A shift in the dominant toxin-producing algal species in central California alters phycotoxins in food webs

Jester, Rozalind; Lefebvre, Kathi A.; Langlois, Gregg W.; Vigilant, Veronica L.; Baugh, Keri A.; Silver, Mary W.

doi:10.1016/j.hal.2008.07.001

Cited by 75 publications

(65 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…Based on the observed conditions prior to the marine bird mortality events in 2009, we determined thresholds of τ y to proxy upwelling and onshore transport favourable conditions, and significant wave height to model hydrodynamic disturbance. These thresholds were compared to the recorded environmental conditions from 1998 to 2015 in the August to November time period, which coincides with the timing of the seabird MMEs and more frequent dinoflagellate blooms (Jester et al 2009, Du et al 2011.…”

Section: Environmental Conditions and Bloom Landfallmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mass mortality of marine birds in the Northeast Pacific caused by Akashiwo sanguinea

Jones¹,

Parrish²,

Punt³

et al. 2017

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are dense concentrations of phytoplankton that can have deleterious effects on marine life. We documented two of the largest marine bird mortality events ever definitively ascribed to a single HAB, the cause of which was death resulting from plumage fouling by surfactant-like proteins produced by the dinoflagellate Akashiwo sanguinea. The two mortality events were observed along the coast of Washington State in September and October 2009, collectively representing an estimated deposition of 10 500 carcasses, of which the majority were surf scoters, white-winged scoters and common murres. Each mortality event was coincident in space and time with observed bloom landfall, with each event preceded by a similar chain of environmental conditions. Prior to each event, the presence of A. sanguinea and upwelling-favourable conditions likely led to bloom proliferation. In both cases, this period was followed by conditions that transported the senescent bloom into the nearshore environment, whereupon subsequent wave action lysed A. sanguinea cells, creating foam that contained surfactant-like compounds. This sequence of conditions, exacerbated by the presence of aggregations of marine birds in wing moult, appear to be the necessary requirements for marine bird mortality of this scale due to foam-induced plumage fouling. This mechanism of HAB-induced mortality may become more prevalent in the California Current System given the apparent increasing occurrence of HABs and the broad environmental tolerances exhibited by A. sanguinea.

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Section: Environmental Conditions and Bloom Landfallmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mass mortality of marine birds in the Northeast Pacific caused by Akashiwo sanguinea

Jones¹,

Parrish²,

Punt³

et al. 2017

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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“…High dinoflagellate biomass during this period was not just a local phenomenon for the inshore region of the southern CCE. Dominant toxin-producing algal species in central California shifted from diatoms to dinoflagellates (Jester et al, 2009), and there were also reports of reduced zooplankton biomass, reduced seabird fecundity and altered marine mammal foraging in more northern waters (Peterson et al, 2006;Sydeman et al, 2006;Weise et al, 2006). Additionally, northern anchovy densities decreased significantly from 2005 to 2006 off the Oregon and Washington coast, and fatty acid biomarkers of northern anchovy, Pacific herring and whitebait smelt indicated that the food web in 2005 was mainly based on dinoflagellates, switching back to diatoms in 2006 (Litz, 2008;Litz et al, 2008).…”

Section: Community Compositionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temporal and spatial patterns of microbial community biomass and composition in the Southern California Current Ecosystem

Taylor

Landry

Selph

et al. 2015

Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography

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a b s t r a c tAs part of the California Current Ecosystem Long Term Ecological Research (CCE-LTER) Program, samples for epifluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry (FCM) were collected at ten 'cardinal' stations on the California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations (CalCOFI) grid during 25 quarterly cruises from 2004 to 2010 to investigate the biomass, composition and size-structure of microbial communities within the southern CCE. Based on our results, we divided the region into offshore, and inshore northern and southern zones. Mixed-layer phytoplankton communities in the offshore had lower biomass (16 7 2 μg C L � 1 ; all errors represent the 95% confidence interval), smaller size-class cells and biomass was more stable over seasonal cycles. Offshore phytoplankton biomass peaked during the winter months. Mixed-layer phytoplankton communities in the northern and southern inshore zones had higher biomass (78722 and 32 79 μg C L � 1 , respectively), larger size-class cells and stronger seasonal biomass patterns. Inshore communities were often dominated by micro-size (20-200 μm) diatoms; however, autotrophic dinoflagellates dominated during late 2005 to early 2006, corresponding to a year of delayed upwelling in the northern CCE. Biomass trends in mid and deep euphotic zone samples were similar to those seen in the mixed-layer, but with declining biomass with depth, especially for larger size classes in the inshore regions. Mixed-layer ratios of autotrophic carbon to chlorophyll a (AC:Chl a) had a mean value of 51.57 5.3. Variability of nitracline depth, bin-averaged AC:Chl a in the mixed-layer ranged from 40 to 80 and from 22 to 35 for the deep euphotic zone, both with significant positive relationships to nitracline depth. Total living microbial carbon, including auto-and heterotrophs, consistently comprised about half of particulate organic carbon (POC).

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“…A recent shift in the dominant phycotoxin producers in northern Monterey Bay, from diatoms toward dinoflagellates, has been documented (Jester et al 2009). …”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Harmful phytoplankton ecology studies using an autonomous molecular analytical and ocean observing network

Ryan

Greenfield

et al. 2011

Limnology & Oceanography

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Using autonomous molecular analytical devices embedded within an ocean observatory, we studied harmful algal bloom (HAB) ecology in the dynamic coastal waters of Monterey Bay, California. During studies in 2007 and 2008, HAB species abundance and toxin concentrations were quantified periodically at two locations by Environmental Sample Processor (ESP) robotic biochemistry systems. Concurrently, environmental variability and processes were characterized by sensors co-located with ESP network nodes, regional ocean moorings, autonomous underwater vehicle surveys, and satellite remote sensing. The two locations differed in their longterm average physical and biological conditions and in their degree of exposure to episodic wind-forced variability. While anomalously weak upwelling and strong stratification during the 2007 study favored toxigenic dinoflagellates (Alexandrium catenella), anomalously strong upwelling during the 2008 study favored toxigenic diatoms (Pseudo-nitzschia spp.). During both studies, raphidophytes (Heterosigma akashiwo) were detected within a similar range of concentrations, and they reached higher abundances at the relatively sheltered, stratified site. During 2008, cellular domoic acid reached higher concentrations and was far more variable at the shallower ESP node, where phytoplankton populations were influenced by resuspended sediments. Episodic variability caused by wind forcing, lateral mixing, internal waves, and subsurface phytoplankton layers influenced ESP detection patterns. The results illustrate the importance of mobilizing HAB detection on autonomous platforms that can intelligently target sample acquisition as a function of environmental conditions and biological patch encounter.

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A shift in the dominant toxin-producing algal species in central California alters phycotoxins in food webs

Cited by 75 publications

References 37 publications

Mass mortality of marine birds in the Northeast Pacific caused by Akashiwo sanguinea

Mass mortality of marine birds in the Northeast Pacific caused by Akashiwo sanguinea

Temporal and spatial patterns of microbial community biomass and composition in the Southern California Current Ecosystem

Harmful phytoplankton ecology studies using an autonomous molecular analytical and ocean observing network

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