Influence of nutrient status on the response of the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum to oil and dispersant.

Phytoplankton play a central role in our ecosystems, they are responsible for nearly 50 percent of the global primary productivity and major drivers of macro-elemental cycles in the ocean. Phytoplankton are constantly subjected to stressors, some natural such as nutrient limitation and some manmade such as oil spills. With increasing oil exploration activities in coastal zones in the Gulf of Mexico and elsewhere, an oil spill during nutrient-limited conditions for phytoplankton growth is highly likely.

Molecular mechanism of oil induced growth inhibition in diatoms using Thalassiosira pseudonana as the model species.

The 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil-spill exposed the microbes of Gulf of Mexico to unprecedented amount of oil. Conclusive evidence of the underlying molecular mechanism(s) on the negative effects of oil exposure on certain phytoplankton species such as Thalassiosira pseudonana is still lacking, curtailing our understanding of how oil spills alter community composition. We performed experiments on model diatom T.

The Interplay of Phototrophic and Heterotrophic Microbes Under Oil Exposure: A Microcosm Study.

Microbial interactions influence nearly one-half of the global biogeochemical flux of major elements of the marine ecosystem. Despite their ecological importance, microbial interactions remain poorly understood and even less is known regarding the effects of anthropogenic perturbations on these microbial interactions. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill exposed the Gulf of Mexico to ∼4.