Distribución del fitoplancton y su relación con variables ambientales en Sanya Bay, mar del Sur de la China

Phytoplankton quantification was conducted in Sanya Bay from January 2005 to February 2006. A submersible in situ spectrofluorometer, which permits the differentiation of four algal groups (green algae, diatoms and dinoflagellates, cryptophytes and cyanobacteria) was used. Seasonal variation of total chlorophyll a concentration showed that high value appeared in summer and low concentration occurred in spring. Diatoms and dinoflagellates group was the predominant phytoplankton all year in the Bay. The stable stratification of phytoplankton vertical distribution came into being in July. During the stratification event, the total chlorophyll a concentration of deep layer was much higher than the surface; cyanobacteria and cryptophyta groups decreased and almost disappeared, however, the concentration of green algae and diatoms and dinoflagellates groups increased. In deep layer, the concentration of diatoms and dinoflagellates group increased sharply, which was about eight times more than that in the surface layer. The vertical profiles character of phytoplankton showed that from inshore stations to outer bay the stratification of phytoplankton vertical distribution gradually strengthened. Dissolved inorganic nutrient especially phosphate and inorganic nitrogen and cold-water upwelling were the main regulating factor for phytoplankton distribution.Desde enero 2005 a febrero 2006, en Sanya Bay se llevó a cabo la cuantificación del fitoplancton. Para ello se usó un espectrofotómetro sumergible in situ que permitía la diferenciación de cuatro grupos de algas (algas verdes, diatomeas y dinoflagelados, criptofitas y cianobacterias). La variación estacional de la concentración de clorofila a, mostraba que los valores altos aparecían en verano y los bajos en invierno. Durante todo el año el grupo de fitoplancton predominante era el de dinoflagelados y diatomeas. La estratificación estable de la distribución vertical del fitoplancton aparecía en julio. Durante la estratificación la concentración total de la clorofila a de la capa profunda era más alta que en la superficie; los grupos de crisófitas y cianobacterias decrecían hasta casi desaparecer, sin embargo la concentración de algas verdes y diatomeas se incrementaba. En la capa profunda la concentración del grupo formado por diatomeas y dinoflagelados se incrementaba considerablemente con concentraciones ocho veces más elevadas que en la superficie. El carácter de los perfiles verticales de fitoplancton desde las estaciones costeras hasta fuera de la Bahía aparecía gradualmente más definido. Los nutrientes inorgánicos correspondientes a fósforo y nitrógeno junto con la subida de agua fría eran los factores principales que regulaban la distribución del fitoplancton

Variación espacial y estacional de Cianobacterias y sus tasas de fijación de nitrógeno en la Bahía de Sanya en el Sur del Mar de China

The nitrogen fixation rates of planktonic and intertidal benthic cyanobacteria were investigated in Sanya Bay from 2003 to 2005. Trichodesmium thiebautii was the dominant species of planktonic cyanobacteria during our study. Significant seasonal and spatial variations in Trichodesmium spp. abundance were observed (P<0.01). The highest Trichodesmium concentrations occurred during intermonsoon periods and in the outer region of Sanya Bay (Outer Bay stations). At fixed station S03 the abundance of T. thiebautii ranged from 1.14×103 to 2060×103 trichomes m–2, with an annual mean of 273×103 trichomes m–2. The average nitrogen fixation rate per colony of T. thiebautii was 0.27 nmol N h-1 colony-1 and it did not show any obvious seasonal variations. Nitrogen fixation by planktonic cyanobacteria was highest in the Outer Bay stations, where the estimated amount of new nitrogen introduced by Trichodesmium contributed 0.03 to 1.63% of the total primary production and up to 11.64% of the new production. Statistical results showed that significant seasonal and spatial variations of nitrogen fixation rates were found among the intertidal communities. The main benthic nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria were identified as members of the genera Anabaena, Calothrix, Lyngbya, Nostoc and Oscillatoria. The highest nitrogen fixation rate was found in microbial mats and the lowest in reefs and rocky sediments. All the benthic communities studied presented their highest nitrogen fixation activity in summer, with an average nitrogen fixation rate of 33.31 µmol N h-1 m-2, whereas the lowest nitrogen activity was detected in winter, with an average nitrogen fixation rate of 5.66 µmol N h-1 m-2. A Pearson correlation analysis indicated that the nitrogen fixation rate of three types of intertidal communities was significantly positively correlated to seawater temperature (P<0.05), whereas only the nitrogen fixation rate of the reefs and rock communities was significantly negatively correlated to seawater salinity (P<0.05).Las tasas de fijación de nitrógeno de cianobacterias intermareales y bentónicas fueron investigadas en la Bahía de Sanya, desde 2003 a 2005. Trichodesmium thiebautii era la especie dominante de las cianobacterias planctónicas durante nuestra investigación. Se observaron variaciones espaciales y estacionales significativas (P<0.01) en la abundancia de Trichodesmium spp. La concentración más elevada de Trichodesmium se observó durante los períodos de intermonzón y en la región exterior de la Bahía de Sanya (estaciones fuera de la Bahía). En la estación fija S03 la abundancia de T. thiebautii variaba desde 1.14×103 a 2060×103 tricomas m–2, con una media anual de 273×103 tricomas m–2. El promedio de la tasa de fijación de nitrógeno por colonia de T. thiebautii era de 0.27 nmol N h-1 colonia y no mostraba una clara variación estacional. La fijación de nitrógeno por las cianobacterias planctónicas era superior en las estaciones de fuera de la Bahía, donde la cantidad estimada de nitrógeno nuevo introducido por Trichodesmium contribuía del 0.03 al 1.63% del total de la producción primaria y hasta el 11.64% de la producción nueva. Estadísticamente los resultados mostraban que las variaciones espaciales y estacionales significativas de las tasas de fijación de nitrógeno fueron encontradas entre las comunidades intermareales. Las principales cianobacterias bentónicas fijadoras de nitrógeno fueron identificadas como miembros de los géneros Anabaena, Calothrix, Lyngbya, Nostoc y Oscillatoria. La tasa de fijación de nitrógeno más alta fue encontrada en los tapetes microbianos y las más bajas en los arrecifes y sedimentos rocosos. Todas las comunidades bentónicas estudiadas presentaban la mayor actividad de fijación de nitrógeno en verano, con un promedio de tasas de fijación de 33.31 ?mol N h-1 m-2, mientras que la menor actividad de fijación de nitrógeno fue detectada en invierno, con un promedio de 5.66 ?m N h-1 m-2. Análisis de correlación (Pearson) indicaban que las tasas de fijación de nitrógeno en los tres tipos de comunidades intermareales estaban significativamente correlacionados con la temperatura del agua (P<0.05). Mientras que la tasa de fijación de nitrógeno de las comunidades de los arrecifes y sedimentos rocosos estaban correlacionadas significativamente con la salinidad del agua de mar (P<0.05)

Estructura de la comunidad bacteriana en sedimentos de manglares en relación a variables medioambientales mediante análisis de fragmentos del gen 16S rRNA y electroforesis en geles desnaturalizantes

Bacterial community structure and the relationship between environmental variables and microbial communities in the surface sediments of tropical mangrove ecosystems were investigated in Sanya, Hainan Island, China. Profiles of bacterial communities were generated using culture-independent PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), and the results were interpreted with multivariate statistical analysis. Findings suggested that microbial communities varied with sample collection sites and seasons. The samples collected from the same sample sites at the same time had more similar microbial communities except samples SH3 and AB5, which also had unique sediment quality. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) revealed that the organic carbon concentration of the sediments accounted for a significant amount of the variability in the bacterial community composition. Phylogenetic analysis was used to identify the major groups of the predominant bacterial phylotypes. 16S rRNA gene-V3 fragments from 17 individual DGGE bands were sequenced and the corresponding bacteria were found in mangrove sediments for the first time based on BLAST results. Predominant bacterial phylotypes clustered with various taxonomic groups, including Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Gemmatimonadetes, Actinobacteria and Firmicutes.La estructura de la comunidad bacteriana y la relación entre variables ambientales y las comunidades microbianas de la superficie de sedimentos de los ecosistemas tropicales de manglares fueron investigados en Sanya, Hainan Island, China. Los perfiles de las comunidades bacterianas fueron obtenidos utilizando electroforesis de gradiente de gel desnaturalizante (DGE), cultivo-independiente, y los resultados fueron interpretados con un análisis estadístico multivariante. Los resultados sugerían que las comunidades microbianas variaban con los lugares de muestreo y las estaciones. Las muestras recogidas en el mismo lugar de muestreo y al mismo tiempo tenían comunidades microbianas similares, excepto las muestras SH3 y AB5, que tenían diferente calidad de sedimentos. El análisis de correspondencia (CCA) mostró que la concentración de carbono orgánico en sedimentos explicaba una parte importante de la variabilidad en la composición de la comunidad bacteriana. Los análisis filogenéticos fueron usados para identificar los grupos más importantes de filotipos predominantes de bacterias. Se secuenciaron fragmentos 16 rRNA gene-V3 de 17 bandas individuales de DGE y las bacterias correspondientes fueron encontradas por primera vez en sedimentos de manglares en base a resultados de BLAST. Los filotipos de bacterias predominantes se agrupaban con varios grupos taxonómicos que incluyen Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Gemmatimonadetes, Actinobacteria y Firmicutes

The shifts of diazotrophic communities in spring and summer associated with coral Galaxea astreata, Pavona decussata and Porites lutea

The coral holobiont often resides in oligotrophic waters; both coral cells and their symbiotic dinoflagellates possess ammonium assimilation enzymes and potentially benefit from the nitrogen fixation of coral-associated diazotrophs. However, the seasonal dynamics of coral-associated diazotrophs are not well characterized. Here, the seasonal variations of diazotrophic communities associated with three corals, Galaxea astreata, Pavona decussata and Porites lutea, were studied using nifH gene amplicon pyrosequencing techniques. Our results revealed a great diversity of coral-associated diazotrophs. nifH sequences related to Alphaproteobacteria, Deltaproteobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria were ubiquitous and dominant in all corals in two seasons. In contrast with the coral P. decussata, both G. astreata and P. lutea showed significant seasonal changes in the diazotrophic communities and nifH gene abundance. Variable diazotroph groups accounted for a range from 11% to 49% within individual coral samples. Most of the variable diazotrophic groups from P. decussata were species-specific, however, the majority of overlapping variable groups in G. astreata and P. lutea showed the same seasonal variation characteristics. Rhodopseudomonas palustris- and Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus-affiliated sequences were relatively abundant in the summer, whereas a nifH sequence related to Halorhodospira halophila was relatively abundant in spring G. astreata and P. lutea. The seasonal variations of all diazotrophic communities were significantly correlated with the seasonal shifts of ammonium and nitrate, suggesting that diazotrophs play an important role in the nitrogen cycle of the coral holobiont

Physiological and Biochemical Responses of Kandelia obovata to Upwelling Stress

Mangroves growing in intertidal areas are faced with various stresses caused by coastal human activities and oceanic and atmospheric sources. Although the study of the physiological and biochemical characteristics of mangroves has been developing over the past four decades, the effect of upwelling on mangroves in plants stress resistance has seldom been investigated. Here, changes in the physiological and biochemical characteristics of the leaves of Kandelia obovata seedlings in response to upwelling were investigated (air temperature: 25 °C; water temperature: control 25 °C, 13 °C, and 5 °C; salinity: 10‰). The results revealed that upwelling treatment caused an increase in chlorophyll content but a decrease in photosynthetic fluorescence parameters. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production and malondialdehyde activity (MDA) increased with the decrease in upwelling temperature. The proline content increased under upwelling stress, whereas the soluble sugar content decreased. Further, the activities of antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase activity (SOD) and peroxidase activity (POD), showed an increasing trend during the treatment, while catalase activity (CAT) decreased. It was evidenced that upwelling stress triggered the physiological and biochemical responses of Kandelia obovata seedlings. This effect became more intense as the upwelling temperature decreased, and all these indicators showed different responses to upwelling stress. Through synthesizing more energy and regulating enzyme activity and osmotic pressure, the leaves of K. obovata formed a resistance mechanism to short-term upwelling

Physiological and Biochemical Responses of <i>Kandelia obovata</i> to Upwelling Stress

Mangroves growing in intertidal areas are faced with various stresses caused by coastal human activities and oceanic and atmospheric sources. Although the study of the physiological and biochemical characteristics of mangroves has been developing over the past four decades, the effect of upwelling on mangroves in plants stress resistance has seldom been investigated. Here, changes in the physiological and biochemical characteristics of the leaves of Kandelia obovata seedlings in response to upwelling were investigated (air temperature: 25 °C; water temperature: control 25 °C, 13 °C, and 5 °C; salinity: 10‰). The results revealed that upwelling treatment caused an increase in chlorophyll content but a decrease in photosynthetic fluorescence parameters. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production and malondialdehyde activity (MDA) increased with the decrease in upwelling temperature. The proline content increased under upwelling stress, whereas the soluble sugar content decreased. Further, the activities of antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase activity (SOD) and peroxidase activity (POD), showed an increasing trend during the treatment, while catalase activity (CAT) decreased. It was evidenced that upwelling stress triggered the physiological and biochemical responses of Kandelia obovata seedlings. This effect became more intense as the upwelling temperature decreased, and all these indicators showed different responses to upwelling stress. Through synthesizing more energy and regulating enzyme activity and osmotic pressure, the leaves of K. obovata formed a resistance mechanism to short-term upwelling