Description: The present paper reviews the literature related to the life cycle of the prymnesiophyte Phaeocystis and its controlling factors and proposes novel hypotheses based on unpublished observations in culture and in the field. We chiefly refer to P. globosa Scherffel as most of the observations concern this species. P. globosa exhibits a complex alternation between several types of free-living cells (non-motile, flagellates, microzoopores and possibly macrozoospores) and colonies for which neither forms nor pathways have been completely identified and described. The different types of Phaeocystis cells were reappraised on the basis of existing microscopic descriptions complemented by unpublished flow cytometric investigations. This analysis revealed the existence of at least three different types of free-living cells identified on the basis of a combination of size, motility and ploidy characteristics: non-motile cells, flagellates and microzoospores. Their respective function within Phaeocystis life cycle, and in particular their involvement in colony formation is not completely understood. Observational evidence shows that Phaeocystis colonies are initiated at the early stage of their bloom each by one free-living cell. The mechanisms controlling this cellular transformation are still uncertain due to the lack of information on the overwintering Phaeocystis fomms and on the cell type responsible for colony induction. The existence of haploid microzoospores released from senescent colonies gives however some support to sexuality involvement at some stages of colony formation. Once colonies are formed, at least two mechanisms were identified as responsible of the spreading of colony form: colony multiplication by colonial division or budding and induction of new colony from colonial cells released in the external medium after colony disruption. The latter mechanism was clearly identified, involving at least two successive cell differentiations in the following sequence: motility development, subsequent flagella loss and settlement to a surface, mucus secretion and colony formation, colonial cell division and colony growth. Aggregate formation, cell motility development and subsequent emigration from the colonies, release of non-motile cells after colony lysis on the other hand, were identified as characteristics for termination of Phaeocystis colony development. These pathways were shown to occur similarly in natural environments. In the early stages of the bloom however, many recently-formed colonies were found on the setae of Chaetoceros spp, suggesting this diatom could play a key-rôle in Phaeocystis bloom inception. Analysis of the possible environmental factors regulating the transition between the different phases of the life cycle, suggested that nutrient status and requirement of a substrate for attachment of free-living cells would be essential for initiation of the colonial form. Physical constraints obviously would be important in determining colony shape and fragmentation although autogenic factors cannot be excluded. Some evidence exists that nutrients regulate colony division, while temperature and nutrient stress would stimulate cell emigration from the colonies.

Description: Within the framework of the JGOFS Pilot Study in 1989 mesozooplankton (0.2–20 mm) was sampled by means of a Hydro-Bios multinet in five depth strata (0–25, 25–50, 50–100, 100–200, 200–500 m) during four Lagrangian drift experiments of 8–14 days' duration at 18, 33, 46 and 58°N, to follow the seasonal progress of the phytoplankton spring bloom development in the northeast Atlantic. Mesozooplankton standing stock, measured as dry weight and ash-free dry weight, increased by a factor of about 6 from 18 to 58°N. Day/night differences amounted to 10–20% of the average and were—with one exception at 18°N—not statistically significant. Using the data on weight-specific respiration rates measured by colleagues on the same cruise, the ingestion rates and potential community grazing of mesozooplankton on phytoplankton within the upper 100 m of the water column were calculated. During all four drift experiments, quasi-steady-state conditions were observed in phyto- and zooplankton standing stock, primary production and daily sedimentation at 100 m depth. The maximum potential grazing rate by mesozooplankton accounted for about half of the daily primary production. Since sedimentation of fresh phytoplankton was negligible, it is concluded that the grazing pressure exercised by mesozooplankton together with micro- and nanozooplankton was responsible for keeping the phytoplankton standing stock at a more or less constant level during the investigated spring bloom in the four areas. Particle flux was thus dominated by zooplankton faecal material.

Description: Both Podon leuckarti and Evadne nordmanni play a predominant role in the plankton community of Kiel Fjord in summer. Increase and decrease of the populations were recorded through short-term sampling from May to the beginning of July. Abundance in relation to temperature and salinity, body size, number of embryos per female and the occurrence of permanent eggs were investigated. Podon leuckarti reached its peak at the end of May, two weeks earlier than Evadne normanni; the maximum abundance was 6500 individuals · m-3 and 8900 individuals · m-3 respectively. The rapid increase of both populations is characterized by an exponential growth phase. The estimated doubling time ranged from 0.5 to 4.3 days. With increasing temperature, body size and number of embryos per female decreased. An inspection of the stomach content showed that both species apparently had fed mainly on phytoplankton.

Description: The main studies on phytoplankton ecology carried out in Kiel Bight during the last decades are briefly reviewed. Special emphasis is laid on the hydrographical structure of this transitional area between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, as it strongly affects the seasonal cycle of phytoplankton standing stock and species succession through vertical stratification and advection processes. Both these hydrographical features prevail during the growth period of phytoplankton and are responsible for large variations in population density and nutrient supply. The seasonal species succession is also influenced by advection. The annual primary production figure of about 150 g C·m-2 approaches the upper limit of values recorded for other parts of the western and southern Baltic. Total irradiation appears to exert the strongest influence on the seasonal cycle of primary production as long as water temperatures are low, giving way in summer to temperature as the determining factor for the production rate.

Description: Im August 1966 wurden zwischen Cuxhaven und Edinburgh 39 Oberflachenproben in 10 sm Abstand und 17 Tiefenproben auf 5 Vertikalstationen entnommen. Es wurden die Verteilung von Temperatur, Salzgehalt, Trübung, Gelbstoff-, Chlorophyll a- und Eiweißgehalt und die Artenzusammensetzung des größeren Phytoplanktons untersucht. Folgende Wassermassen wurden beobachtet: 1. Das Wasser der Deutschen Bucht mit hohen Werten für die Trübung, den Gelbstoff-, Chlorophyll- und Eiweißgehalt. Das Phytoplankton ist durch den Reichtum an Diatomeen mit der vorherrschenden Art Rhizosolenia imbricata var. shrubsolei gekennzeichnet. 2. Das salzreiche Doggerbankwasser atlantischer Herkunft, das sehr niedrige Werte für die untersuchten biologischen Faktoren aufweist. Neben den Diatomeen werden Dinoflagellaten häufig. 3. Das Britannische Ostktüstenwasser mit einem leicht erhöhten Gelbstoffgehalt aber sonst ebenfalls sehr niedrigen Werten für Trübung, Chlorophyll a und Eiweiß. Die Kieselalgen sind von Peridineen abgelöst worden. Die Leitform ist Ceratium furca. Der Küsteneinfluß ist an der schottischen Küste sehr viel geringer als in der Deutschen Bucht. Die niedrigen Chlorophyll- und Eiweißwerte in der offenen Nordsee kennzeichnen das sommerliche Minimum in der Planktonentwicklung.

Description: Anhand von zwei käuflichen Präparaten wird die Extinktion von Chlorophyll a in verschiedenen Lösungsmitteln untersucht und daraus der Extinktionskoeffizient für frisch extrahiertes, ungetrocknetes Chlorophyll a in Methanol abgeleitet. Er beträgt für das rote Extinktionsmaximum bei 665 nm 75.0 l/g cm. Die Extinktionskoeffizienten von getrocknetem Chlorophyll a sind in den untersuchten Lösungsmitteln 10-25% niedriger als die von einer frisch extrahierten Chlorophyllösung (Tabelle 2). Die Messung des Chlorophyll a-Gehaltes kann mit hinreichender Genauigkeit in einem Filterphotometer (ELKO II, Zeiss) ausgeführt werden. Hierzu werden Eichkurven für drei verschiedene Interferenzfilter angegeben. From two purchasable preparations of crystalline chlorophyll a, the extinction coefficient of undried chlorophyll a in methanol has been calculated as 75.0 l/g cm at the maximum of extinction at 665 nm. The extinction coefficients of dried chlorophyll a in the different solvents tested are 10-25% lower than those of undried chlorophyll a (table 2). Chlorophyll a can be measured in a filter photometer (ELKO II, Zeiss) with sufficient precision. Standard curves for three different interference filters are given.