Jeffrey W. Krause

Picoplankton contribution to biogenic silica stocks and production rates in the Sargasso Sea

Picocyanobacteria in the Sargasso Sea accumulate significant amounts of Si, a finding which questions how we interpret previous regional measurements of biogenic silica (bSi) production and the role of diatoms in the open ocean. The picoplankton (<3-µm cells) contributed a measurable, and at times significant, proportion of both the total bSi standing stock and its rate of production. The 100-m integrated bSi stock and bSi production rate in the <3 µm size fraction averaged 14% and 16%, respectively, of the total. At some stations, specific rates of bSi production in the <3-µm cells were up to three-fold higher than for larger cells. But among all stations and depths, the two size fractions had statistically indistinguishable specific-production rates (~0.35 d-1). The estimated contributions of Synechococcus alone to the 100-m integrated bSi stock and bSi production in cells <3 µm were 15% and 55%, respectively, suggesting that half of bSi production in this small size fraction could be sustained by Synechococcus, but a majority of the bSi was not associated with living Synechococcus. Our results suggest picoplankton have a small but persistent regional contribution to bSi stocks, which is masked by a dynamic bSi pool driven by larger cells. While a significant fraction of bSi production is attributable to picoplankton, their contributions are likely to have been included in previous analyses, making prior regional budgets still relevant. However, our understanding of the factors controlling regional bSi production and our interpretations of particulate matter elemental ratios (e.g. Si:C) may require revision.

The Significance of Giant Phaeodarians (Rhizaria) to Biogenic Silica Export in the California Current Ecosystem

In marine ecosystems, many planktonic organisms precipitate biogenic silica (bSiO2) to build silicified skeletons. Among them, giant siliceous rhizarians (>500 μm), including Radiolaria and Phaeodaria, are important contributors to oceanic carbon pools but little is known about their contribution to the marine silica cycle. We report the first analyses of giant phaeodarians to bSiO2 export in the California Current Ecosystem. We measured the silica content of single rhizarian cells ranging in size from 470 to 3,920 μm and developed allometric equations to predict silica content (0.37–43.42 μg Si/cell) from morphometric measurements. Using sediment traps to measure phaeodarian fluxes from the euphotic zone on four cruises, we calculated bSiO2 export produced by two families, the Aulosphaeridae and Castanellidae. Biogenic silica export ranged from <0.01 to 0.63 mmol Si · m 2 · day . These two families alone contributed on average 10% (range 0–80%) of total bSiO2 export from the euphotic zone. Their proportional contributions increased substantially in more oligotrophic regions with lower bSiO2 fluxes. Using the in situ Underwater Vision Profiler 5, we characterized vertical distributions of the giant phaeodarian family Aulosphaeridae to a depth of 500 m and inferred their contribution to bSiO2 export in deeper waters. We found a significant increase of Aulosphaeridae export (<0.01 to 2.82 mmol Si · m 2 · day ) when extended to mesopelagic depths. Using a global data set of in situ profiles, we estimated the significance of Aulosphaeridae to bSiO2 export and revealed that they can act as major exporters of bSiO2 to the mesopelagic zone in various regions.

Diatom populations in an upwelling environment decrease silica content to avoid growth limitation: Diatom physiology and silicon stress

A mix of adaptive strategies enable diatoms to sustain rapid growth in dynamic ocean regions, making diatoms one of the most productive primary producers in the world. We illustrate one such strategy off coastal California that facilitates continued, high, cell division rates despite silicic acid stress. Using a fluorescent dye to measure single-cell diatom silica production rates, silicification (silica per unit area) and growth rates we show diatoms decrease silicification and maintain growth rate when silicon concentration limits silica production rates. While this physiological response to silicon stress was similar across taxa, in situ silicic acid concentration limited silica production rates by varying degrees for taxa within the same community. Despite this variability among taxa, silicon stress did not alter the contribution of specific taxa to total community silica production or to community composition. Maintenance of division rate at the expense of frustule thickness decreases cell density which could affect regional biogeochemical cycles. The reduction in frustule silicification also creates an ecological tradeoff: thinner frustules increase susceptibility to predation but reducing Si quotas maximizes cell abundance for a given pulse of silicic acid, thereby favouring a larger eventual population size which facilitates diatom persistence in habitats with pulsed resource supplies.