Mixotrophy in Red Tide Algae Raphidophytes

Marine raphidophytes are common red tide organisms that are distributed worldwide. They are known to be harmful to other plankton and fish and have often caused large-scale fish mortality in many countries. Thus, the population dynamics of raphidophytes is a critical concern for scientists, the aqua...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of eukaryotic microbiology 2011-05, Vol.58 (3), p.215-222
Main Author: JEONG, HAE JIN
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Applied ecology
Bacteria - growth & development
Bacteria - metabolism
Biological and medical sciences
Chattonella
Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution
feeding
Fibrocapsa
food web
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
graze
Harmful Algal Bloom
Heterosigma
Heterotrophic Processes
Marine and brackish environment
Phototrophic Processes
red tide
Seawater - parasitology
Stramenopiles - metabolism
Stramenopiles - microbiology
Stramenopiles - physiology
Symbiosis
trophic interactions
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Summary:Marine raphidophytes are common red tide organisms that are distributed worldwide. They are known to be harmful to other plankton and fish and have often caused large-scale fish mortality in many countries. Thus, the population dynamics of raphidophytes is a critical concern for scientists, the aquaculture industry, and government officers from many countries. Raphidophyte growth and mortality should be investigated to understand bloom dynamics. Raphidophytes were thought to be exclusively autotrophic organisms. However, several recent studies have revealed that raphidophytes are able to feed on heterotrophic and autotrophic bacteria, i.e. raphidophytes are mixotrophic algae. Further, high-resolution video microscopy has revealed the mechanism by which raphidophytes feed on bacteria, which involves capturing prey cells in the mucus excreted by mucocysts and engulfing the cells through mucocysts. These discoveries may influence the conventional view on both raphidophyte bloom dynamics and plankton energy flow and carbon cycling. In the present study, I review prey, feeding mechanisms, and ingestion rates of mixotrophic marine raphidophytes. In addition, I examine the ecological significance of raphidophyte mixotrophy.
ISSN:1066-5234
1550-7408
DOI:10.1111/j.1550-7408.2011.00550.x