(Table S2) Cell concentrations of individual and combined Alexandrium spp. and phylogenetic groups as obtained by qPCR assay and Utermöhl counts, as well as particulate PSP toxin concentrations from discrete water depths

Molecular methods provide promising tools for routine detection and quantification of toxic microalgae in plankton samples. To this end, novel TaqMan minor groove binding probes and primers targeting the small (SSU) or large (LSU) ribosomal subunit (rRNA) were developed for two species of the marine dinoflagellate genus Alexandrium (A. minutum, A. tamutum) and for three groups/ribotypes of the A. tamarense species complex: Group I/North American (NA), Group II/Mediterranean (ME) and Group III/Western European (WE). Primers and probes for real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) were species-specific and highly efficient when tested in qPCR assays for cross-validation with pure DNA from cultured Alexandrium strains. Suitability of the qPCR assays as molecular tools for the detection and estimation of relative cell abundances of Alexandrium species and groups was evaluated from samples of natural plankton assemblages along the Scottish east coast. The results were compared with inverted microscope cell counts (Utermöhl technique) of Alexandrium spp. and associated paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxin concentrations. The qPCR assays indicated that A. tamarense (Group I) and A. tamutum were the most abundant Alexandrium taxa and both were highly positively correlated with PSP toxin content of plankton samples. Cells of A. tamarense (Group III) were present at nearly all stations but in low abundance. Alexandrium minutum and A. tamarense (Group II) cells were not detected in any of the samples, thereby arguing for their absence from the specific North Sea region, at least at the time of the survey. The sympatric occurrence of A. tamarense Group I and Group III gives further support to the hypothesis that the groups/ribotypes of the A. tamarense species complex are cryptic species rather than variants belonging to the same species.

Allelopathic interactions between the macroalga Ulva pertusa and eight microalgal species

HETEROSIGMA-AKASHIWO RAPHIDOPHYCEAE; CENTRAL VENICE LAGOON; ALEXANDRIUM-TAMARENSE; RED-TIDE; COASTAL LAGOONS; PHYTOPLANKTON; GROWTH; BAY; DINOFLAGELLATE; COMPETITION

粘土矿物及无机絮凝剂对有害赤潮的治理研究

在害赤潮作为一种全球性的海洋灾害，给海洋环境、水产养殖业和人类健康造成巨大危害，研究赤潮的发生规律，探索新的、经济有效的赤潮的防治方法具有重要的科学意义和应用前景。本文针对中国沿海常见赤潮生物种，研究了粘土矿物双赤潮生物基本生理指标的影响，进一步探讨了粘土矿物的控制赤潮机制；并针对粘土矿物去除效率不高的特点，制备出具有较高絮凝胶效率的改性粘土；此外，本文还首次将无机高分子絮凝效率的改性粘土；此外，本文还首次将无机高分子絮凝剂MMH（混合金属氢氧化物正电胶体）和PSMS（聚硅酸金属盐）用于赤潮治理研究中，并探索了上述赤潮防治剂的环境生态效应，主要成果与内容有：1、粘土矿物的筛选 采集国内外近30种粘土矿物，分别考察了它们对中国沿海常见赤潮生物种赤潮异弯藻（Heterosigma akashiwo）和塔玛亚历山大藻（Alexandrium tamarense）的去除效果。结果表明，不同粘土矿物对赤潮生物的絮凝能力有显著差别，实验筛选出去除效果较好的几种粘土，分别为来自美国的Chemically treated kaolin、WHOI土、江苏吴县高岭土及苏州特号土等。通过絮凝实验得到上述几种粘土矿物对两种赤潮生物的絮凝曲线，发现不同粘土矿物对赤潮生物的最大去除率及达到最大去除率所需的粘土浓度有较大差别，同一粘土矿物对不同赤潮生物的去除效果也不相同。塔玛亚历山大藻较赤潮异变藻更易被粘土矿物去除。2、粘土矿物对赤潮生物的生理效应 研究了高岭土对赤潮异弯藻和塔玛来历山大藻生长繁殖、叶绿素a含量、光合作用以及呼吸作用的影响。结果表明，高岭土对赤潮生物生长、叶绿素a含量及光合作用均有抑制作用，表现为随粘土浓度的增加及作用时间的延长，抑制作用增强，并认为这可能与粘土的加入导致光照效应降低及藻类生长的营养环境改变有关。实验同时发现高岭土对不同赤潮生物的抑制程度不同，塔玛亚历山大藻上述各项生理指标比赤潮异弯藻更易受粘土影响。3、无机絮凝剂的制备及絮凝作用研究 主要考察了无机高分子絮凝剂MMH及PSMS（聚硅酸金属盐），包括聚硅酸氯化铝（PSAC）和聚硅酸硫酸铝（PSAS）的合成及对赤潮生物的絮凝作用。在MMH的合成过程中，考察了镁铝摩尔比及制备温度对MMH絮凝赤潮异弯藻的影响，认为镁铝摩尔比为2的条件下制备的MMH具有较好的絮凝和沉降性能，其絮凝赤潮异弯藻的最佳用量为1.5mmolAl/L。在PSAS的合成中采用三因子三水平的正交试验设计，得到PSAS的最佳制备条件为：SiO_2浓度 = 2%， Al~(3+)/SiO_2 = 1, pH = 4。絮凝实验结果表明，PSAS对赤潮生物的絮凝效果优于传统絮凝剂AS（硫酸铝），同时PSAS对不同赤潮生物的絮凝效果也不同，认为这主要与不同赤潮生物的形态结构、运动性及胞外分泌物有关。4、粘土矿物表面改性及机理研究 为提高粘土矿物去除赤潮生物的效率，分别用插入法和表面吸附法制备改性粘土。实验得出插入法的最佳制备条件为：制备温度70 ℃，镁离子浓度2mol/L；表面吸附法中粘土和MMH（混合金属氢氧化物胶体）的适宜配比为：粘土/MMH=10。改性后粘土去除赤潮异弯藻的效率较改性前提高2-3倍。相关分析表明，改性粘土去除赤潮生物的效率与改性后表面电位呈正相关，两种情况下R~2均大于0.8，说明表面电位是影响粘土矿物去除赤潮生物的一个重要因素。5、赤潮治理的现场模拟实验及环境生态效应 在1999年夏季胶州湾中肋骨条藻（Skeletonema costatum）赤潮的发生现场进行了改性粘土及PSAS对藻类去除率、悬浮物、DO、COD、pH等指标的影响研究。结果表明，改性粘土及PSAS对现场中肋骨条藻有较高的去除率，1g/L的改性高岭土和改性蒙脱土对中肋骨条藻的去除率分别可达77%和93%，1ml/L的PSAS去除率达90%以上。DO的含量轻微下降，不致影响其他生物的生长，COD下降幅度较大，达50-80%。6、赤潮防治剂对中国对虾的毒性研究 进行了粘土、次氯酸钙、氯化铝和氯化铁对中国对虾的毒性试验，结果表明，1g/L的高岭土对虾基本无毒性；次氯酸钙在低浓度下对对虾无毒，在高浓度下对对虾有急性毒性效应，安全使用浓度为0.5ml/L游离氯；氯化铝和氯化铁在对虾体内有一定的积累，其长期的毒性效应有待于进一步的分析。上述几种试剂均可用于粘土矿物的改性处理中，是比较安全的赤潮防治剂。

麻痹性贝毒毒素的制备和活性研究

麻痹性贝毒（Paralytic Shellfish Poisons, PSP）毒素主要是由海洋甲藻产生的一类活性物质，在赤潮毒素监测、神经与分子生物学基础研究以及新型药物开发方面都有潜在的应用价值。然而，纯化毒素的缺乏在很大程度上限制了相关工作的开展。本文通过大量培养塔玛亚历山大藻（Alexandrium tamarense）来提取PSP毒素，完善了毒素的分离纯化过程，并对纯化毒素的活性进行了研究和探讨。在实验室进行了塔玛亚历山大藻的规模培养，对其生长和培养条件进行了优化，探讨了有毒藻大量培养的采收方式，并获取了一批用于纯化毒素的有毒藻细胞。将藻细胞破碎后离心分离，提取出含PSP的粗毒素，再用大孔径凝胶过滤去除粗毒素中的大部分杂质，然后用小孔径凝胶和离子交换树脂将不同毒素逐级分离、纯化。结果表明，大孔径凝胶能有效地去除粗毒素中的杂质，小孔径凝胶过滤能将膝沟藻毒素（GTX）和C毒素分开，应用离子交换树脂能将GTX2,3和GTX1,4分开，最终得到GTX2,3和GTX1,4的纯化产品。分离纯化过程始终以小鼠法和荧光法进行毒素在线监测。以提取的毒素对小鼠进行毒性测试，小鼠呈现典型的PSP毒素中毒死亡症状；电生理分析的结果表明PSP毒素能够有效地阻断小鼠运动神经末梢钠电流，并可逆地阻断NG108-15全细胞的钠电流，与PSP毒素的作用机理一致；高效液相色谱分析结果表明，纯化毒素与标准毒素的保留时间完全一致；经质谱分析，纯化毒素与标准毒素具有相同的分子离子峰和碎片离子峰。应用运动模型研究了纯化毒素的药理活性。分别采用家兔椎管麻醉法、小白鼠热板法、小白鼠攀网法研究了GTX2,3对家兔的局麻作用、对小鼠的镇痛和肌松作用。结果表明，GTX2,3按剂量0.4μg STX equivalent/kg给予家兔椎管注射时，具有显著的局麻作用。GTX2,3按剂量5.99μg STX equivalent/kg给予小鼠肌肉注射时，具有显著的镇痛作用。GTX2,3按剂量6.49μg STX equivalent/kg给予小鼠皮下注射时，具有显著的肌松作用。

海洋微藻产生溶解有机物及东海溶解有机物三维荧光特征研究

本文通过胶州湾围隔实验、微藻培养实验研究了海洋微藻产生溶解有机物的三维荧光特性，并初步利用经验正交函数对三维荧光光谱图进行了主成分分析，通过东海取样研究了东海荧光溶解有机物的时空分布特征，并对荧光溶解有机物的来源进行了分析。得到了一些初步结论： 胶州湾围隔实验中不同营养盐培养结果表明浮游植物可产生类蛋白和类腐殖质荧光，类蛋白荧光峰由类酪氨酸(tyrosine-like)荧光峰和类色氨酸(tryptophan-like)荧光峰组成，主要位置为Exmax/Emmax=270nm/290~310nm，Exmax/Emmax= 270~290/320~350的荧光峰强度比较弱；在Exmax/Emmax=250~260/380~480nm(A峰)、Exmax/Emmax=310~320/380~420nm(C峰)和Exmax/Emmax=330~350/420~480nm(M峰)位置均出现零散的类腐殖质荧光峰，其中以A峰为主。类酪氨酸荧光强度明显高于类腐殖质荧光强度。浮游植物量降低时，类酪氨酸荧光强度与叶绿素a浓度呈明显的负相关。硅藻和甲藻产生的类酪氨酸和类色氨酸荧光强度之间具有较好的相关性，两者来源相似, 并且甲藻与硅藻相比能够产生更多的类蛋白荧光物质。不同环境下类腐殖质混合物的组分比例不同，甲藻生长环境下相对于硅藻具有较低的A:C比值。 在实验室培养中肋骨条藻（Skeletonema costatum）、塔玛亚历山大藻（Alexandrium tamarense）、微小亚历山大藻（Alexandrium mimutum）、锥状斯氏藻（Scrippsiella trochoidea）、东海原甲藻（Prorocentrum donghaiense）及海洋原甲藻（Prorocentrum micans）的实验结果表明，微藻在生长过程中产生出荧光溶解有机物，中肋骨条藻为代表的硅藻主要产生类腐殖质荧光物质，而甲藻在指数增长期主要产生类蛋白荧光物质。进入消亡期后类蛋白荧光和类腐殖质荧光强度迅速增大，原因可能是衰老、死亡藻细胞的破碎释放出大量的荧光有机物质所致，此外还有细菌对非荧光有机物进一步降解。塔玛亚历山大藻、微小亚历山大藻、东海原甲藻及海洋原甲藻的类蛋白荧光强度在消亡后期由于细菌降解或光降解等因素而降低。同属微藻产生的荧光物质相似，例如塔玛亚历山大藻与微小亚历山藻、东海原甲藻与海洋原甲藻，但具体荧光峰位置有所不同。利用经验正交函数能够对三维荧光光谱谱图进行主成份分析。 在利用三维荧光光谱法研究长江口海域台风前后不同站位荧光溶解有机物荧光特性及分布特征的结果表明，长江口海区主要的荧光溶解有机物荧光峰为T峰、S峰和A峰。风前和风后的类色氨酸分别来源于相似物质。风前，在表层浮游植物能够产生类蛋白荧光物质，而底层类蛋白荧光物质不受浮游植物的影响，长江冲淡水能够带来部分类蛋白荧光物质；表层的类腐殖质不受浮游植物的影响，而底层的浮游植物在降解过程中能够产生一部分类腐殖质，并且长江冲淡水对表层和底层的类腐殖质来源均有很大贡献。风后，表层的类色氨酸与叶绿素a浓度不呈相关性，而底层却呈正相关，另外表层和底层的类色氨酸均受到长江冲淡水的影响；表层和底层的类腐殖质与叶绿素a均没有相关性，但受陆源影响显著，长江冲淡水能带来类腐殖质。

Application of rotifer Brachionus plicatilis in detecting the toxicity of harmful algae

The toxicity of seven major HAB (harmful algal bloom) species/strains, Prorocentrum donghaiense, Phaeocystis globosa, Prorocentrum micans, Alexandrium tamarense (AT-6, non-PSP producer), Alexandrium lusitanicum, Alexandrum tamarense (ATHK) and Heterosigma akashiwo were studied against rotifer Brachionus plicatilis under laboratory conditions. The results show that P. donghaiense, P. globosa, P. micans, A. tamarense (AT-6), or A. lusitanicum could maintain the individual survival and reproduction, as well as the population increase of the rotifer, but the individual reproduction would decrease when exposed to these five algae at higher densities for nine days; H. akashiwo could decrease the individual survival and reproduction, as well as population increase of the rotifer, which is similar to that of the starvation group, indicating that starvation might be its one lethal factor except for the algal toxins; A. tamarense (ATHK) has strong lethal effect on the rotifer with 48h LC50 at 800 cells/mL. The experiment on ingestion ability indicated by gut pigment change shows that P. donghaiense, P. globosa, P. micans, A. tamarense (AT-6) and A. lusitanicum can be taken by the rotifers as food, but A. tamarense (ATHK) or H. akashiwo can be ingested by the rotifers. The results indicate that all the indexes of individual survival and reproduction, population increase, gut pigment change of the rotifers are good and convenient to be used to reflect the toxicities of HAB species. Therefore, rotifer is suggested as one of the toxicity testing organisms in detecting the toxicity of harmful algae.

Microbial modulation in the biomass and toxin production of a red-tide causing alga

The effect of S-10, a strain of marine bacteria isolated from sediment in the Western Xiamen Sea, on the growth and paralytic shellfish poison (PSP) production in the alga Alexandrium tamarense (A. tamarense) was studied under controlled experimental conditions. The results of these experiments have shown that the growth of A. tamarense is obviously inhibited by S-10 at high concentrations, however no evident effect on its growth was observed at low concentrations. Its PSP production was also inhibited by S 10 at different concentrations, especially at low concentrations. The toxicity of this strain of A. tamarense is about (0.9512.14) x 10(-6) MU/cell, a peak toxicity value of 12.14 x 10(-6) MU/cell appeared on the 14th day, after which levels decreased gradually. The alga grew well in conditions of pH 6-8 and salinities of 20-34 parts per thousand. The toxicity of the alga varied markedly at different pH and salinity levels. Toxicity decreased as pH increased, while it increased with salinity and reached a peak value at a salinity of 30 parts per thousand, after which it declined gradually. S-10 at a concentration of 1.02 x 10(9) cells/ml inhibited growth and the PSP production of A. tamarense at different pH and salinity levels. S-10 had the strongest inhibitory function on the growth of A. tamarense under conditions of pH 7 and a salinity of 34 parts per thousand. The best inhibitory effect on PSP production by A. tamarense was at pH 7, this inhibitory effect on PSP production did not relate to salinity. Interactions between marine bacteria and A. tamarense were also investigated using the flow cytometer technique (FCM) as well as direct microscope counting. S-10 was identitied as being a member of the genus Bacillus, the difference in 16S rDNA between S-10 and Bacillus halmapalus was only 2%. The mechanism involved in the inhibition of growth and PSP production of A. tamarense by this strain of marine bacteria, and the prospect of using it and other marine bacteria in the biocontrol of red-tides was discussed. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A preliminary study on the mechanism of harmful algal bloom mitigation by use of sophorolipid treatment

in order to investigate a new method of mitigating the deleterious effect of harmful algal blooms (HABs), the inhibition of the glycolipid biosurfactant sophorolipid on three common harmful algae Alexandrium tamarense, Heterosigma akashiwo and Cochlodinium polykrikoides was studied. The optimum preparation condition for sophorolipid, the inhibition capability of sophorolipid and the interaction mechanism of sophorolipid on the three algal species were investigated. Results showed that sophorolipid prepared by extraction with ethyl acetate exhibited the most prominent inhibition effect and that storage time of one year had little influence on the inhibition effect of sophorolipid. The optimum concentration of 10-20 mg/l sophorolipid inhibited the motility of about 90% of the tested harmful algal cells without recovery. Investigation of the algicidal process revealed that sophorolipid induced ecdysis of A. tamarense, quick lysis of H. akashiwo and swelling of C. polykrikoides in a relatively short time. Investigation of the nucleotides showed that more than 15% of the nucleotides were released from the cytoplasm under the effect of 10-20 mg/l sophorolipid, indicating the irreversible damage on the cellular membrane, which resulted in the disintegration of the harmful algal cells. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Recovery and fate of three species of marine dinoflagellates after yellow clay flocculation

The recovery and fate of three species of dinoflagellates, Alexandrium tamarense, Cochlodinium polykrikoides and Scrippsiella trochoidea, after having been sedimented by yellow clay, were investigated in the laboratory. The effect of burying period in yellow clay pellet and mixing on the recovery of settled algal cells were studied. The morphological changes of algal cells in yellow clay pellet were also tracked. Results showed that there was almost no recovery for A. tamarense and C. polykrikoides, and the cells decomposed after 2-3 days after visible changes in morphology and chloroplasts. There was some recovery for S. trochoidea. Moreover, S. trochoidea cysts were formed in clay pellet during the period of about 14 days, with the highest abundance of 87 000 cysts g(-1) clay and the incidence of cyst formation of 6.5%, which was considered as a potential threat for the further occurrence of algal blooms. S. trochoidea cysts were isolated from yellow clay and incubated to test their viability, and a germination ratio of more than 30% was obtained after incubation for 1 month. These results showed the species specificity of the mitigation effect of yellow clay. It is suggested that cautions be taken for some harmful species and thorough risk assessments be conducted before using this mitigation strategy in the field.

Screening of surfactants for harmful algal blooms mitigation

Screening experiments were conducted in order to find promising synthetic surfactants for harmful algal blooms (HABs) mitigation. The chemically synthesized surfactant cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB) showed characteristics of relatively high inhibition efficiency, high biodegradability and low cost. The motility inhibition ratios of 10 mg/L CAPB on Cochlodinium polykrikoides and Alexandrium tamarense were about 60% after 5 min. The biodegradation test indicated that the half-life of CAPB in seawater was shorter than one day and 90% was biodegraded after five days under the initial concentration of 100 mg/L at 25degreesC. Further cell lysis experiments revealed the selective lysis effect of CAPB on different HAB organisms. More than 90% of C. polykrikoides lysed at the concentration of 10 mg/L CAPB after 24 h and at 15 mg/L CAPB after 4 h, whereas the lysis effect of CAPB on A. tamarense was slight, no more than 10% after 2 h interaction with 50 mg/L CAPB. This research provided preliminary data for CAPB as a candidate in harmful algal blooms mitigation and pointed out unresolved problems for its practical application in the meantime. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synergistic effect of sophorolipid and loess combination in harmful algal blooms mitigation

The inhibition effect of sophorolipid and removal efficiency of loess on Cochlodinium polykrikoides and Alexandrium tamarense was investigated separately in the laboratory. Based on this, the combination of sophorolipid and loess for harmful algal bloom mitigation was proposed. Algal sedimentation tests in the laboratory and in the field revealed that the combination of sophorolipid and loess showed synergistic effects both on the removal efficiencies and on the mitigation cost. The concentration of 1 g/l loess and 5 mg/l sophorolipid was determined as the optimum ratio for C polykrikoides mitigation. In the field test, the effective concentration of loess and sophorolipid in the combination group was reduced to 10% and 25%, respectively, compared to the non-combination group, and the cost decreased more than 60%. The combination of loess and sophorolipid was considered as a promising novel method in harmful algal bloom mitigation. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Application of Neomysis awatschensis as a standard marine toxicity test organism in China

The small mysid crustacean Neomysis awatschensis was collected in the west coast of Jiaozhou Bay, Qingdao, China in 1992 and acclimated and cultured in laboratory conditions since then. Standard acute toxicity tests using 4-6 d juvenile mysids of this species were conducted and the results were compared with Mysidopsis bahia, a standard toxicity test organism used in the US in terms of their sensitivities to reference toxins, as well as their taxonomy, morphology and geographic distributions. Because of its wide distribution along the Chinese coast, similar sensitivity to pollutants as M. bahia, short life history, small size and the case of handling, this study intended to use N. awatschensis as one of the standard marine organisms for toxicity testing in China. The species were applied to acute toxicity evaluations of drilling fluid and its additives I organotin TPT and toxic algae, and to chronic ( life cycle) toxicity assays of organotin TPT and a toxic dinofalgellate Alexandrium tamarense, respectively. Using N, awatschensis as a standard toxicity testing organism in marine pollution assessment in China is suggested.

A modified HPLC method for analysis of PSP toxins in algae and shellfish from China

Improvements to an established HPLC method are introduced. The modified method is more efficient for separation and detection of the toxins responsible for paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP). The PSP toxin content of two strains of Alexandrium tamarense and approximately forty shellfish samples collected from different locations in China have been analyzed with this HPLC method. Only one shellfish sample, collected from Lianyungang, China, contained PSP toxins.

Transfer of paralytic shellfish toxins via marine food chains: A simulated experiment

Objective To study the transfer of paralytic shellfish toxins (PST) using four simulated marine food chains: dinoflagellate Alexandrium tamarense -> Arterriia Artemia salina -> Mysid shrimp Neomysis awatschensis; A. tamarense-N. awatschensis: A. taniarense A. salina -> Perch Lateolabrax japonicus; and A. tamarense -> L. japonicus. Methods The ingestion of A. tamarense, a producer of PST, by L. japonicus, N. awatschensis, and A. salina was first confirmed by microscopic observation of A. tamarense cells in the intestine samples of the three different organisms, and by the analysis of Chl.a levels iii the samples. Toxin accumulation in L. japonicus and N. awatschensis directly from the feeding on A. tamarense or indirectly ibrough the vector of A. salina was then studied. The toxicity of samples was measured using the AOAC mouse bioassay method, and the toxin content and profile of A. tamarense were analyzed by the HPLC method. Results Both A. salina and N. awatschensis could ingest A. tamarense cells. However, the ingestion capability of A. salina exceeded that of N. awatschensis. After the exposure to the culture of A. tamarense (2 000 cells(.)mL(-1)) for 70 minutes, the content of ChLa in A. salina and N. awatschensis reached 0.87 and 0.024 mu g-mg(-1), respectively. Besides, A. tamarense cells existed in the intestines of L. japonicus, N. awatschensis and A. salina by microscopic observation. Therefore, the three organisms could ingest A. tamarense cells directly. A. salina could accumulate high content of PST, and the toxicity of A. salina in samples collected on days 1, 4, and 5 of the experiment was 2.18, 2.6, and 2.1 MU(.)g(-1), respectively. All extracts from the samples could lead to death of tested mice within 7 minutes, and the toxin content in arternia sample collected on the 1st day was estimated to be 1.65x10(-5) pg STX equa Vindividual. Toxin accumulation in L. japonicus and N. awatschensis directly from the feeding on A. tamarense or indirectly froin the vector of A. salina was also studied. The mice injected with extracts from L. japonicus and N. awatschensis samples that accumulated PST either directly or indirectly showed PST intoxication symptoms, indicating that low levels of PST existed in these samples. Conclusion Paralytic shellfish toxins can be transferred to L. japonicus, N. awatschensis, and A. salina from A. taniarense directly or indirectly via the food chains.

Effects of macroalgae Ulva pertusa (Chlorophyta) and Gracilaria lemaneiformis (Rhodophyta) on growth of four species of bloom-forming dinoflagellates

The effects of fresh thalli and culture medium filtrates from two species of marine macroalgae, Ulva pertusa Kjellm (Chlorophyta) and Gracilaria lemaneiformis (Bory) Dawson (Rhodophyta), on growth of marine microalgae were investigated in co-culture under controlled laboratory conditions. A selection of microalgal species were used, all, being identified as bloom-forming dinoflagellates: Prorocentrum donghaiense Lu sp., Alexandrium tamarense (Lebour) Balech, Amphidinium carterae Hulburt and Scrippsiella trochoide (Stein) Loeblich III. Results showed that the fresh thalli of either U. pertusa or G. lemaneiformis significantly inhibited the microalgal growth, or caused mortality at the end of the experiment. However, the overall effects of the macroalgal culture filtrates on the growth of the dinoflagellates were species-specific (inhibitory, stimulatory or none) for different microalgal species. Results indicated an allelopathic effect of macroalga on the co-cultured dinoflagellate. We then took P. donghaiense as an example to further assess this hypothesis. The present study was carried out under controlled conditions, thereby excluded the fluctuation in light and temperature. Nutrient assays showed that nitrate and phosphate were almost exhausted in G. lemaneiformis co-culture. but remained at enough high levels in U pertusa co-culture, which were well above the nutrient limitation for the microalgal growth, when all cells of P. donghaiense were killed in the co-culture. Daily f/2 medium enrichment greatly alleviated the growth inhibition on P. donghaiense in G. lemaneiformis co-culture, but could not eliminate it. Other environmental factors, such as carbonate limitation, bacterial presence and the change of pH were also not necessary for the results. We thus concluded that allelopathy was the most possible reason leading to the negative effect of U. pertusa on P. donghaiense, and the combined roles of allelopathy and nutrient competition were essential for the effect of G. lemaneiformis on P. donghaiense. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.