Yves Rincé

Selective feeding of the oystercrassostrea gigas fed on a natural microphytobenthos assemblage

In estuarine ecosystems, microphytobenthos resuspended by tidal currents often represents a large part of the food supply available to bivalves which feed selectively. This study investigated the feeding behavior of the Pacific oysterCrassostrea gigas (Thunberg) relative to a natural microphytobenthic assemblage and the effect on the structure of this assemblage. Oysters were fed only benthic microalgae collected on the intertidal mud flats of Bourgneuf Bay (France) at a suspended particulate matter concentration above the threshold of pseudofeces production. All species in the assemblage were endemic diatoms characteritic of tidal mud flat environments. Four dominant ones, which were all solitary cells with spear-shaped frustules [Navicula ammophila (Grunow),Navicula rostellata (Kützing),Plagiotropis lepidoptera (Kuntze), andStaurophora amphioxys (Mann)] represented more than 95% of the 16 species involved. Analysis of feeding processes showed that the retention of the four main diatoms was not significantly different, but that two species, the smallest (N. ammophila [22×4 μm]) and the largest (P. lepidoptera [60×15 μm]), were preferentially ingested. The study of post-ingestive selection revealed that these two species were also preferentially digeted, i.e., preferentially directed into the digestive diverticulum, when they passed through the gut ofC. gigas. Cell size and shape did not appear to account for pre-ingestive and post-ingestive selection. The composition of the assemblage was significantly modified by oyster filtration, although the retention rates of the four main species were not significantly different. The composition of microalgae in pseudofeces and feces as a result of pre-ingestive and post-ingestive selection differed from that in seawater.

Spatiotemporal changes in microphytobenthos assemblages in a macrotidal flat (Bourgneuf Bay,France)1

Spatiotemporal changes in microphytobenthos species composition were investigated in relation to structural variables—biomass; life‐forms; detritus ratio, pheopigment a (pheo a):chl a; and sediment characteristics—at mesoscale in a shellfish macrotidal ecosystem. To characterize algae assemblages, multivariate analyses were performed (multidimensional scaling [MDS] ordination and clustering), supported by correlations between structural variables. Microphytobenthos, dominated by 97% diatoms belonging to 89 taxa, was constituted by two main assemblages: The first one, composed of common species (occurrence >50%), mainly nanobenthic (size <30 μm) and epipsammic (sand‐fixed cells), was associated with mixed sediments. The major species contributing to this assemblage were Navicula perminuta, Achnanthes hauckiana, Fallacia tenera, A. lanceolata var. elleptica, Amphora spp., Plagiogrammopsis vanheurkii, and Plagiogramma tenuissimum (see Table 2 for taxonomic authors). Species diversity was high (N1∼ 11), often linked to high biomass values (>70 mg chl a · m−2) and low detritus ratio. Conversely, the second assemblage comprised occasional species (occurrence from 10% to 50%), mainly microbenthic (>30 μm) and epipelic (moving cells), occurring during summer at muddy sites. This assemblage, characterized by low diversity, high biomass variability, and high detritus ratio, was dominated by Scolioneis tumida or Plagiotropis vitrea and Navicula spartinetensis. Whereas hydrodynamics globally explained the gradual assemblage changes throughout the entire mudflat and the year, oyster beds and ridge and runnel features appeared to be local spatial structuring factors allowing the establishment of specific assemblages. This study suggests a significant role for epipsammon biomass, until now underestimated, in the functioning of this turbid coastal ecosystem.

Structure and diversity of intertidal benthic diatom assemblages in contrasting shores: a case study from the Tagus estuary1

The structure of intertidal benthic diatoms assemblages in the Tagus estuary was investigated during a 2‐year survey, carried out in six stations with different sediment texture. Nonparametric multivariate analyses were used to characterize spatial and temporal patterns of the assemblages and to link them to the measured environmental variables. In addition, diversity and other features related to community physiognomy, such as size‐class or life‐form distributions, were used to describe the diatom assemblages. A total of 183 diatom taxa were identified during cell counts and their biovolume was determined. Differences between stations (analysis of similarity (ANOSIM), R = 0.932) were more evident than temporal patterns (R = 0.308) and mud content alone was the environmental variable most correlated to the biotic data (BEST, ρ = 0.863). Mudflat stations were typically colonized by low diversity diatom assemblages (H′ ~ 1.9), mainly composed of medium‐sized motile epipelic species (250–1,000 μm3), that showed species‐specific seasonal blooms (e.g., Navicula gregaria Donkin). Sandy stations had more complex and diverse diatom assemblages (H′ ~ 3.2). They were mostly composed by a large set of minute epipsammic species (<250 μm3) that, generally, did not show temporal patterns. The structure of intertidal diatom assemblages was largely defined by the interplay between epipelon and epipsammon, and its diversity was explained within the framework of the Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis. However, the spatial distribution of epipelic and epipsammic life‐forms showed that the definition of both functional groups should not be over‐simplified.

Haslea karadagensis (Bacillariophyta): a second blue diatom, recorded from the Black Sea and producing a novel blue pigment

A new species of raphid pennate diatom producing a blue pigment, Haslea karadagensis Davidovich, Gastineau & Mouget, sp. nov., was recently isolated from the Crimean coast of the Black Sea (Ukraine). This organism is very similar to the well-known Haslea ostrearia, the first described ‘blue’ diatom, which produces marennine, the pigment involved in the greening of oysters. The Ukrainian diatom, H. karadagensis, differs slightly from H. ostrearia in the structure of its frustule, and the two organisms are unable to interbreed. Two molecular markers, rbcL and the ITS1–5.8S–ITS2 sequences, showed 2% and >50% differences, respectively, between the two species. UV-visible spectrophotometry and in vivo confocal micro-Raman spectroscopy were used to compare the pigment of H. karadagensis with marennine. Both pigments showed absorption bands in the UV and red regions, but the positions of the maxima differ between the pigments. Significant differences were observed by micro-Raman spectroscopy in the 1000–1700 cm−1 wavenumber range, revealing that the pigments are different molecules. Haslea karadagensis is the first example of a new ‘blue’ diatom and produces a novel blue pigment.

Haslea salstonica sp. nov. and Haslea pseudostrearia sp. nov. (Bacillariophyta), two new epibenthic diatoms from the Kingsbridge estuary, United Kingdom

Two new diatom species, Haslea salstonica and Haslea pseudostrearia are described in light and electron microscopy and compared with two well-known members of Haslea. Scanning electron microscope observations confirm that the new species belong to the genus Haslea. This study extends previous observations on the genus, particularly with respect to the development of a pseudostauros. The characteristic features of the genus are discussed briefly.

A simple method for SEM examination of sectioned diatom frustules

We describe an innovative yet straightforward method to obtain high quality thin sections of diatom exoskeletons for observation by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The use of this new technique allows for clear observations of some ultrastructural valve features, including the raphe, which are generally difficult to observe and describe accurately using transmission electron microscopy analysis of thin sections or SEM of randomly fractured diatom valves. In addition, because this method involves the complete removal of the organic content of the diatom cells, resulting in clean and mostly undisturbed skeletal thin cross‐sections, even the intact valvar structures of weak girdle bands can be studied.

Enrichissement expérimental d'eaux printanières de claires à huîtres en baie de Bourgneuf (Vendée, France): augmentation de la biomasse et utilisation des éléments nutritifs par les algues unicellulaires

Oyster-pond sea-waters with natural populations were experimentally enriched to determine the nutrient limiting algal growth and the resulting effect on species composition. Results show that nitrogen is the limiting factor of growth-potential. N-NO3 alone is exhausted, while other ion concentrations remain always measurable. Addition of N-NO3 is needed to increase algal biomass. Favoured species differ when nitrogen is added alone or added with phosphorus.

Qualité des eaux en milieu estuarien: suivi annuel de critères physiques et chimiques dans les eaux de l'estuaire de la Loire

Chemical composition and physical parameters of waters from the Loire estuary were examined in 1981–1982 in order to assess water quality. It appears that riverflow is of first importance on suspended matter load, dissolved nutrient concentrations and oxygenation. The annual hydrological cycle is made of two periods. During the first one low riverflow, low nutrient concentrations, high suspended matter load and oxygen depletion are noticed. During the second one higher riverflows occur accompanied with increasing nutrient concentrations, decreasing turbidity and restoration of dissolved oxygen. Results indicate that annual inputs of dissolved nutrients attain 60 000 t a−1 for nitrogen, 2 400 t a−1 for phosphorus and 100 000 t a−1 for silica. It is suggested that the high suspended matter loading (1 million t a−1) is a significant factor disturbing oxygenation and by the way limiting water quality within the estuary.

A FAST COLORIMETRIC ASSAY TO CONTROL GROWTH OF ALGAL STRAINS: APPLICATION TO NUMERATION OF MARINE DIATOM CELLS

The suitability of the oxidation-reduction indicator MTT [3-(4,5-dimethyl-thiazol-2yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide] to measure viability of marine diatoms is evaluated. This tetrazolium salt is reduced to form bluish violet formazan derivative in living cells while it is not reduced in dead cells. Using a contact time of three hours the formazan is spectrophotometrically quantified. Culture conditions were standardised in 24-multiwell microculture plates using four marine diatom species, some of which are currently grown in aquaculture, to determine the minimal cell concentration for detecting of formazan metabolisation. Our results demonstrate that the absorbance due to the reduction of MTT is strictly related to the diatom cellular activity. This simple colorimetric assay permits rapid cell numeration of a great number of samples in comparison to the classic haematimetric method, notably for in vitro bioassays in ecological and physiological diatom investigations. This method is only applicable to unicellular algal strains (monospecific and axenic culture). For that reason, this method is suitable for algal bioassay (e.g. water fertility tests, allelopathic studies).