22 research outputs found
Factors controlling the community structure of picoplankton in contrasting marine environments
The
effect of inorganic nutrients on planktonic assemblages has traditionally
relied on concentrations rather than estimates of nutrient supply. We
combined a novel dataset of hydrographic properties, turbulent mixing,
nutrient concentration, and picoplankton community composition with the aims
of (i) quantifying the role of temperature, light, and nitrate fluxes as
factors controlling the distribution of autotrophic and heterotrophic
picoplankton subgroups, as determined by flow cytometry, and (ii) describing
the ecological niches of the various components of the picoplankton
community. Data were collected at 97 stations in the Atlantic Ocean,
including tropical and subtropical open-ocean waters, the northwestern
Mediterranean Sea, and the Galician coastal upwelling system of the northwest
Iberian Peninsula. A generalized additive model (GAM) approach was used to
predict depth-integrated biomass of each picoplankton subgroup based on three
niche predictors: sea surface temperature, averaged daily surface irradiance,
and the transport of nitrate into the euphotic zone, through both diffusion
and advection. In addition, niche overlap among different picoplankton
subgroups was computed using nonparametric kernel density functions.
Temperature and nitrate supply were more relevant than light in predicting
the biomass of most picoplankton subgroups, except for
Prochlorococcus and low-nucleic-acid (LNA) prokaryotes, for which irradiance also played a
significant role. Nitrate supply was the only factor that allowed the
distinction among the ecological niches of all autotrophic and heterotrophic
picoplankton subgroups. Prochlorococcus and LNA prokaryotes were
more abundant in warmer waters (>20 ∘C) where the nitrate fluxes
were low, whereas Synechococcus and high-nucleic-acid (HNA)
prokaryotes prevailed mainly in cooler environments characterized by
intermediate or high levels of nitrate supply. Finally, the niche of
picoeukaryotes was defined by low temperatures and high nitrate supply. These
results support the key role of nitrate supply, as it not only promotes the
growth of large phytoplankton, but it also controls the structure of marine
picoplankton communities.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad | Ref. CTM2012-30680Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad | Ref. CTM2008-0626I-C03-01Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad | Ref. REN2003-09532-C03-01Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad | Ref. CTM2004-05174 -C02Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad | Ref. CTM2011-25035Xunta de Galicia | Ref. 09MMA027604PRXunta de Galicia | Ref. EM2013/021European Commission | Ref. FP7, n. 261860Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad | Ref. FJCI-641 2015-2571
Major role of nutrient supply in the control of picophytoplankton community structure.
abstractThe Margalef´s mandala (1978) is a simplified bottom-up control model that explains how mixing and
nutrient concentration determine the composition of marine phytoplankton communities. Due to the
difficulties of measuring turbulence in the field, previous attempts to verify this model have applied
different proxies for nutrient supply, and very often used interchangeably the terms mixing and
stratification. Moreover, because the mandala was conceived before the discovery of smaller
phytoplankton groups (picoplankton <2 μm), it describes only the succession of vegetative phases of
microplankton. In order to test the applicability of the classical mandala to picoplankton groups, we
used a multidisciplinary approach including specifically designed field observations supported by
remote sensing, database analyses, and modeling and laboratory chemostat experiments.
Simultaneous estimates of nitrate diffusive fluxes, derived from microturbulence observations, and
picoplankton abundance collected in more than 200 stations, spanning widely different hydrographic
regimes, showed that the contribution of eukaryotes to picoautotrophic biomass increases with
nutrient supply, whereas that of picocyanobacteria shows the opposite trend. These findings were
supported by laboratory and modeling chemostat experiments that reproduced the competitive
dynamics between picoeukaryote sand picocyanobacteria as a function of changing nutrient supply.
Our results indicate that nutrient supply controls the distribution of picoplankton functional groups in
the ocean, further supporting the model proposed by Margalef.RADIALES (IEO
Control of tHe structure of marine phytoplAnkton cOmmunities by turbulence and nutrient supply dynamicS (CHAOS)
extended abstract del posterIn order to investigate the role of turbulence mixing on structuring marine phytoplankton communities, the CHAOS project included a multidisciplinary approach involving specifically designed field observations supported by remote sensing, database analyses, and modeling and laboratory chemostat experiments. Field observations carried out in the outer part of Ría de Vigo in summer 2013 showed that, as a result of increased mixing levels, nitrate diffusive input into the euphotic layer was approximately 4-fold higher during spring tides. This nitrate supply could contribute to explain the continuous dominance of large-sized phytoplankton during the upwelling favorable season. Simultaneous estimates of nitrate diffusive fluxes, derived from microturbulence observations, and picoplankton abundance collected in more than 100 stations, spanning widely different hydrographic regimes, showed that the contribution of eukaryotes to picoautotrophic biomass increases with nutrient supply, whereas that of picocyanobacteria shows the opposite trend. These findings were supported by laboratory and modeling chemostat experiments that reproduced the competitive dynamics between picoeukaryote and picocyanobacteria as a function of changing nutrient supply. The results derived from this project confirm that turbulence and mixing control the availability of light and nutrients, which in turn determine the structure of marine phytoplankton communities.RADIALES-20 (IEO), CHAOS (CTM 2012-30680), Malaspina-2010(CSD2008-00077
Nutrient supply does play a role on the structure of marine picophytoplankton communities
Conference communicationThe Margalef´s mandala (1978) is a simplified bottom-up control model that explains how mixing and nutrient concentration determine the composition of marine phytoplankton communities. Due to the difficulties of measuring turbulence in the field, previous attempts to verify this model have applied different proxies for nutrient supply, and very often used interchangeably the terms mixing and stratification. Moreover, because the mandala was conceived before the discovery of smaller phytoplankton groups (picoplankton <2 µm), it describes only the succession of vegetative phases of microplankton. In order to test the applicability of the classical mandala to picoplankton groups, we used a multidisciplinary approach including specifically designed field observations supported by remote sensing, database analyses, and modeling and laboratory chemostat experiments. Simultaneous estimates of nitrate diffusive fluxes, derived from microturbulence observations, and picoplankton abundance collected in more than 200 stations, spanning widely different hydrographic regimes, showed that the contribution of eukaryotes to picoautotrophic biomass increases with nutrient supply, whereas that of picocyanobacteria shows the opposite trend. These findings were supported by laboratory and modeling chemostat experiments that reproduced the competitive dynamics between picoeukaryote sand picocyanobacteria as a function of changing nutrient supply. Our results indicate that nutrient supply controls the distribution of picoplankton functional groups in the ocean, further supporting the model proposed by Margalef.Spanish Governmen
A Pseudo-Lagrangian Transformation to Study a Chlorophyll-a Patch in the Ría de Vigo (NW Iberian Peninsula)
Major role of nutrient supply in the control of picophytoplankton community structure
Mouriño-Carballido, Beatriz ... et al.-- 2016 Ocean Sciences Meeting, 21-26 February 2016, New OrleansThe Margalef´s mandala (1978) is a simplified bottom-up control model that explains how mixing and nutrient concentration determine the composition of marine phytoplankton communities. Due to the difficulties of measuring turbulence in the field, previous attempts to verify this model have applied different proxies for nutrient supply, and very often used interchangeably the terms mixing and stratification. Moreover, because the mandala was conceived before the discovery of smaller phytoplankton groups (picoplankton <2 µm), it describes only the succession of vegetative phases of microplankton. In order to test the applicability of the classical mandala to picoplankton groups, we used a multidisciplinary approach including specifically designed field observations supported by remote sensing, database analyses, and modeling and laboratory chemostat experiments. Simultaneous estimates of nitrate diffusive fluxes, derived from microturbulence observations, and picoplankton abundance collected in more than 200 stations, spanning widely different hydrographic regimes, showed that the contribution of eukaryotes to picoautotrophic biomass increases with nutrient supply, whereas that of picocyanobacteria shows the opposite trend. These findings were supported by laboratory and modeling chemostat experiments that reproduced the competitive dynamics between picoeukaryote sand picocyanobacteria as a function of changing nutrient supply. Our results indicate that nutrient supply controls the distribution of picoplankton functional groups in the ocean, further supporting the model proposed by MargalefPeer Reviewe
Nutrient supply does play a role on the structure of marine picophytoplankton communities
Mouriño-Carballido, Beatriz ... et al.-- 2016 Ocean Sciences Meeting, 21-26 February 2016, New OrleansPeer Reviewe
Control of tHe structure of marine phytoplAnkton cOmmunities by turbulence and nutrient supply dynamicS (CHAOS)
V Simposio Internacional de Ciencias del Mar, 20-22 July 2016, Alicante.-- 2 pages, 1 figureIn order to investigate the role of turbulence mixing on structuring marine phytoplankton communities, the CHAOS project included a multidisciplinary approach involving specifically designed field observations supported by remote sensing, database analyses, and modeling and laboratory chemostat experiments. Field observations carried out in the outer part of Ría de Vigo in summer 2013 showed that, as a result of increased mixing levels, nitrate diffusive input into the euphotic layer was approximately 4-fold higher during spring tides. This nitrate supply could contribute to explain the continuous dominance of large-sized phytoplankton during the upwelling favorable season. Simultaneous estimates of nitrate diffusive fluxes, derived from microturbulence observations, and picoplankton abundance collected in more than 100 stations, spanning widely different hydrographic regimes, showed that the contribution of eukaryotes to picoautotrophic biomass increases with nutrient supply, whereas that of picocyanobacteria shows the opposite trend. These findings were supported by laboratory and modeling chemostat experiments that reproduced the competitive dynamics between picoeukaryote and picocyanobacteria as a function of changing nutrient supply. The results derived from this project confirm that turbulence and mixing control the availability of light and nutrients, which in turn determine the structure of marine phytoplankton communitiesPeer Reviewe
The role of mixing in controlling resource availability and phytoplankton community composition
We investigate the role of mixing, through its effect on nutrient and light availability, as a driver of phytoplankton community composition in the context of
Margalef’s mandala. Data on microstructure turbulence, irradiance, new nitrogen supply and phytoplankton composition were collected at 102 stations in three
contrasting marine environments: the Galician coastal upwelling system of the northwest Iberian Peninsula, the northwestern Mediterranean, and the tropical and
subtropical Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. Photosynthetic pigments concentration and microscopic analysis allowed us to investigate the contribution of
diatoms, dinoflagellates, pico- and nanoeukaryotes, and cyanobacteria to the phytoplankton community. Simple linear regression was used to assess the role of
environmental factors on community composition, and environmental overlap among different phytoplankton groups was computed using nonparametric kernel
density functions. Mixing and new nitrogen supply played an important role in controlling the phytoplankton community structure. At lower values of mixing and
new nitrogen supply cyanobacteria dominated, pico- and nanoeukaryotes were dominant across a wide range of environmental conditions, and finally enhanced new
nitrogen supply was favourable for diatoms and dinoflagellates. Dinoflagellates were prevalent at intermediate mixing levels, whereas diatoms spread across a wider
range of mixing conditions. Occasional instances of enhanced diatom biomass were found under low mixing, associated with the high abundance of Hemiaulus hauckii
co-occurring with high N2 fixation in subtropical regions, and with the formation of thin layers in the Galician coastal upwelling. Our results verify the Margalef’s
mandala for the whole phytoplankton community, emphasizing the need to consider nutrient supply, rather than nutrient concentration, as an indicator of nutrient
availability