Genetic diversity within and genetic differentiation between blooms of a microalgal species

The field of genetic diversity in protists, particularly phytoplankton, is under expansion. However, little is known regarding variation in genetic diversity within populations over time. The aim of our study was to investigate intrapopulation genetic diversity and genetic differentiation in the freshwater bloom-forming microalga Gonyostomum semen (Raphidophyceae). The study covered a 2-year period including all phases of the bloom. Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) was used to determine the genetic structure and diversity of the population. Our results showed a significant differentiation between samples collected during the two blooms from consecutive years. Also, an increase of gene diversity and a loss of differentiation among sampling dates were observed over time within a single bloom. The latter observations may reflect the continuous germination of cysts from the sediment. The life cycle characteristics of G. semen, particularly reproduction and recruitment, most likely explain a high proportion of the observed variation. This study highlights the importance of the life cycle for the intraspecific genetic diversity of microbial species, which alternates between sexual and asexual reproduction.Postprin

Contemporary integrative taxonomy for sexually deprived protists: A case study of Trachelomonas (Euglenaceae) from western Ukraine

As many other protist groups, euglenophytes are prone to false identification based solely on morphology because of a limited amount of morphological features and cryptic speciation. One of the supposedly completely asexual groups within the freshwater phototrophic representatives of euglenophytes is Trachelomonas , capable of forming an inorganic shell around its cell (i.e., the lorica). The International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants regulates the taxonomy not only of flowering plants, but explicitly also of phototrophic protists, and provides powerful tools to resolve various taxonomic challenges. To exemplify some of the problems and potential solutions, a number of Trachelomonas strains were collected from the muddy, lake‐rich region of Dobrostany and cultivated under stable laboratory conditions. Being a type locality of 58 unclarified Trachelomonas names, this region in western Ukraine is of great taxonomic importance. Based on light and electron microscopy, and on RAxML and MrBayes phylogenetics using multiple loci and a representative taxon sample, a detailed description of investigated strains and their systematic placement is provided. Morphologically, the strains differed slightly but consistently in minute characters such as size, lorica shape and ornamentation. The presently most comprehensive molecular tree of the Euglenaceae indicated to the existence of at least five different species present in the newly investigated samples, although they were collected from localities in very close vicinity to each other and at the same date. Based on morphological comparisons with type illustrations of species validly described 100 or more years ago, biological material was used to epitypify three names of Trachelomonas , eternally linking morphology with reliable genetic information. This taxonomic application is one of the powerful methods to clarify ambiguous scientific names, which has particular importance in character‐poor protists such as the euglenophytes

Marine diatoms grown in chemostats under silicate or ammonium limitation. III. Cellular chemical composition and morphology of Chaetoceros debilis, Skeletonema costatum , and Thalassiosira gravida

Three marine diatoms, Skeletonema costatum, Chaetoceros debilis , and Thalassiosira gravida were grown under no limitation and ammonium or silicate limitation or starvation. Changes in cell morphology were documented with photomicrographs of ammonium and silicate-limited and non-limited cells, and correlated with observed changes in chemical composition. Cultures grown under silicate starvation or limitation showed an increase in particulate carbon, nitrogen and phosporus and chlorophyll a per unit cell volume compared to non-limited cells; particulate silica per cell volume decreased. Si-starved cells were different from Si-limited cells in that the former contained more particulate carbon and silica per cell volume. The most sensitive indicator of silicate limitation or starvation was the ratio C:Si, being 3 to 5 times higher than the values for non-limited cells. The ratios Si:chlorophyll a and S:P were lower and N:Si was higher than non-limited cells by a factor of 2 to 3. The other ratios, C:N, C:P, C:chlorophyll a , N:chlorophyll a , P:chlorophyll a and N:P were considered not to be sensitive indicators of silicate limitation or starvation. Chlorophyll a , and particulate nitrogen per unit cell volume decreased under ammonium limitation and starvation. NH 4 -starved cells contained more chlorophyll a , carbon, nitrogen, silica, and phosphorus per cell volume than NH 4 -limited cells. N:Si was the most sensitive ratio to ammonium limitation or starvation, being 2 to 3 times lower than non-limited cells. Si:chlorophyll a , P:chlorophyll a and N:P were less sensitive, while the ratios C:N, C:chlorophyll a , N:chlorophyll a , C:Si, C:P and Si:P were the least sensitive. Limited cells had less of the limiting nutrient per unit cell volume than starved cells and more of the non-limiting nutrients (i.e., silica and phosphorus for NH 4 -limited cells). This suggests that nutrient-limited cells rather than nutrient-starved cells should be used along with non-limited cells to measure the full range of potential change in cellular chemical composition for one species under nutrient limitation.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/46631/1/227_2004_Article_BF00392568.pd

The effects of continuous light and light intensity on the reproduction rates of twenty-two species of marine phytoplankton

The acclimated reproduction rates of 22 species of marine phytoplankton were measured at 0.01, 0.023, 0.1, and 0.23 ly/min in continuous light and in a 14: 10 h light: dark cycle. Three species that reproduced exponentially at all four light intensities in the 14: 10 LD regime did not reproduce at all in continuous light at any of the light intensities. One species, which reproduced at the two lowest light intensities in the 14: 10 LD regime, failed to reproduce at all in continuous light at any light intensity examined. Seven species reproduced more slowly in continuous light than in the 14: 10 LD regime at most or all light intensities. Four species reproduced at roughly the same rate in both light regimes. Five species reproduced more rapidly in continuous light. No general phylogenetic trend could be discerned from the responses of the species to the different light intensities or to continuous light. In general, species from coastal regions can reproduce as rapidly or more rapidly in continuous light than in a 14: 10 LD cycle, while most species from oceanic regions are harmed by continuous light. A phylogenetic trend in maximum potential reproduction rate is apparent, with diatoms being the fastest, dinoflagellates the slowest, and coccolithophores somewhat intermediate