The occurrence of the Dinophyte species Gymnodinium uberrimum and Peridinium willei in German reservoirs

Abstract

This study developed a statistical approach to predicting the probability of the occurrence of phytoplankton species from the general properties of a water body and the specific conditions at the time of sampling. Here, we report the results for the two Dinophytes Gymnodinium uberrimum and Peridinium willei which frequently cause problems in drinking-water treatment. Our statistical approach addresses the problem of uneven distribution of samples across parameters. For this purpose, we used probability calculation to assess under which conditions the species' occurrence is a likely or an unlikely event. The ecological niches of both species turned out to be similar, as both occur in oligotrophic to mesotrophic, deep, stratified reservoirs at low phosphorus concentrations. However, their pH and temperature range differed: G. uberrimum occurred predominantly between pH 6 and 7 and at a temperature range up to 168C, whereas P. willei showed a wider pH range and a temperature range below 128C. With these results, the classification of P. willei within the functional group L o proposed by Reynolds et al. (Reynolds et al., 2002) is now underpinned with a substantial database. The results suggest G. uberrimum to fit into this association as well.

Spatiotemporal dynamics of C and N isotopic signature of zooplankton: a seasonal study on a man-made lake in the Mediterranean region

“…The biomass of phytoplankton was dominated by Gymnodinium uberrimum, a naked dinoflagellate that preferentially inhabits nutrient-rich surficial waters when the water column is fully mixed during the dynamic phase (Niesel et al, 2007), but moves to deeper water in summer when the reservoir becomes thermally stratified (Tilzer, 1973). Also, a decrease of d 15 N in spring and summer is a common trait of stratified lakes (Visconti and Manca, 2011;Visconti et al, 2013), which can be attributed to nutrient recycling by zooplankton in the epilimnion.…”

Phytoplankton, physical and chemical microscale variations in three brackish rock pools

“…Parvodinium umbonatum tolerates wide variations in temperature, pH, TP and dissolved inorganic carbon (Lessmann et al ; Grigorszky et al ), but the presence of G . uberrimum in rock pools contradicts its reported preference for low pH (<8) and TP concentrations (<25 μg L −1 , Niesel et al ). However, this dinoflagellate was also associated with a wide temperature range, high light and non‐stratified conditions (Niesel et al ).…”

“…uberrimum in rock pools contradicts its reported preference for low pH (<8) and TP concentrations (<25 μg L −1 , Niesel et al ). However, this dinoflagellate was also associated with a wide temperature range, high light and non‐stratified conditions (Niesel et al ).…”

“…In the two shallow pools, the distribution of Parvodinium umbonatum (Ådgrundet) correlated negatively and Gymnodinium uberrimum (Storgrund) positively with temperature in the middle of August. Parvodinium umbonatum tolerates wide variations in temperature, pH, TP and dissolved inorganic carbon (Lessmann et al 2000;Grigorszky et al 2003), but the presence of G. uberrimum in rock pools contradicts its reported preference for low pH (<8) and TP concentrations (<25 μg L −1 , Niesel et al 2007). However, this dinoflagellate was also associated with a wide temperature range, high light and non-stratified conditions (Niesel et al 2007).…”

Cell-Specific Extracellular Phosphatase Activity of Dinoflagellate Populations in Acidified Mountain Lakes1

“…At the same time, insufficient light conditions favor mixotrophic species in the phytoplankton competition, and dinoflagellates are potential mixotrophs; in particular, bacterivory of G. uberrimum has been reported (Callieri et al. 2006, Niesel et al. 2007).…”