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- Title
Phytoplankton RNA/DNA and 18S rRNA/rDNA ratios in a coastal marine ecosystem.
- Authors
Casabianca, Silvia; Capellacci, Samuela; Ricci, Fabio; Scardi, Michele; Penna, Antonella
- Abstract
The RNA/DNA ratio is used as indicator of growth in various marine organisms and to assess physiological status at species or community level. To evaluate the utility of the RNA/DNA ratio as a proxy of phytoplankton primary production, the relationships between phytoplankton RNA/DNA, taxon-specific diatom and dinoflagellate 18S rRNA/rDNA ratios and autotrophic phytoplankton biomass were investigated as a first step. Significant correlations between all phytoplankton ratios and total phytoplankton, diatom and dinoflagellate biomass as chlorophyll a (chl a) and carbon content were found. Diatoms showed higher correlation than dinoflagellates (18S rRNA/rDNA vs. chl a , r s = 0.74 and 0.64, P < 0.001; 18S rRNA/rDNA vs. carbon, r s = 0.66 and 0.53, P < 0.001, respectively), because they represented the most abundant and frequent group within sampled assemblages. Further, phytoplankton biomass production is known to be linked to protein biosynthesis and significant relationships between RNA/DNA ratios and protein content of phytoplankton assemblage were found (r s = 0.62 and 0.52, P < 0.001 for diatom and dinoflagellates, respectively). As taxon-specific RNA/DNA ratios were correlated with biomass and protein content, our results can be regarded as the first step toward further studies on the applicability of RNA/DNA ratios as indicators of growth rate and primary production in phytoplankton assemblages.
- Subjects
RECOMBINANT DNA; MARINE ecology; RNA; CHLOROPHYLL; RIBOSOMAL RNA; DNA
- Publication
Journal of Plankton Research, 2021, Vol 43, Issue 3, p367
- ISSN
0142-7873
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1093/plankt/fbaa065