11 research outputs found
Planktonic diatoms and some diatom-silica relations in a shallow eutrophic Scottish loch
Composition and dynamics of autotrophic picoplankton and spectral light distribution in saline lignite mining lakes of Germany
Production of new organic carbon and its distribution between autotrophic picoplankton, bacteria, extracellular organic carbon and phytoplankton in an upland lake
Macroinvertebrate community response to natural and forest harvest gradients in western Oregon headwater streams
Factors controlling the timing of the spring bloom in the Strait of Georgia estuary, British Columbia, Canada
Does high nitrogen loading prevent clear-water conditions in shallow lakes at moderately high phosphorus concentrations?
Effects of nutrient (N, P, C) enrichment upon periphyton standing crop, species composition and primary production in an oligotrophic softwater lake
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