Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effects of Olisthodiscus luteus on the growth and abundance of Tintinnids

  • Published:
Marine Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The effects of the red tide flagellate Olisthodiscus luteus Carter on the growth of two tintinnid species, Tintinnopsis lubulosoides Meunier and Favella sp. (Clap. & Lach.) Jorg., were measured in batch culture. T. tubulosoides and Favella sp. grew at rates equivalent to 1.2 (10°C) and 2.0 (20°C) population doublings per day, respectively, when offered nutritionally adequate phytoplankton species. The growth rates of both tintinnid species were reduced in the presence of 102–103 O. luteus cells · ml-1 in multialgal treatments. Growth rate inhibition was proportionately greater at higher O. luteus densities. Lethal effects were observed for both tintinnid species at O. luteus concentrations of 5x103 cells · ml-1 in multi-algal treatments. T. tubulosoides mortality occurred at all O. luteus concentrations in unialgal culture. O. luteus-conditioned medium did not substantially inhibit tintinnid growth when combined with acceptable food species, suggesting that toxicity is induced by ingestion or direct contact with O. luteus cells, or by exposure to a short-lived exudate. In agreement with these results, an inverse relationship between O. luteus concentration and tintinnid abundance was observed in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, over a two year period. The small lorica diameter of the species apparently inhibited by these O. luteus blooms suggests a detrimental effect independent of cell ingestion. In addition to the absolute concentration of O. luteus cells, the availability of nutritionally adequate algal food may be an important factor determining the impact of O. luteus blooms on tintinnid populations.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Literature Cited

  • Adachi, R.: Flagellates of the Pacific coastal waters of Japan. J. Fac. Prefectural Univ. Mie 9, 9–145 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Blackbourn, D. J.: The feeding biology of tintinnid protozoa and some other inshore microzooplankton, 224 pp. Ph.D. Thesis, Univ. British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C. 1974

    Google Scholar 

  • Blaxter, J. H.: Experimental rearing of pilchard larvae, Sardinia pilchardus. J. mar. biol. Assoc. U.K. 49, 557–575 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  • Chotiyaputta, C. and K. Hirayama. Food selectivity of the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis feeding on phytoplankton. Mar. Biol. 45, 105–111 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  • Claparede, E. and J. Lachmann: Etudes sur les infusoires et les rhizopods. Geneve; Imprimerie Vaney 1858

    Google Scholar 

  • Craigie, J. and J. McLachlan: Excretion of colored ultraviolet absorbing substances by marine algae. Can. J. Bot. 42, 23–33 (1964)

    Google Scholar 

  • Dagg, M.: Some effects of patchy food environments on copepods. Limnol. Oceanogr. 22, 99–107 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Fenchel, T.: Intrinsic rate of natural increase: the relationship with body size. Oecologia (Berl.) 14, 317–326 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Fretter, V. and M. C. Montgomery. The treatment of food by prosobranch veligers. J. mar. biol. Assoc. U.K. 48, 499–520 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Furnas, M. J., G. L. Hitchcock and T. J. Smayda. Nutrient-phytoplankton relationships in Narragansett Bay during the 1974 summer bloom. In: Estuarine processes, Vol. 1. pp 118–133. New York: Academic Press 1976

    Google Scholar 

  • Gold, G. and E. A. Morales. Seasonal changes in lorica sizes and the species of Tintinnida in the New York Bight. J. Protozool 22, 520–528 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Guillard, R. R. L.: Culture of phytoplankton for feeding marine invertebrates. In: Culture of marine invertebrate animals, pp 29–60. Ed. by W. L. Smith and M. H. Chanley. New York: Plenum Publ. Corp. 1975

    Google Scholar 

  • Hargraves, P. E.: Seasonal variations of tintinnids (Ciliophora: Oligotrichida) in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, USA. J. Plank. Res. 3, 81–91 (1981)

    Google Scholar 

  • Heinbokel, J. F.: Studies on the functional role of tintinnids in the Southern California Bight. II. Grazing rates of field populations. Mar. Biol. 47, 191–197 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hitchcock, G. L. and T. J. Smayda: The importance of light in the initiation of the 1972–1973 winter-spring bloom in Narragansett Bay. Limnol. Oceanogr. 22, 126–131 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Jørgensen, E.: Pp. II, C 1–28 in G. Grimpe (ed.) Die Tierwelt der Nord- und Ostsee. Leipzig: Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft Becker and Erler Kom-Oes. 1940

    Google Scholar 

  • Lackey, J. B.: The microbiology of a Long Island bay in the summer of 1961. Int. Rev. ges. Hydrobiol. 48, 577–601 (1963)

    Google Scholar 

  • Laval-Peuto, M.: Reconstruction d'une lorica de forme Coxliella par le trophonte nu de Favella ehrenbergii (Ciliata, Tintinnia) C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, t 284, Serie D, 547–550 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Laval-Peuto, M.: Construction of the lorica in Ciliata Tintinnina. In vivo study of Favella ehrenbergii: variability of the phenotypes during the cycle, biology, statistics, biometry. Protistologica 17, 249–272 (1981)

    Google Scholar 

  • Loeblich, A. R. and K. E. Fine: Marine chloromonads: more widely distributed in neritic environments than previously thought. Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 90, 388–399 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Loeblich, A. R., III, R. J. Schmidt and J. L. Sherley: Scanning electron-microscopy of Heterocapsa pygmaea sp. nov., and evidence for polyploidy as a speciation mechanism in dinoflagellates. J. Plank. Res. 3, 67–79 (1981)

    Google Scholar 

  • Mendiola, B. R. de. Red tide along the Peruvian coast. In: Toxic dinoflagellate blooms, pp 183–190. Ed. by D. L. Taylor and H. H. Seliger. Amsterdam: North-Holland Publ. Co. 1979

    Google Scholar 

  • Pratt, D. M.: The winter-spring diatom flowering in Narragansett Bay. Limnol. Oceanogr. 10, 173–184 (1965)

    Google Scholar 

  • Pratt, D. M.: Competition between Skeletonema costatum and Olisthodiscus luteus in Narragansett Bay and in culture. Limnol. Oceanogr. 11, 447–455 (1966)

    Google Scholar 

  • Rassoulzadegan, F.: Dimensions et taux d'ingestion de particules consommees par un tintinnide: Favella ehrenbergii (Clap. et Lachm.) Jorg., cilie pelagique marin. Ann. Inst. Oceanogr., Paris 54, 17–24 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharp, J. H.: Improved analysis for “particulate” organic carbon and nitrogen from seawater. Limnol. Oceanogr. 19, 984–989 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sieburth, J. McN.: The influence of algal antibiosis on the ecology of marine microorganisms. Adv. Microbiol. Sea 1, 63–94 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Smayda, T. J.: Phytoplankton studies in lower Narragansett Bay. Limnol. Oceanogr. 2, 342–359 (1957)

    Google Scholar 

  • Smayda, T. J.: The growth of Skeletonema costatum during a winter-spring bloom in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. Norw. J. Bot. 20, 219–247 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sokal, R. R. and F. J. Rohlf: Biometry, 77 pp. San Francisco: W. H. Freeman & Co. 1969

    Google Scholar 

  • Spittler, P.: Feeding experiments with tintinnids. Oikos Suppl. 15, 128–132 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Stoecker, D., R. R. L. Guillard and R. M. Kavee: Selective predation by Favella ehrenbergii (Tintinnia) on and among dinoflagellates. Biol. Bull. mar. biol. Lab., Woods Hole 160, 136–145 (1981)

    Google Scholar 

  • Stuart, M.: The effects of Olisthodiscus luteus Carter upon the growth of Skeletonema costatum (Grev.) Cleve, 82 pp. M.S. Thesis, Univ. Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 1972

    Google Scholar 

  • Tomas, C. R.: Olisthodiscus luteus (Chrysophyceae). II. Formation and survival of a benthic stage. J. Phycol. 14, 314–319 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  • Tomas, C. R.: Olithodiscus luteus (Chrysophyceae). V. Its occurrence, abundance and dynamics in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. J. Phycol. 16, 156–166 (1980)

    Google Scholar 

  • Tomas, C. R. and E. E. Deason. The influence of grazing by two Acartia species on Olisthodiscus luteus Carter. Marine Ecol. P.S.Z.N.I. 2, 215–223 (1982)

    Google Scholar 

  • Walne, P. R.: Studies on the food value of nineteen genera of algae to juvenile bivalves of the genera Ostrea, Crassostrea, Mercenaria, and Mytilus. Fisheries Invest. London ser. II 26, 1–62 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, D. P.: An experimental search for phytoplanktonic algae producing external metabolites with condition natural sea waters. J. mar. biol. Ass. U.K. 61, 585–607 (1981)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, 02882, Kingston, Rhode Island, USA

    P. G. Verity

  2. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 02543, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA

    D. Stoecker

Authors
  1. P. G. Verity
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. D. Stoecker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Communicated by R. O. Fournier, Halifax

Contribution no. 5048 from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Verity, P.G., Stoecker, D. Effects of Olisthodiscus luteus on the growth and abundance of Tintinnids. Mar. Biol. 72, 79–87 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00393951

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00393951

Keywords

Search

Navigation