Influence des conditions hivernales sur les productions phyto-et zooplanctoniques en Méditerranée Nord-Occidentale. III. Caractérisation des eaux de surface au moyen de cultures d'algues

Bioassays were performed on surface-water samples, collected during the Médiprod I cruise of the R.V. “Jean Charcot” in the northern part of the Mediterranean Sea. Physiological responses of axenic algal cultures were measured in order to characterize the different water masses. The responses obtained are specific to each algal strain: Phaeodactylum tricornutum grows in all waters sampled during the first part of the cruise, while Chaetoceros lauderi does not develop because of its different nutritional requirements; Chlamydomonas magnusii does not grow in any of the tested samples. No clear relationship exists between the results obtained in vitro and those obtained in situ but, on the whole, the waters collected during the second part of the cruise allow a higher growth of the test algae in vitro. This higher fertility is probably related to the algal bloom which occurred between the first and the second part of the cruise. In the authors' opinion the great difference in uptake rates observed between the high-turbulence area (low production) and the adjacent area (high production), may be related more to biological conditioning than to any physical process. However, physical mixing seems to be responsible for inhibition of primary productivity at the two stations where mixing attains maximum values.     

Variations de quelques facteurs estimatifs de la biomasse,et en particulier de l'ATP,chez plusieurs algues marines planctoniques

ATP, carbon, and nitrogen content, and cell volume have been measured in 7 marine algae in culture. Intraspecific differences are negligible during the phase of exponential growth; interspecific differences in ATP and carbon content are slight during this phase compared with those observed in the same cultures between the exponential and senescent phases. As the interspecific differences agree well with those reported for algae in situ, this leads the authors to believe that the greater part of the biomass in situ is always in a state of physiological youth. ATP content is higher in diatoms, and seems linked with silica shell synthesis. In non-silicified species, there is a significant correlation between the ATP: plasma ratio and the division rate, although the cellular volumes are quite different. In the author's opinion, ATP content allows a good estimation of biomass to be made, as well as, under controlled conditions, a suitable estimation of primary productivity; however, because of their high silica content, diatoms should be considered separately from other phytoplankters.     

Concentration Requirement of glycine as nitrogen source for supporting effective growth of certain marine microplanktonic algae

Eighteen species of marine phytoplankton from 9 algal classes were tested under axenic-culture conditions for their capacity to improve phototrophic-growth performance on glycine with increasing concentration of this amino-acid serving as sole nitrogen source. Whereas all these species showed poor-to-no growth on 0.5 mM glycine, 14 species manifested considerable gain in growth-rate and yield at higher concentration levels. The highest level tested (25 mM) was generally not inhibitory and produced the best yields in these cases. Some species (notably Skeletonema costatum) showed marked reduction in the adaptation-lag period with increased glycine concentration, but Chlamydomonas palla required a very long adaptation period, which was little affected by concentration. Dunaliella tertiolecta, Emiliania huxleyi and Chroomonas salina showed sharp (albeit elevated) concentration thresholds for efficient glycine utilization. Rhodomonas lens and two cyanophycean strains, Agmenellum quadruplicatum and Anacystis marina, appeared incapable of successful growth on glycine at all concentrations tested, while the rhodophyte Porphyridium marinum displayed marginal growth. The results were insufficient to draw taxonomically general conclusions on algal-class potential for glycine utilization, but they showed unequivocally that more than 83% of phytoplankton species from 9 algal classes can utilize glycine for growth if the appropriate substrate concentration is provided.     

Study of bacteria associated with marine algae in culture

Inhibitory action of some usual antibiotic, substances have been tested on 25 species of bacteria isolated from marine algae cultures. Penicillin, kanamycin, neomycin and streptomycin appear to be the most convenient antibiotics for eliminating or inhibiting polluting bacteria populations.     

Chemotaxonomy ofGyrocotyle (Platyhelminthes: Cercomeria) species,parasites of chimaerid fish (Holocephali), by chemometry of their fatty acids

The validity of some morphological gyrocotylid species, exclusive gut parasites of ratfishes (Holocephali), is contested. Non-morphological characters, such as fatty acid profiles, may be used to resolve taxonomic problems. FiveGyrocotyle species were studied: three inChimaera monstrosa collected between 1985 and 1987 from the north-east Atlantic (on the Norwegian coast); and two inHydrolagus colliei, collected in 1987 from the north-east Pacific (in Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada). Their fatty acids were obtained by methanolytic extraction of worm tissue samples, followed by gas chromatography of the fatty acid methyl esters, and finally multivariate data treatment (principal component analysis) of gas chromatographic results. Complete separation of the five species was obtained; classification agrees well with that arrived at by morpholog and enzyme electrophoresis.     

Study of bacteria associated with marine algae in culture

Seventy seven organic compounds have been tested for receptivity to attack by bacteria strains isolated from marine algae cultures. Bacteria utilize amino and organic acids more frequently than sugars and derivatives, especially when growth substances are not included in the experimental medium.     

Action de métaux lourds à des doses sublétales sur les caractéristiques de la croissance chez la diatomée Skeletonema costatum

Sublethal effects of mercury, cadmium and copper on the diatom Skeletonema costatum (Grev.) Cleve, grown in batch and bacteria-free culture are studied. Division rate, maximum yield growth, mean cell volume, particulate carbon and nitrogen, and ¹⁴C-bicarbonate uptake are used as toxic impairment criteria. Division rate is the first-affected and most sensitive parameter, but algal responses vary according to the metal. Hg produces an acute decrease in division rate, followed by a temporary recovery of growth capacity within the first 48 h after metal addition. Cd, on the other hand, increases division rate, followed by an obvious decrease. Cu reduces division rate slowly or quickly, depending on the metal concentration. Cell synthesis capacity (culture biovolume, particulate carbon and nitrogen, carbon assimilation) is less affected than division rate, especially with Hg. The C:N cell ratio is unchanged at sublethal concentrations, even when production is reduced. The mean cell volume is slightly affected: the variations are not greater than those of the control during its growth phases. Markedly teratological forms are never observed. In the authors' opinion, these results confirm that many parameters and growth kinetic aspects must be considered to fully appreciate the effects of sublethal concentrations of heavy metals. It would also be of advantage to develop a better methodology for such research, applying, for example, techniques already employed in enzymology.     

Etude des bactéries associées aux Algues marines en culture

Some bacteria strains have been isolated from marine algae cultures and assigned tentative genera and species. Observations and tests were conducted using Bergey's manual and specific papers on marine bacteria as taxonomic keys. The genera Pseudomonas, Flavobacterium and Achromobacter appear to be the most important, as far as the number of species is concerned.     

Are some bacteria toxic for marine algae?

It was observed in vitro that some bacteria from different origins, including the sea, are capable of inhibiting the growth of several marine algae. However, there is too much difference between in vitro experiments and in situ environmental conditions to assume that bacterial poisons may rule a great deal of algac-bacteria relationships in the sea as a whole. In the author's opinion the importance of bacterial poison is limited to special and rare instances.