浮游生物在生物进化研究中的潜力,以及推动盐湖微型与微微型真核浮游生物功能研究。     

Ecological studies on Prochlorococcus in China seas

Prochlorococcus, a tiny oxygenic photosynthetic picoplankton with unique pigment composition, has been found to be ubiquitous and abundant in the world oceans, and has been recognized to be closely related to living resources and environmental issues. It has attracted the interest of marine biologists since its discovery, and field data on it over global oceans have accumulated rapidly in the past 10 years. In China, we have studied Prochlorococcus for 8 years, achieving a basic ecological understanding. The presence of Prochlorococcus in China seas, marginal seas of the west Pacific, was confirmed, and its distribution patterns were also brought to light. Prochlorococcus is very abundant in the South China Sea and the offshore regions of the East China Sea. It is seasonally present in the southeast part of the Yellow Sea and absent in the Bohai Sea. Temporal and spatial variations of the abundance of Prochlorococcus and their affecting factors, physiological and ecological characteristics of Prochlorococcus and their relationships to the other groups of picoplankton, and the importance of Prochlorococcus in total biomass and possible roles in living resources and environmental problems are discussed. In the future, isolation of different Prochlorococcus strains from the China seas and their physiological characteristics, genetic diversity, phylogenies and gene exploiture, etc. are important issues to be addressed.     

Ecological studies on Prochlorococcus in China seas

Prochlorococcus, a tiny oxygenic photosynthetic picoplankton with unique pigment composition, has been found to be ubiquitous and abundant in the world oceans, and has been recognized to be closely related to living resources and environmental issues. It has attracted the interest of marine biologists since its discovery, and field data on it over global oceans have accumulated rapidly in the past 10 years. In China, we have studied Prochlorococcus for 8 years, achieving a basic ecological understanding. The presence of Prochlorococcus in China seas, marginal seas of the west Pacific, was confirmed, and its distribution patterns were also brought to light. Prochlorococcus is very abundant in the South China Sea and the offshore regions of the East China Sea. It is seasonally present in the southeast part of the Yellow Sea and absent in the Bohai Sea. Temporal and spatial variations of the abundance of Prochlorococcus and their affecting factors, physiological and ecological characteristics of Prochlorococcus and their relationships to the other groups of picoplankton, and the importance of Prochlorococcus in total biomass and possible roles in living resources and environmental problems are discussed. In the future, isolation of different Prochlorococcus strains from the China seas and their physiological characteristics, genetic diversity, phylogenies and gene exploiture, etc. are important issues to be addressed.