• ALGAE
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.17-31
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• 2016

To explore the feeding ecology of the newly described heterotrophic dinoflagellate Aduncodinium glandula in the family Pfiesteriaceae, its feeding behavior and prey species were investigated. Additionally, the growth and ingestion rates of A. glandula on the mixotrophic dinoflagellates Heterocapsa triquetra and Akashiwo sanguinea, its optimal and suboptimal prey, respectively were measured. A. glandula fed on prey through a peduncle after anchoring to the prey using a tow filament. A. glandula ate all algal prey and perch blood cells tested and had the most diverse prey species in the family Pfiesteriaceae. Unlike for other pfiesteriacean species, H. triquetra and A. sanguinea support the positive growth of A. glandula. However, the cryptophytes Rhodomonas salina and Teleaulax sp. and the phototrophic dinoflagellate Amphidinium carterae did not support the positive growth of A. glandula. Thus, A. glandula may have a unique kind of prey and its optimal prey differs from that of the other pfiesteriacean dinoflagellates. With increasing mean prey concentration, the growth rates of A. glandula on H. triquetra and A. sanguinea increased rapidly and then slowed or became saturated. The maximum growth rates when feeding on H. triquetra and A. sanguinea were 1.004 and 0.567 d⁻¹, respectively. Further, the maximum ingestion rates of A. glandula on H. triquetra and A. sanguinea were 0.75 and 1.38 ng C predator⁻¹ d⁻¹, respectively. There is no other pfiesteriacean species having H. triquetra and A. sanguinea as optimal and suboptimal prey. Thus, A. glandula may be abundant during blooms dominated by these species not preferred by the other pfiesteriacean dinoflagellates.

• ALGAE
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.1-16
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• 2024

Many dinoflagellates produce bioluminescence. To estimate the intensity of bioluminescence produced by populations of the heterotrophic dinoflagellates Noctiluca scintillans and Polykrikos kofoidii and autotrophic dinoflagellate Alexandrium mediterraneum in Korean waters, we measured cellular bioluminescence intensity as a function of water temperature and calculated population bioluminescence intensity with cell abundances and water temperature. The mean 200-second-integrated bioluminescence intensity per cell (BL_cell) of N. scintillans satiated with the chlorophyte Dunaliella salina decreased continuously with increasing water temperature from 5 to 25℃. However, the BL_cell of P. kofoidii satiated with the mixotrophic dinoflagellate Alexandrium minutum continuously increased from 5 to 15℃ but decreased at temperatures exceeding this (to 30℃). Similarly, the BL_cell of A. mediterraneum continuously increased from 10 to 20℃ but decreased between 20 and 30℃. The difference between highest and lowest BL_cell of N. scintillans, P. kofoidii, and A. mediterraneum at the tested water temperatures was 3.5, 11.8, and 21.0 times, respectively, indicating that water temperature clearly affected BL_cell. The highest estimated population bioluminescence intensity (BL_popul) of N. scintillans in Korean waters in 1998-2022 was 4.22 × 10¹³ relative light unit per liter (RLU L^-1), which was 1,850 and 554,000 times greater than that of P. kofoidii and A. mediterraneum, respectively. This indicates that N. scintillans populations produced much brighter bioluminescence in Korean waters than the populations of P. kofoidii or A. mediterraneum.

• ALGAE
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.111-126
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• 2023

Mixotrophic dinoflagellates act as primary producers, prey, and predators in marine planktonic food webs, whereas exclusively autotrophic dinoflagellates are primary producers and prey. Species of the dinoflagellate genus Scrippsiella are commonly found in marine ecosystems and sometimes cause harmful red tides. Among the 28 formally described Scrippsiella species, S. acuminata has been found to be mixotrophic and two unidentified species have been found to be mixotrophic. To determine whether the other species in this genus are similarly mixotrophic, the mixotrophic ability of S. donghaiensis SDGJ1703, S. lachrymosa SLBS1703, S. masanensis SSMS0908, S. plana SSSH1009A, and S. ramonii VGO1053 was explored using 15 potential prey items, including 2-㎛ fluorescently labeled microspheres (FLM) and heterotrophic bacteria (FLB), the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp., and various microalgal prey species. The ability of S. acuminata to feed on FLM and FLB was also investigated. We found that S. donghaiensis, S. lachrymosa, S. masanensis, S. plana, and S. ramonii did not feed on any potential prey tested in this study, indicating a lack of mixotrophy. However, S. acuminata fed on both FLM and FLB, confirming its mixotrophic ability. These results lowered the proportion of mixotrophic species relative to the total number of tested Scrippsiella species for mixotrophy from 100% to 29-38%. Owing to its mixotrophic ability, S. acuminata occupies an ecological niche that is distinct from that of S. donghaiensis, S. lachrymosa, S. masanensis, S. plana, and S. ramonii.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.303-314
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• 2003

The initiation of Cochlodinium polykrikoides blooming in the South Sea of Korea occurs in the sea near Naro-Do in late August. In this paper, the relationships of this annual occurrence with the environmental conditions are presented. In early summer, the winds in the sea near Naro-Do are southwesterly and the upwelling occurs in the near-shore area. The favorable winds to the upwelling are relaxed in August and the downwelling favorable northeasterly winds set in around late August. The change of wind direction causes the onshore transport of warm-and-fresh off-shore water into the sea near Naro-Do and a front between near-shore water and off·shore water is formed. Along the front, downwelling occurs and the environmental conditions for the diatom become unfavorable. When the typhoon and storm bring well-mixed East China Sea water into the sea near Naro-Do in September, the conditions for the dinoflagellates become unfavorable and blooming of C. polykrikoides disappears.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.37-46
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• 2000

We investigated the temporal and spatial variations in heterotrophic dinoflagellates (hereafter HTD) and ciliates from June to September 1997 in the waters off Kohung, Korea where red tides dominated by harmful dinoflagellates had occurred from August to October since 1995. We took water samples five times from 5-7 depths at 3 stations in this study period. A total of 17 HTD species were present and of these species in the genus Protoperidinium were 11. The species number of tintinnids (hereafter TIN) present totalled 15 and several naked ciliate (hereafter NC) species were observed. The species numbers of HTD and TIN rapidly increased between August 1st and 21st and then reached to the maximum numbers of 13 and 10, respectively, on August 27 when red tides dominated by Gyrodinium impudicum were first observed in the study area. However the species numbers drastically decreased on September 22. The maximum densities of HTD, TIN, and NC were 45, 39, 57 cells $ml^{-1}$, respectively. ADAS, calculated by averaging the densities of a certain species in the all samples collected from all depths and stations at a sampling period, most increased between August 1st and 21st and then reached to the maximum density of f cells $ml^{-1}$ on August 27 for HTD, while did between August 21st and 27th and up to 7 cells $ml^{-1}$ for TIN. Unlike ADAS of HTD and TIN, that of NC did not change much with the maximum of 8 cells $ml^{-1}$ on August 27th. The pattern of the temperal variation in the species number and ADAS of HTD was similar to that of diatoms and the distributions of Protoperidinium spp. and diatoms had a strong positive correlation. This evidence suggests that HTD, in particular Protoperidinium spp. be a grazer on diatom. In general, the densities of HTD, TIN, and NC decreased with going to stations located in the outer bay. Therefore, the availability of suitable prey and distance from the coastal line might be responsible for the distribution of HTD, TIN, and NC. The results of the present study provide a basis for further experiments for the feeding by dominant HTD, TIN, and NC on dominant phytoplankton including red tide species and for understanding food webs in the planktonic community before, during, and after the red tide outbreak.

• ALGAE
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.289-301
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• 2019

Mixotrophy in marine organisms is an important aspect of ecology and evolution. The discovery of mixotrophic abilities in phototrophic dinoflagellates alters our understanding of the dynamics of red tides. In the phototrophic dinoflagellate genus Alexandrium, some species are mixotrophic, but others are exclusively autotrophic. There are differences in the ecological roles of autotrophic and mixotrophic Alexandrium in marine food webs. However, of the 34 known Alexandrium species, the mixotrophic ability of >20 species has yet to be explored. In this study, the mixotrophic capabilities of Alexandrium insuetum CCMP2082, Alexandrium mediterraneum CCMP3433, Alexandrium pacificum CCMP3434, Alexandrium tamutum ATSH1609, and Alexandrium margalefii CAWD10 were investigated by providing each species with 22 diverse prey items including bacterium-sized microbeads (1 ㎛), the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp., algal prey species, and the ciliate Mesodinium rubrum. None of the 5 Alexandrium species fed on any of the prey items. These results increase the number of Alexandrium species lacking mixotrophic abilities to 9, compared to the 7 known mixotrophic Alexandrium species. Furthermore, the Alexandrium phylogenetic tree based on the large subunit ribosomal DNA contained 3 large clades, each of which had species with and without mixotrophic abilities. Thus, the acquisition or loss of mixotrophic abilities in Alexandrium might readily occur.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.12 no.7
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• pp.725-733
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• 2003

This survey was carried out to assess important species of phytoplankton in the ocean and bay in Korea from 32 references. The number of important species assessed from 50 genera 116 species. Of them, Bacillariophycea(diatoms) 34 genera 89 speceis(76.6%), Dinophyceae(dinoflagellates) 11 genera 22 species(18.9%), Chrysophyceae 2 genera 2 species(1.7%), Cyanophycea(blue-green algae), Raphidophyceae, Euglenophyceae(euglenoids) 1 genera 1 species(0.9%) respectively. By ecological characters, the number of dominant species were 79 species including Actinoptychus seranius, 50 species including Coscinodiscus centralis were recorded as frequently apperaing species and 36 species including Cochlodinium polykrikoides were recorded as red-tide causative organism. Also, 11 species including Prorocentrum micans were surveyed as the indicator including all ecological characters.

• ALGAE
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.39-55
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• 2023

Exploring mixotrophy of dinoflagellate species is critical to understanding red-tide dynamics and dinoflagellate evolution. Some species in the dinoflagellate genus Karenia have caused harmful algal blooms. Among 10 Karenia species, the mixotrophic ability of only two species, Karenia mikimotoi and Karenia brevis, has been investigated. These species have been revealed to be mixotrophic; however, the mixotrophy of the other species should be explored. Moreover, although K. mikimotoi was previously known to be mixotrophic, only a few potential prey species have been tested. We explored the mixotrophic ability of Karenia bicuneiformis, Karenia papilionacea, and Karenia selliformis and the prey spectrum of K. mikimotoi by incubating them with 16 potential prey species, including a cyanobacterium, diatom, prymnesiophyte, prasinophyte, raphidophyte, cryptophytes, and dinoflagellates. Cells of K. bicuneiformis, K. papilionacea, and K. selliformis did not feed on any tested potential prey species, indicating a lack of mixotrophy. The present study newly discovered that K. mikimotoi was able to feed on the common cryptophyte Teleaulax amphioxeia. The phylogenetic tree based on the large subunit ribosomal DNA showed that the mixotrophic species K. mikimotoi and K. brevis belonged to the same clade, but K. bicuneiformis, K. papilionacea, and K. selliformis were divided into different clades. Therefore, the presence or lack of a mixotrophic ability in this genus may be partially related to genetic characterizations. The results of this study suggest that Karenia species are not all mixotrophic, varying from the results of previous studies.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.271-278
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• 1999

In order to clarify water quality, dynamics and structure of phytoplankton communities, and red tides, the present study was carried out monthly from July to September 1998 at 19 stations in Deukryang Bay. Water temperature varied from 24.$0^{\circ}C$ to 28.6$^{\circ}C$, and salinities ranged from 25.0$\textperthousand$ to 28.6$\textperthousand$. During red tides in July, chlorophyll-$\alpha$ contents were rather high in August, it showed that phytoplankton controlled primary production in this bay. Phytoplankton was composed of 89 diatoms, 19 dinoflagellates, and 3 silicoflagellates. Phytoplankton standing crops varied from a minimum of 1.3$\times$10$^4$cells/ι(Sept., St. 17) to a maximum of 3.8$\times$10$^{6}$ cells/ι (July, St. 10). Red tides occurred in July when the standing crops averaged 1.8$\times$10$^{6}$ cells/ι. Leading the causative organisms of red tide were Prorocentrun minimum in the upper bay, Chaetoceros curvisetus in the mouth and middle part of the bay, Ceratium furca and Thazassio- sira sp. around Nokdong Harbour. Concentration of nutrients such as nitrogen was high in the upper bay, during red tides, water temperatures varied from 23.8$^{\circ}C$ to 29.7$^{\circ}C$ and salinity were 23.l$\textperthousand$ to 27.0$\textperthousand$.

• ALGAE
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.237-251
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• 2019

The dinoflagellate genus Alexandrium is known to often form harmful algal blooms causing human illness and large-scale mortality of marine organisms. Therefore, the population dynamics of Alexandrium species are of primary concern to scientists and aquaculture farmers. The growth rate of the Alexandrium species is the most important parameter in prediction models and nutrient conditions are critical parameters affecting the growth of phototrophic species. In Korean coastal waters, Alexandrium affine and Alexandrium fraterculus, of similar sizes, often form red-tide patches together. Thus, to understand bloom dynamics of A. affine and A. fraterculus, growth rates and nitrate uptake of each species as a function of nitrate ($NO_3$) concentration at $100{\mu}mol\;photons\;m^{-2}s^{-1}$ under 14-h light : 10-h dark and continuous light conditions were determined using a nutrient repletion method. With increasing $NO_3$ concentration, growth rates and $NO_3$ uptake of A. affine or A. fraterculus increased, but became saturated. Under light : dark conditions, the maximum growth rates of A. affine and A. fraterculus were 0.45 and $0.42d^{-1}$, respectively. However, under continuous light conditions, the maximum growth rate of A. affine slightly increased to $0.46d^{-1}$, but that of A. fraterculus largely decreased. Furthermore, the maximum nitrate uptake of A. affine and A. fraterculus under light : dark conditions were 12.9 and $30.1pM\;cell^{-1}d^{-1}$, respectively. The maximum nitrate uptake of A. affine under continuous light conditions was $16.4pM\;cell^{-1}d^{-1}$. Thus, A. affine and A. fraterculus have similar maximum growth rates at the given $NO_3$ concentration ranges, but they have different maximum nitrate uptake rates. A. affine may have a higher conversion rate of $NO_3$ to body nitrogen than A. fraterculus. Moreover, a longer exposure time to the light may confer an advantage to A. affine over A. fraterculus.