Abstract
Life-form population responses of a centric planktonic diatom,Chaetoceros pseudocurvisetus Mangin, were investigated in summer 1986 and 1988 in the Izu Islands, Japan, in regionally upwelled water where nutrient concentration changed from favorable to unfavorable conditions for active growth and reproduction (oligotrophication). Two types of life form were observed: vegetative cells of healthy and unhealthy looking conditions and resting spores. The observed life-form responses were experimentally evaluated along with a depletion of limiting nutrients. The algal population ceased vegetative growth and initiated resting spore formation with a disappearance of limiting nitrate, and this life-form response seemed to be triggered by the decrease of cellular nitrogen content below a certain level. Since a large amount of silicon was required for the resting spore formation, a part of vegetative cells were unable to form resting spores and formed unhealthy looking vegetative cells under insufficient concentrations of silicic acid. Percentage shares of the resting spores in the population were linearly related to the amounts of available silicic acid. Vegetative cells which did not form resting spores showed greater mortality than resting spores by attack of bacteria and protozoa; however, vegetative cells could respond quickly to possible nutrient replenishment.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literature cited
Anderson, D. M., Coats, D. W., Tyler, M. A. (1985). Encystment of the dinoflagellateGyrondinium uncatenum: temperature and nutrient effects. J. Phycol. 21: 200–206
Anderson, D. M., Kuris, D. M., Binder, B. J. (1984). Sexuality and cyst formation in the dinoflagellateGonyaulax tamarensis: cyst yield in batch cultures. J. Phycol. 20: 418–425
Anderson, D. M., Lindquist, N. L. (1985). Time-course measurements of phosphorus depletion and cyst formation in the dinoflagellateGonyaulax tamarensis Lebour. J. exp. mar. Biol. Ecol. 86: 1–13
Anderson, O. R. (1975). The ultrastructure and cytochemistry of resting cell formation inAmphora coffaeformis (Bacillariophyceae). J. Phycol. 11: 272–281
Antia, N. J. (1976). Effects of temperature on the darkness survival of marine microplanktonic algae. Microb. Ecol. 3: 41–54
Antia, N. J., Cheng, Y. G. (1970). The survival of axenic cultures of marine planktonic algae from prolonged exposure to darkness at 20°C. Phycologia 9: 179–183
Atkinson, L. P., Blanton, J. O., McClain, C., Lee, T. N., Takahashi, M., Ishimaru, T., Ishizaka, J. (1987). Observations of upwelling around the Izu Peninsula, Japan: May 1982. J. oceanogr. Soc. Japan 43: 89–103
Chu, S. P., Kao, Y. C. (1957). Studies on the genusChaetoceros Ehrenberg from the fishing ground of the mackerel,Pneumatophorus japonicus Houttuyu, off the Shantung coast from Chefoo to Weihai, part 1. A systematic study. Oceanologia Limnol. sin. 1: 27–94
Cunningham, A., Maas, P. (1978). Time lag and nutrient storage effects in the transient growth response ofChlamydomonas reinhardii in nitrogen-limited batch and continuous culture. J. gen. Microbiol. 104: 227–231
Davis, C. O., Hollibaugh, J. T., Seibert, D. L. R., Thomas, W. H., Harrison, P. J. (1980). Formation of resting spores byLeptocylindrus danicus (Bacillariophyceae) in a controlled experimental ecosystem. J. Phycol. 16: 296–302
Dodson, A. N., Thomas, W. H. (1977). Marine plankton growth and survival under simulated upwelling and oligotrophic conditions. J. exp. mar. Biol. Ecol. 26: 153–161
Drebes, G. (1966). On the life cycle of the marine plankton diatom,Stephanopyxis palmeriana. Helgoland wiss. Meeresunter. 13: 101–115
Durbin, E. G. (1978). Aspects of the biology of resting spores ofThalassiosira nordenskioeldii andDetonula conforvacea. Mar. Biol. 45: 31–37
French, F. W., Hargraves, P. E. (1980). Physiological characteristics of plankton diatom resting spores. Mar. Biol. Lett. 1: 185–195
Garrison, D. L. (1981). Monterey Bay phytoplankton. II. Resting spore cycles in coastal diatom populations. J. Plankton Res. 3: 137–156
Guillard, R. R. L., Ryther, J. H. (1962). Studies of marine planktonic diatoms. I.Cyclotella nana Hustedt andDetonula confervacea (Cleve) Gran. Can. J. Microbiol. 8: 229–239
Hargraves, P. E. (1976). Studies on marine plankton diatoms. II. Resting spore morphology. J. Phycol. 12: 118–128
Hargraves, P. E., French, F. W. (1975). Observations on the survival of diatom resting spores. Beih. Nova Hedwigia 53: 229–238
Hargraves, P. E., French, F. W. (1983). Diatom resting spores: significance and strategies. In: Fryxell, G. A. (ed.) Survival strategies of the algae. Cambridge University Press, New York, p. 49–68
Harrison, P. J., Conway, H. L., Holmes, R. W., Davis, C. O. (1977). Marine diatoms grown in chemostats under silicates or ammonium limitation. III. Cellular chemical composition and morphology ofChaetoceros debilis, Skeletonema costatum andThalassiosira gravida. Mar. Biol. 43: 19–31
Haury, L. R., McGowan, J. A., Wiebe, P. H. (1979). Patterns and processes in time-space scales of plankton distributions. In: Steele, J. H. (ed.) Spatial patterns in plankton communities. Plenum Press, New York, p. 227–327
Hollibaugh, J. T., Seibert, D. L. R., Thomas, W. H. (1981). Observations on the survival and germination of resting spores of threeChaetoceros (Bacillariophyceae) species. J. Phycol. 17: 1–9
Holmes, R. W. (1966). Light microscope observations on cytological manifestations of nitrate, phosphate, and silicate deficiency in four marine centric diatoms. J. Phycol. 2: 136–140
Ishimaru, T., Otobe, H., Saino, T., Hasumoto, H., Nakai, T. (1984). OCTOPUS, an octoparameter underwater sensor, for use in biological oceanography studies. J. oceanogr. Soc. Japan 40: 207–212
Ishizaka, J., Kaichi, M., Takahashi, M. (1987). Resting spore formation ofLeptocylindrus danicus (Bacillariophyceae) during short time scale upwelling and its significance as predicted by a simple model. Ecol. Res. 2: 229–242
Ishizaka, J., Takahashi, M., Ichimura, S. (1983). Evaluation of coastal upwelling effects on phytoplankton growth by simulated culture experiments. Mar. Biol. 76: 271–278
Ishizaka, J., Takahashi, M., Ichimura, S. (1986). Changes in the growth rate of phytoplankton in local upwelling around the Izu Peninsula, Japan. J. Plankton Res. 8: 169–181
Kanda, J., Saino, T., Hattori, A. (1985). Variation of carbon and nitrogen uptake capacity in a regional upwelling area around Hachijo Island. J. oceanogr. Soc. Japan 41: 373–380
Kuwata, A. (1989). Resting spore formation of a marine planktonic diatom,Chaetoceros pseudocurvisetus Mangin, under oligotrophication in the sea (in Japanese). MS thesis, University of Tokyo, Tokyo
Levasseur, M. E., Therriault, J. C. (1987). Phytoplankton biomass and nutrient dynamics in a tidally induced upwelling: the role of the NO3:SiO4 ratio. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 39: 87–97
Lund, J. W. G., Kilping, C., Le Cren, E. D. (1958). The inverted microscope method of estimating algal numbers, and the statistical basis of estimation by counting. Hydrobiologia 11: 143–170
Margalef, R. (1978). Life-forms of phytoplankton as survival alternatives in an unstable environment. Oceanol. Acta 1: 493–509
Raunkjaer, C. (1934). The life forms of plants and statistical plant geography. Clarendon Press, Oxford
Sanders, J. G., Cibik, S. J. (1985). Reduction of growth rate and resting spore formation in a marine diatom exposed to low levels of cadmium. Mar. envir Res. 16: 165–180
Sicko-Goad, L., Stoermer, E. F., Kociolek, J. P. (1989). Diatom resting cell rejuvenation and formation: time course, species records and distribution. J. Plankton Res. 11: 375–389
Smayda, T. J., Mitchell-Innes, B. (1974). Dark survival of autotrophic, planktonic marine diatoms. Mar. Biol. 25: 195–202
Strickland, J. D. H., Parsons, T. R. (1972). A practical handbook of seawater analysis. Bull. Fish. Res. Bd Can. 167: 1–310
Takahashi, M., Ishizaka, J., Ishimaru, T., Atkinson, L. P., Lee, T. N., Yamaguchi, Y., Fujita, Y., Ichimura, S. (1986). Temporal change in nutrient concentrations and phytoplankton biomass in short time scale local upwelling around the Izu Peninsula, Japan. J. Plankton Res. 8: 1039–1049
Takahashi, M., Kishi, M. (1984). Phytoplankton growth response to wind induced regional upwelling occurring around the Izu Islands off Japan. J. oceanogr. Soc. Japan 40: 221–229
Takahashi, M., Koike, I., Ishimaru, T., Saino, T., Furuya, K., Fujita, Y., Hattori, A., Ichimura, S. (1980). Upwelling plumes in Sagami Bay and adjacent water around the Izu Islands, Japan. J. oceanogr. Soc. Japan 36: 209–216
Turpin, D. H. (1988). Physiological mechanisms in phytoplankton resource competition. In: Sandgren, C. D. (ed.) Growth and reproductive strategies of freshwater phytoplankton. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, p. 316–368
Utermöhl, H. (1958). Zur Vervollkommnung der quantitativen Phytoplankton-Methodik. Mitt. int. Verein. theor. angew. Limnol. 9: 1–38
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Communicated by M. Anraku, Tokyo
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kuwata, A., Takahashi, M. Life-form population responses of a marine planktonic diatom,Chaetoceros pseudocurvisetus, to oligotrophication in regionally upwelled water. Mar. Biol. 107, 503–512 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01313435
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01313435