HPLC pigment profiles of 31 harmful algal bloom species isolated from the coastal sea areas of China

Chemotaxonomy based on diagnostic pigments is now a routine tool for macroscopic determination of the composition and abundance of phytoplankton in various aquatic environments. Since the taxonomic capability of this method depends on the relationships between diagnostic pigments and chlorophyll a of classified groups, it is critical to calibrate it by using pigment relationships obtained from representative and/or dominant species local to targeted investigation area. In this study, pigment profiles of 31 harmful algal bloom(HAB) species isolated from the coastal sea areas of China were analyzed with high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC). Pigment compositions, cellular pigment densities and ratios of pigments to chlorophyll a were determined and calculated. Among all these species, 25 kinds of pigments were detected, of which fucoxanthin, peridinin, 19'-butanoyloxyfucoxanthin, 19'-hexanoyloxyfucoxanthin, violaxanthin, and antheraxanthin were diagnostic pigments. Cellular pigment density was basically independent of species and environmental conditions, and therefore was recommended as a bridge to compare the results of HPLC-CHEMTAX technique with the traditional microscopy method. Pigment ratios of algal species isolated from the coast of China, especially the diagnostic pigment ratios, were higher than those from other locations. According to these results, pigment ratio ranges of four classes of phytoplankton common off the coast of China were summarized for using in the current chemotaxonomic method. Moreover, the differences of pigments ratios among different species under the same culturing conditions were consistent with their biological differences. Such differences have the potential to be used to classify the phytoplankton below class, which is meaningful for monitoring HABs by HPLC-CHEMTAX.     

Effects of modified clay on cysts of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Scrippsiella trochoidea</Emphasis> for harmful algal bloom control

We present results on the effect of modified clay on cyst formation of Scrippsiella trochoidea in harmful algal bloom （HAB）. Modified clay （in concentration of 0, 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 g/L） were added to cultures, and observations were made on cysts of S. trochoidea under controlled laboratory conditions. Results indicate that the removal rate of algal cells reached 97.7% at the clay concentration of 1.0 g/L. The cyst formation rate increased from 4.6% to 24.6% when the concentration of clay was increased from 0 to 1.0 g/L. Two cyst metamorphs were observed： spinal calcareous cysts and smooth noncalcareous ones. The proportion of the spinal cysts decreased from 76.9% to 24.1% when clay concentration increased from 0 to 1.0 g/L. In addition, modified clay affected cyst germination. The germination rate decreased with the increases in the clay concentrations. Non-calcareous cysts had a lower germination rate with a longer germination time. We conclude that modified clay could depress algal cell multiplication and promote formation of temporal cysts of S. trochoidea, which may help in controlling HAB outbreaks.     

Phytoplankton pigment patterns and community composition in the northern South China Sea during winter

Phytoplankton pigment patterns and community composition were investigated in the northern South China Sea using high-performance liquid chromatography and the CHEMTAX software from February 11 to 23, 2009. We recognized four different vertical distribution patterns of pigments: chlorophyll a (Chl a)-like type, divinyl chlorophyll a (DV Chl a) type, even distribution type, and surface type. The average value of ratios of accessory photo-protective pigments (APP) to accessory photo-synthetic pigments was 0.8...     

“Suspending village” a model of new development area in the ningxia hui autonomous region of China

The southern part of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in China was infamous for its poverty and serious soil erosion caused by over population. In order to alleviate poverty and backwardness, a plan was worked out: to remove 200,000 people to the north plain by developing newly irrigated land during the period of 1983–1992. The plan has been in operation for eight and half years to date. About 200,000 people have been removed from the poor southern part to the newly developed area, and 800,000 mu (1/ 15 ha) of desert land has been cultivated. Most of the migrants have been lifted out of poverty and the people ’s life in the south is being improved. During the immigration process, a model, called “Suspending Village”, has been developed. In the article, the whole process of the development and the strategies are discussed.