Dynamic sinking behaviour in marine phytoplankton: rapid changes in buoyancy may aid in nutrient uptake.

ABSTRACT: Phytoplankton sinking is an important property that can determine community composition in the photic zone and material loss to the deep ocean. To date, studies of diatom suspension have relied on bulk measurements with assumptions that bulk rates adequately capture the essential characteristics of diatom sinking. However, recent work has illustrated that individual diatom sinking rates vary considerably from the mean bulk rate. In this study, we apply high-resolution optical techniques, individual-based observations of diatom sinking and a recently developed method of flow visualization around freely sinking cells. The results show that in both field samples and laboratory cultures, some large species of centric diatoms are capable of a novel behaviour, whereby cells undergo bursts of rap

SUBMITTER: Gemmell BJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5069504 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature