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- Title
The Ecology of One Cosmopolitan, One Newly Introduced and One Occasionally Advected Species from the Genus <italic>Skeletonema</italic> in a Highly Structured Ecosystem, the Northern Adriatic.
- Authors
Marić Pfannkuchen, Daniela; Godrijan, Jelena; Smodlaka Tanković, Mirta; Baričević, Ana; Kužat, Nataša; Djakovac, Tamara; Pustijanac, Emina; Jahn, Regina; Pfannkuchen, Martin
- Abstract
The diatom genus <italic>Skeletonema</italic> is globally distributed and often an important constituent of the phytoplankton community. In the marine phytoplankton of the northern Adriatic Sea, we found three species of the genus <italic>Skeletonema</italic>: <italic>Skeletonema menzelii, Skeletonema marinoi</italic> and <italic>Skeletonema grevillei</italic>. Making use of the steep ecological gradients that characterise the northern Adriatic, along which we could observe those species, we report here on the ecological circumstances under which those species thrive and how their respective populations are globally connected. This is the first detailed ecological study for the species <italic>S. grevillei</italic>. This study is also the first report for <italic>S. grevillei</italic> for the Adriatic Sea and Mediterranean together with additional electron microscopic details on fresh in situ samples for this species. <italic>S. marinoi</italic> appears to clearly prefer strong freshwater influence and high nutrient concentrations delivered by low salinity waters. It can outcompete other diatom species and dominate microphytoplankton blooms<italic>. S. grevillei</italic> on the other hand appears to thrive in high nutrient concentrations triggered by water column mixing. It also appears to prefer higher salinity waters and coastal embayments. Genetic analysis of <italic>S. grevillei</italic> demonstrated a peculiar dissimilarity with isolates from coastal waters off Yemen, India, Oman and China. However, a closely related sequence was isolated from coastal waters off Japan. These results indicate that <italic>S. grevillei</italic> is an introduced species, possibly transported by ballast waters. <italic>S. menzelii</italic> is a sporadic visitor in the northern Adriatic, advected from rather oligotrophic middle Adriatic waters and never dominates the phytoplankton community in the northern Adriatic.
- Subjects
MARINE phytoplankton; DIATOMS; MICROBIAL ecology; MICROBIOLOGY; FLUORIMETER
- Publication
Microbial Ecology, 2018, Vol 75, Issue 3, p674
- ISSN
0095-3628
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s00248-017-1069-9