Relationships between cell volume and the carbon and nitrogen content of marine photosynthetic nanoplankton

Verity, Peter G.; Robertson, C.; Tronzo, Craig R.; Andrews, Melinda G.; Nelson, James R.; Sieracki, Michael E.

doi:10.4319/lo.1992.37.7.1434

Cited by 592 publications

(403 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…Cell extracts were centrifuged then (10 000 g, 2 min), and supernatant was collected for caspase activity and protein assays. Caspase-specific activity was determined (Verity et al, 1992) as, where C represents cell C content (C cell , pg) and V represents cell volume (mM 3 ).…”

Section: Measurements Of Caspase Activitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Programmed cell death in the marine cyanobacterium Trichodesmium mediates carbon and nitrogen export

et al. 2013

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The extent of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) export to the deep ocean depends upon the efficacy of the biological pump that transports primary production to depth, thereby preventing its recycling in the upper photic zone. The dinitrogen-fixing (diazotrophic) Trichodesmium spp. contributes significantly to oceanic C and N cycling by forming extensive blooms in nutrient-poor tropical and subtropical regions. These massive blooms generally collapse several days after forming, but the cellular mechanism responsible, along with the magnitude of associated C and N export processes, are as yet unknown. Here, we used a custom-made, 2-m high water column to simulate a natural bloom and to specifically test and quantify whether the programmed cell death (PCD) of Trichodesmium mechanistically regulates increased vertical flux of C and N. Our findings demonstrate that extremely rapid development and abrupt, PCD-induced demise (within 2-3 days) of Trichodesmium blooms lead to greatly elevated excretions of transparent exopolymers and a massive downward pulse of particulate organic matter. Our results mechanistically link autocatalytic PCD and bloom collapse to quantitative C and N export fluxes, suggesting that PCD may have an impact on the biological pump efficiency in the oceans.

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Section: Measurements Of Caspase Activitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Programmed cell death in the marine cyanobacterium Trichodesmium mediates carbon and nitrogen export

et al. 2013

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“…Non-diatom phytoplankton carbon was calculated from the biovolume-carbon equation defined by Verity et al (1992), and the diatom carbon from the equation of Strathmann (1967). The Verity et al's (1992) equation for non-diatom phytoplankton was also used for estimating protozoan carbon.…”

Section: Enumericationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The biovolume-carbon factor for Prochlorococcus (cell diameter of 0.6 µm, assumed) and Synechococcus (0.9 µm, measured) was 0.47 pg C µm -3 (Verity et al, 1992). Non-diatom phytoplankton carbon was calculated from the biovolume-carbon equation defined by Verity et al (1992), and the diatom carbon from the equation of Strathmann (1967).…”

Section: Enumericationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Latitudinal Differences in the Planktonic Biomass and Community Structure Down to the Greater Depths in the Western North Pacific

Yamaguchi

Watanabe²,

Ishida³

et al. 2004

Journal of Oceanography

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As part of the research program WEST-COSMIC Phase I (1997, vertical profiles down to the greater depths (0-2000 m or 5800 m) of the plankton community structure composed of heterotrophic bacteria, phytoplankton, protozooplankton and metazooplankton were studied at one station in each subarctic (44˚N) and in transitional region (39˚N), and two stations in subtropical region (30˚N and 25˚N); all in 137-155˚E in the western North Pacific Ocean. The biomass of all four taxonomic groups decreased rapidly with increasing depths at all stations, although the magnitude of depth-related decrease differed among the groups. As plankton community structure, metazooplankiton biomass and bacterial biomass occupied >50% of the total in 0-2000 and 2000-4000 or 5000 m strata, respectively, at subarctic and transitional stations, while bacterial biomass contributed to >50% of the total consistently from 0 through 4800 or 5800 m at subtropical stations. Metazooplankton biomass integrated over the greater depths exhibited a clear latitudinal pattern (high north and low south), but this was not the case for those of the other taxonomic groups. As a component of metazooplankton, an appreciable contribution of diapausing copepods to the metazooplankton was noted at subarctic and transitional stations, but they were few or nil at subtropical stations.As protozooplankton assemblages, heterotrophic microflagellates (HMF) and dinoflagellates were two major components at subarctic and transitional stations, but were only HMF predominated at subtropical stations.From biomass ratios between heterotrophic bacteria, HMF and dinoflagellates, "sinking POC-DOC-heterotrophic bacteria-HMF-heterotrophic dinoflagellates" link was proposed as a microbial food chain operative in the deep layer of the western NorthPacific. All results are discussed in the light of latitudinal differences in the structure and functioning of plankton community contributing to the 'biological pump' in the western North Pacific Ocean.

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“…Carbon content of microphytoplankton was estimated applying the formula C = 0.109V 0.991 (Montagnes et al 1994), where C is the carbon content in picograms per cell andV is the biovolume in micrometres per cell. Similarly, for PNF, we used the formula C = 0.433V 0.863 (Verity et al 1992). …”

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confidence: 99%

Episodic meteorological and nutrient-load events as drivers of coastal planktonic ecosystem dynamics: a time-series analysis

Guadayol¹,

Peters²,

Marrasé³

et al. 2009

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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In temperate coastal zones, episodic meteorological forcing can have a strong impact on the classical seasonal phytoplankton succession. Episodes of continental runoff and wind storms involve nutrient enrichment and turbulence, 2 factors that can promote primary production and alter the planktonic community species composition and size structure. We determined the joint influence of these 2 variables on the osmotrophic plankton of an oligotrophic NW Mediterranean open bay. We used an 8 yr long time series of monthly physical, chemical and biological water-column parameters, and we looked for correlations between these and several meteorological and physical highfrequency time series through cross-correlation analyses. Influence of river runoff in this particular location was found to be very important for phytoplankton dynamics, whereas no immediate response of bacterioplankton was detected. Resuspension events caused by waves had a secondary importance. Cross correlations allowed defining a sequence of responses to these types of forcing, from changes in water turbidity and salinity, to increases in phytoplankton and bacteria abundances through nutrient enrichments. The maximum response of the ecosystem in terms of chlorophyll a concentration lagged nutrient enrichment events by about 1 wk. A more detailed analysis was performed between June 2003 and June 2004, a period characterised by an intense drought in summer and by 6 strong meteorological events afterwards. The increase in the frequency of meteorological events during this period drove the system from heterotrophy to autotrophy. Our data stress the importance of episodic meteorological events in coastal planktonic communities. KEY WORDS: Episodic meteorological forcing · Coastal osmotrophic plankton · Waves · Terrestrial runoff · Sediment resuspension · Nutrients · Time series · NW Mediterranean Resale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisherMar Ecol Prog Ser 381: [139][140][141][142][143][144][145][146][147][148][149][150][151][152][153][154][155] 2009 3 different environments, and thus are subjected to the variability in continental, atmospheric and oceanic forcing. In particular, Mediterranean littoral systems offer a good template to study how such episodic types of forcing may alter the dynamics of the osmotrophic plankton away from the typical seasonal pattern, for 2 reasons. First, because the Mediterranean Sea is generally oligotrophic, and thus signals of allochthonous inputs may be more easily detected. Second, because one of the main characteristics of the Mediterranean climate is the irregularity of its temporal pattern of precipitation and storms (e.g. Cebrián et al. 1996).Episodes of rainfall and wind storms are both likely to cause an input of allochthonous material into the Mediterranean coastal zone. On the one hand, sporadic heavy rainfall events often result in catastrophic terrestrial runoff, a general characteristic of the Mediterranean climate (e.g. Cebrián et al. 1996). Such cases of runo...

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Relationships between cell volume and the carbon and nitrogen content of marine photosynthetic nanoplankton

Cited by 592 publications

References 41 publications

Programmed cell death in the marine cyanobacterium Trichodesmium mediates carbon and nitrogen export

Programmed cell death in the marine cyanobacterium Trichodesmium mediates carbon and nitrogen export

Latitudinal Differences in the Planktonic Biomass and Community Structure Down to the Greater Depths in the Western North Pacific

Episodic meteorological and nutrient-load events as drivers of coastal planktonic ecosystem dynamics: a time-series analysis

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