7 research outputs found
Light Availability May Control Extracellular Phosphatase Production in Turbid Environments
Dredging effects on P status and phytoplankton density and composition during winter and spring in Lake Taihu, China
Dredging effects on P status and phytoplankton density and composition during winter and spring in Lake Taihu, China
Effects of prey, pitcher age, and microbes on acid phosphatase activity in fluid from pitchers of Sarracenia purpurea (Sarraceniaceae)
Involvement of two glycoside hydrolase family 19 members in colony morphotype and virulence in Flavobacterium columnare
The bioavailability of colloidal and dissolved organic phosphorus to the alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata in relation to analytical phosphorus measurements
Picophytoplankton in freshwater ecosystems: the importance of small-sized phototrophs
About 40 years have passed since the discovery of picophytoplankton; the present knowledge of the taxonomy, physiology and ecology of these tiny photoautotrophic cells offers new perspectives on the importance of the microbial contribution to global biogeochemical cycles and food webs. This review focuses on the relationships among the components of picophytoplankton (picocyanobacteria and the picoplanktic eukaryotes) and biotic and abiotic environmental factors. The dynamics of picophytoplankton in aquatic ecosystems are strictly dependent upon basin size and trophy, temperature, and nutrient and light limitation, but they are also regulated by grazing and viral-induced lysis. The review considers: the pros and cons of the molecular approach to the study of the taxonomy of freshwater Synechococcus spp.; the importance of ecological aspects in understanding the puzzle of picophytoplankton phylogeny (genotype vs ecotype); and the role of biotic vs abiotic interactions in controlling picophytoplankton dynamics. Biotic, top-down control mechanisms are reviewed as well as knowledge of other biological interactions