Abstract
Interest in the biology of planktonic, chain-forming Pseudonitzschia species has grown recently after the discovery of toxin production in Pseudonitzschia pungens and related taxa, following the outbreak of shellfish toxicity in Canada in 1987. As part of a broader study on the effects of enhanced ultraviolet light on the growth of bloom-forming phytoplankton, we have examined the growth rates and production of the toxin domoic acid and two additional chemicals [bacillariolides I and II] by Pseudonitzschia pungens varieties and Pseudonitzschia fraudulenta from Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. Growth of P. fraudulenta is significantly inhibited by enhanced UV, P. pungens var. pungens shows slight inhibition, and P. pungens var. multiseries is unaffected. Production of bacillariolides I and II by P. pungens var. multiseries is similar in enhanced and deleted UV light. Tolerance of UV light by P. pungens var. multiseries appears to be acquired, and persistent. If ambient UV light continues to increase as a result of global ozone depletion, one may expect UV-resistant taxa such as P. pungens var. multiseries to become more prominent in coastal phytoplankton communities.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anderson, D. M., 1989. Toxic algal blooms and red tides: a global perspective. In T. Okaichi, D. M. Anderson & T. Nemoto, (eds), Red tides: biology, environmental science and toxicology. Elsevier Science Publishing Co., New York: 11–17.
Behrenfeld, M., J. T. Hardy, H. Gucinski & A. G. Wones, 1990. Primary productivity in the Southeast Pacific Ocean: Effect of enhanced ultraviolet-B radiation (abstract). EOS 71(2): 137.
Boleyn, B. J., 1967. A. simple pipette control for isolating planktonic algae. Can. J. Microbiol. 13: 1129–1130.
Carreto, J. I., V. A. Lutz, S. G. DeMarco & M. O. Carignan, 1990. Fluence and wavelength dependence of mycosporinelike amino acid synthesis in the dinofiagellate Alexandrium excavatum. In E. Granèli, B. Sundström, L. Edler & D. M. Anderson, (eds), Toxic marine phytoplankton. Elsevier Science Publishing Co., New York: 275–279.
Cullen, J. J., P. J. Neale & M. P. Lesser, 1992. Biological weighting function for the inhibition of phytoplankton photosynthesis by ultraviolet radiation. Science 258: 646–650.
Döhler, G., 1984. Effect of UV-B radiation on biomass production, pigmentation, and protein content of marine diatoms. Z. Naturforsch. 39: 634–638.
Fritz, L., L. A. Quilliam, & J. L. C. Wright, 1992. An outbreak of domoic acid poisoning attributed to the pennate diatom Pseudonitzschia australis. J. Phycol. 28: 439–442.
Gilgan, M. W., B. G. Burns & G. J. Landry, 1990. Distribution and magnitude of domoic acid contamination of shellfish in Atlantic Canada during 1988. In E. Granèli, B. Sundström, L. Edler & D. M. Anderson, (eds), Toxic marine phytoplankton. Elsevier Science Publishing Co., New York: 469–474.
Hallegraeff, G. M. & C. J. Bolch, 1992. Transport of diatom and dinofiagellate resting spores in ships' ballast water: implications for plankton biogeography and aquaculture. J. Plankt. Res. 14: 1067–1084.
Hardy, J. & H. Gucinski, 1989. Stratospheric ozone depletion: implications for marine ecosystem. Oceanography 3: 18–21.
Hasle, G. R., 1965. Nitzschia and Fragilariopsis studied in the light and electron microscopes. II The group Pseudonitzschia. Skr. Norske Vidensk.-Akad. Oslo I. Mat.-Naturv. Kl. N.S. 18: 1–45.
Hasle, G. R., 1993. Nomenclatural notes on marine plankton diatoms. The family Bacillariaceae. Nova Hedw., Beih. 106: 315–322.
Helbling, E. W., V. Villafañe, M. Ferrario, & O. HolmHansen, 1992. Impact of natural ultraviolet radiation on rates of photosynthesis and on specific marine phytoplankton species. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 80: 89–100.
Karentz, D., F. S. McEuen, M. C. Land & W. C. Dunlap, 1991. Survey of mycosporine-like amino acid compounda in Antarctic marine organisms: potential protrection from ultraviolet exposure. Mar. Biol. 108: 157–166.
Keller, M. D., R. C. Selvin, W. Claus & R. R. L. Guillard, 1987. Media for the culture of oceanic ultraphytoplankton. J. Phycol. 23: 633–638.
Kramer, K. J. M., 1990. Effects of increased solar UV-B radiation on coastal marine ecosystems: an overview. In J. J. Beukema (ed.), Expected effects of climatic change on marine coastal ecosystems. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht: 195–210.
Marchant, H. J., A. T. Davidson & G. J. Kelly, 1991. UV-B protecting compounds in the marine alga Phaeocystis pouchetii from Antarctica. Mar. Biol. 109: 391–395.
Martin, J. L., K. Haya, L. E. Burridge & D. J. Wildish, 1990. Nitzschia pseudodelicatissima — a source of domoic acid in the Bay of Fundy, eastern Canada. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 67: 177–182.
Perl, T. M., L. Bedard, T. Kosatsky, J. C. Hockin, E. C. D. Todd & R. S. Remis, 1990. An outbreak of toxic encephalopathy caused by eating mussels contaminated with domoic acid. New Engl. J. Med. 322: 1775–1780.
Sivalingam, P. M. & K. Nisizawa, 1990. Ozone hole and its correlation with the characteristic UV-absorbing substance in marine algae. Jap. J. Phycol. 38: 365–370.
Smayda, T. J., 1990. Novel and nuisance phytoplankton blooms in the sea: evidence for a global epidemic. In E. Graneli, B. Sundström, L. Edler & D. M. Anderson, (eds), Toxic marine phytoplankton. Elsevier Science Publishing Co., New York: 29–40.
Smith, R. C., 1982. Assessment of the influence of enhanced UV-B on marine primary productivity. In J. Calkins (ed.), The role of solar ultraviolet radiation in marine ecosystems. Plenum Press, New York: 509–537.
Smith, R. C. & K. S. Baker, 1989. Stratospheric ozone, middle ultraviolet radiation and phytoplankton productivity. Oceanography 2: 4–10.
Subba Rao, D. V., M. A. Quillam & R. Pocklington, 1988. Domoic acid — a neurotoxic amino acid produced by the marine diatom Nitzschia pungens in culture. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 45: 2076–2079.
Subba Rao, D. V., A. S. W. deFreitas, M. A. Quilliam, R. Pocklington & S. S. Bates, 1990. Rates of production of domoic acid, a neurotoxic amino acid in the pennate marine diatom Nitzschia pungens. In E. Graneli, B. Sundström, L. Edler & D. M. Anderson, (eds), Toxic marine phytoplankton. Elsevier Science Publishing Co., New York: 413–417.
Taguchi, S., H. Saito & H. Kasai, 1992. Effect of ultraviolet radiation on marine phytoplankton community in Akkeshi Bay, Japan (abstract). J. Phycol. 28(Suppl): 14.
Wang, R., L. Maranda, P. E. Hargraves & Y. Shimizu, (1993). Chemical variation of Nitzschia pungens as demonstrated by the co-occurrence of domoic acid and bacillariolides. In T. J. Smayda & Y. Shimizu, (eds), Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Toxic Marine Phytoplankton, 28 October–1 November 1991. Elsevier Science Publ. Co., New York: 637–641.
Wohlgeschlaffen, G. D., D. V. Subba Rao & K. H. Mann, 1992. Vat incubator with immersion core illumination — a new, inexpensive setup for mass phytoplankton culture. J. Appl. Phycol. 4: 25–29.
Worrest, R. C., 1986. The effects of solar UV-B radiation on aquatic systems: an overview. In J. G. Titus (ed.), Effects of changes in stratospheric ozone and global climate. Vol. 1 overview, UNEP/EPA, New York: 175–191.
Worrest, R. C. & D. -P. Hader, 1989. Effects of statospheric ozone depletion on marine organisms. Envir. Conserv. 16: 261–263.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hargraves, P., Zhang, J., Wang, R. et al. Growth characteristics of the diatoms Pseudonitzschia pungens and P. fraudulenta exposed to ultraviolet radiation. Hydrobiologia 269, 207–212 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00028019
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00028019