Characterization of toxin-producing strains of Dinophysis spp. (Dinophyceae) isolated from French coastal waters, with a particular focus on the D. acuminata-complex.

Dinoflagellates of the genus Dinophysis are the most prominent producers of Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP) toxins which have an impact on public health and on marine aquaculture worldwide. In particular, Dinophysis acuminata has been reported as the major DSP agent in Western Europe. Still, its contribution to DSP events in the regions of the English Channel and the Atlantic coast of France, and the role of the others species of the Dinophysis community in these areas are not as clear.

Nutrient ratios influence variability in Pseudo-nitzschia species diversity and particulate domoic acid production in the Bay of Seine (France).

The population dynamics of different Pseudo-nitzschia species, along with particulate domoic acid (pDA) concentrations, were studied from May 2012 to December 2013 in the Bay of Seine (English Channel, Normandy). While Pseudo-nitzschia spp. blooms occurred during the two years of study, Pseudo-nitzschia species diversity and particulate domoic acid concentrations varied greatly.

Effect of filtration rate on coal-sand dual-media filter performances for microalgae removal.

This study tested the efficiency of granular filtration using a bilayer sand filter for microalgae removal from culture dilutions ranging from 10,000 to 17,000 cells/mL. The objective is to evaluate the removal capacity of the filter without chemical coagulation. Two filter media, sand and anthracite, with mean grain sizes of 0.

Photoperiod length paces the temporal orchestration of cell cycle and carbon-nitrogen metabolism in Crocosphaera watsonii.

We analysed the effect of photoperiod length (PPL) (16:8 and 8:16 h of light-dark regime, named long and short PPL, respectively) on the temporal orchestration of the two antagonistic, carbon and nitrogen acquisitions in the unicellular, diazotrophic cyanobacterium Crocosphaera watsonii strain WH8501 growing diazotrophically. Carbon and nitrogen metabolism were monitored at high frequency, and their patterns were compared with the cell cycle progression. The oxygen-sensitive N2 fixation process occurred mainly during the dark period, where photosynthesis cannot take place, inducing a light-dark cycle of cellular C : N ratio.

Influence of Nutrient Stress on the Relationships between PAM Measurements and Carbon Incorporation in Four Phytoplankton Species.

Two methods of measuring primary production, modulated fluorimetry (PAM) and the traditional carbon incorporation method ((13)C), were compared in four phytoplankton species, two diatoms (Pseudo-nitzschia pungens and Asterionellopsis glacialis), and two dinoflagellates (Heterocapsa sp and Karenia mikimotoï), under N (nitrogen), P (phosphorus) and Si (silicon) limited semi-continuous culture. N and Si-limited cultures showed relatively high quantum efficiency of the PSII (Fv/Fm) values, confirming that Fv/Fm is not a good proxy for nutrient stress in balanced systems, whereas P limitation had a drastic effect on many physiological parameters. In all species, the physiological capacity of phytoplankton cells to acclimate to nutrient limitations led to changes in the cellular biochemical composition and the structure of the photosynthetic apparatus.