Allelopathic activity of the picocyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. on unicellular eukaryote planktonic microalgae
Sylwia Śliwińska-Wilczewska A , Aldo Barreiro Felpeto B D , Jakub Maculewicz A , Amanda Sobczyk A , Vitor Vasconcelos B C and Adam Latała A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Division of Marine Ecosystems Functioning, Institute of Oceanography, University of Gdansk, Avenue Pilsudskiego 46, P-81-378 Gdynia, Poland.
B Interdisciplinary Center of Marine and Environmental Research–Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental (CIMAR/CIIMAR), University of Porto, Avenida General Norton de Matos s/n, PT-4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal.
C Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Porto University, Rua do Campo Alegre, PT-4069-007 Porto, Portugal.
D Corresponding author. Email: aldo.barreiro@gmail.com
Marine and Freshwater Research 69(9) 1472-1479 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF18024
Submitted: 20 January 2018 Accepted: 27 February 2018 Published: 4 June 2018
Abstract
The production and release of allelopathic compounds is an important adaptation by which some species of cyanobacteria can achieve a competitive advantage over other primary producers. In the present study we tested the allelopathic activity of the picocyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. against the following coexisting unicellular eukaryote microalgae: Porphyridium purpureum, Stichococcus bacillaris, Prymnesium parvum and Nitzschia dissipata. With these species, we covered a wide range of taxonomic groups. We demonstrated that both the addition of Synechococcus sp. cell-free filtrate and coculture inhibited the growth, chlorophyll content and photosynthetic rate of P. purpureum and S. bacillaris. Conversely, P. parvum, a well-known mixotroph, was positively affected by both Synechococcus sp. treatments. In contrast, N. dissipata was not affected by either the picocyanobacterial filtrate or coculture. These results suggest that the negative allelopathic effect is related to a reduction in the photosynthetic rate, and that Synechococcus sp. allelopathy should be taken into account in the interactions between picocyanobacteria and eukaryote competitors coexisting in a planktonic system.
Additional keywords: allelopathy, cyanobacterial bloom, growth, microalgae, picocyanobacteria.
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