• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.81-91
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• 2011

To understand the spatio-temporal fluctuations and ecological characteristics of heterotrophic dinoflagellate $Noctiluca$ $scintillans$, we investigated their population densities and environmental factors during four seasons at 20 stations of Gwangyang Bay and at 23 stations of Jinhae Bay in 2010. $N.$ $scintillans$ was seasonally abundant during spring and summer, with temperature ranging 15 to $27^{\circ}C$ in the both bays, whereas the density reduced in fall and winter. The populations of $N.$ $scintillans$ at each station in both bays showed a significantly positive relationship with water temperature, indicating that relatively high water temperature within its optimum temperature stimulates the growth of $N.$ $scintillans$ population. In particular, low water temperature (<$4^{\circ}C$) and salinity (<12 psu) led to disappear of $N.$ $scintillans$ population, although they were observed at all season in both bays. Spatio-temporal variations of Chl.$a$ concentration was not significantly correlated with $N.$ $scintillans$ population densities. However, the $Noctiluca$ abundances were also high during spring and summer season when relatively high Chl.$a$ concentration was observed in both bays. This result suggests that standing crops of phytoplankton may be one of important contributing factors to enhance the abundance of $N.$ $scintillans$.

• ALGAE
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.391-401
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• 2016

To develop an easy and rapid method of quantifying lipid contents of marine dinoflagellates, we quantified lipid contents of common dinoflagellate species using a colorimetric method based on the sulpho-phospho-vanillin reaction. In this method, the optical density measured using a spectrophotometer was significantly positively correlated with the known lipid content of a standard oil (Canola oil). When using this method, the lipid content of each of the dinoflagellates Alexandrium minutum, Prorocentrum micans, P. minimum, and Lingulodinium polyedrum was also significantly positively correlated with the optical density and equivalent intensity of color. Thus, when comparing the color intensity or the optical density of a sample of a microalgal species with known color intensities or optical density, the lipid content of the target species could be rapidly quantified. Furthermore, the results of the sensitivity tests showed that only $1-3{\times}10^5cells$ of P. minimum and A. minutum, $10^4cells$ of P. micans, and $10^3cells$ of L. polyedrum (approximately 1-5 mL of dense cultures) were needed to determine the lipid content per cell. When the lipid content per cell of 9 dinoflagellates, a diatom, and a chlorophyte was analyzed using this method, the lipid content per cell of these microalgae, with the exception of the diatom, were significantly positively correlated with cell size, however, volume specific lipid content per cell was negatively correlated with cell size. Thus, this sulpho-phospho-vanillin method is an easy and rapid method of quantifying the lipid content of autotrophic, mixotrophic, and heterotrophic dinoflagellate species.

• ALGAE
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.111-126
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• 2023

Mixotrophic dinoflagellates act as primary producers, prey, and predators in marine planktonic food webs, whereas exclusively autotrophic dinoflagellates are primary producers and prey. Species of the dinoflagellate genus Scrippsiella are commonly found in marine ecosystems and sometimes cause harmful red tides. Among the 28 formally described Scrippsiella species, S. acuminata has been found to be mixotrophic and two unidentified species have been found to be mixotrophic. To determine whether the other species in this genus are similarly mixotrophic, the mixotrophic ability of S. donghaiensis SDGJ1703, S. lachrymosa SLBS1703, S. masanensis SSMS0908, S. plana SSSH1009A, and S. ramonii VGO1053 was explored using 15 potential prey items, including 2-㎛ fluorescently labeled microspheres (FLM) and heterotrophic bacteria (FLB), the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp., and various microalgal prey species. The ability of S. acuminata to feed on FLM and FLB was also investigated. We found that S. donghaiensis, S. lachrymosa, S. masanensis, S. plana, and S. ramonii did not feed on any potential prey tested in this study, indicating a lack of mixotrophy. However, S. acuminata fed on both FLM and FLB, confirming its mixotrophic ability. These results lowered the proportion of mixotrophic species relative to the total number of tested Scrippsiella species for mixotrophy from 100% to 29-38%. Owing to its mixotrophic ability, S. acuminata occupies an ecological niche that is distinct from that of S. donghaiensis, S. lachrymosa, S. masanensis, S. plana, and S. ramonii.

• ALGAE
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.1-16
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• 2024

Many dinoflagellates produce bioluminescence. To estimate the intensity of bioluminescence produced by populations of the heterotrophic dinoflagellates Noctiluca scintillans and Polykrikos kofoidii and autotrophic dinoflagellate Alexandrium mediterraneum in Korean waters, we measured cellular bioluminescence intensity as a function of water temperature and calculated population bioluminescence intensity with cell abundances and water temperature. The mean 200-second-integrated bioluminescence intensity per cell (BL_cell) of N. scintillans satiated with the chlorophyte Dunaliella salina decreased continuously with increasing water temperature from 5 to 25℃. However, the BL_cell of P. kofoidii satiated with the mixotrophic dinoflagellate Alexandrium minutum continuously increased from 5 to 15℃ but decreased at temperatures exceeding this (to 30℃). Similarly, the BL_cell of A. mediterraneum continuously increased from 10 to 20℃ but decreased between 20 and 30℃. The difference between highest and lowest BL_cell of N. scintillans, P. kofoidii, and A. mediterraneum at the tested water temperatures was 3.5, 11.8, and 21.0 times, respectively, indicating that water temperature clearly affected BL_cell. The highest estimated population bioluminescence intensity (BL_popul) of N. scintillans in Korean waters in 1998-2022 was 4.22 × 10¹³ relative light unit per liter (RLU L^-1), which was 1,850 and 554,000 times greater than that of P. kofoidii and A. mediterraneum, respectively. This indicates that N. scintillans populations produced much brighter bioluminescence in Korean waters than the populations of P. kofoidii or A. mediterraneum.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.31-44
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• 2017

Pfiesteria piscicida is one of heterotrophic dinoflagellate having toxic metaboliges, and it is difficult to detect and quantify this dinoflagellate via light microscope due to small size and morphological similarity with Pfiesteria-like dinoflagellate (PLD) species. Alternatively, we developed quantitative real-time PCR assay based on EvaGreen and determined field accessibility throughout the investigation of distribution in the entire Korean coastal waters and population dynamics in Shihwa Lake. The P. piscicida-specific primers based on internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS 1) were designed and the specificity of primers was confirmed by PCR with other genomic DNAs which have genetic similarity with target species. Through real-time PCR assay, a standard curve which had a significant linear correlation between log cell number and $C_T$ value ($r^2{\geq}0.999$) and one informative melting peak ($88^{\circ}C$) were obtained. These results implies that developed real-time PCR can accurately detect and quantify P. piscicida. Throughout the field applications of real-time PCR assay, P. piscicida was distributed in western (Mokpo and Kimje) and easthern (Gangneng) Korean coastal water even though light microscopy failed to identify P. piscicida. In the investigation of population dynamics in Shihwa Lake, the density of P. piscicida was peaked in June, July and August 2007 at St. 1 where salinity (${\leq}15psu$) was lower than the other 2 sites. In this study, we successed to develop EvaGreen bassed real-time PCR for detection and quantification of P. piscicida in fields, so this developed assay will be useful for various ecological studies in the future.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.308-321
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• 2013

In order to understand the population dynamics of red tide dinoflagellate Noctiluca scintillans, we examined its hydrographical and bio-ecological characteristics at 19 to 20 stations of Gwangyang Bay during all four seasons from 2010 to 2012. During the 3-year period, N. scintillans was seasonally abundant during summer with water temperatures ranging from $15^{\circ}C$ to $22^{\circ}C$ and salinity ranging from 25 psu to 30 psu. On the other hand, N. scintillans population density significantly decreased in spring, fall and winter, although they were present even in lower temperatures (< $4^{\circ}C$). However, high water temperature (> $27^{\circ}C$) and low salinity (< 12 psu) led to the disappearance of N. scintillans population. Chl-a concentration in winter, spring and fall was positively correlated with N. scintillans population density, whereas the N. scintillans population was negatively correlated with Chl-a concentration in summer. This implies that densities of prey population such as diatoms are one of important contributing factor for maintaining abundance of N. scintillans in winter, spring and fall and for increasing abundance of N. scintillans in summer. During summer season, bio-accumulation of N. scintillans population by the wind from southwest is also considered to be a key factor in triggering the formation of large-scale blooms in Gwangyang Bay.

• ALGAE
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.137-152
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• 2014

Mixotrophic protists play diverse roles in marine food webs as predators and prey. Thus, exploring mixotrophy in phototrophic protists has emerged as a critical step in understanding marine food webs and cycling of materials in marine ecosystem. To investigate the feeding of newly described mixotrophic dinoflagellate Ansanella granifera, we explored the feeding mechanism and the different types of species that A. granifera was able to feed on. In addition, we measured the growth and ingestion rates of A. granifera feeding on the prasinophyte Pyramimonas sp., the only algal prey, as a function of prey concentration. A. granifera was able to feed on heterotrophic bacteria and the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. However, among the 12 species of algal prey offered, A. granifera ingested only Pyramimonas sp. A. granifera ingested the algal prey cell by engulfment. With increasing mean prey concentration, the growth rate of A. granifera feeding on Pyramimonas sp. increased rapidly, but became saturated at a concentration of $434ngCmL^{-1}$ (10,845 cells $mL^{-1}$). The maximum specific growth rate (i.e., mixotrophic growth) of A. granifera feeding on Pyramimonas sp. was $1.426d^{-1}$, at $20^{\circ}C$ under a 14 : 10 h light-dark cycle of $20{\mu}Em^{-2}s^{-1}$, while the growth rate (i.e., phototrophic growth) under similar light conditions without added prey was $0.391d^{-1}$. With increasing mean prey concentration, the ingestion rate of A. granifera feeding on Pyramimonas sp. increased rapidly, but slightly at the concentrations ${\geq}306ngCmL^{-1}$ (7,649 cells $mL^{-1}$). The maximum ingestion rate of A. granifera feeding on Pyramimonas sp. was 0.97 ng C $predator^{-1}d^{-1}$ (24.3 cells $grazer^{-1}d^{-1}$). The calculated grazing coefficients for A. granifera feeding on co-occurring Pyramimonas sp. were up to $2.78d^{-1}$. The results of the present study suggest that A. granifera can sometimes have a considerable grazing impact on the population of Pyramimonas spp.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.47 no.spc
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• pp.57-65
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• 2014

Spatial and temporal distributions of zooplankton were measured in an oligotrophic pumped storage-type hydroelectric reservoir which was composed of two reservoirs exchanging water daily, with water going up at night and going down during the day. Repetitive diel disturbance of the water column can be a unique feature of this reservoir system. Chl-${\alpha}$ concentration was highest in the early winter season. Phytoplankton density was lower in summer monsoon due to high flushing rate on rainy days. The zooplankton density was higher in the smaller upper reservoir possibly due to lower fish density in the upper reservoir. In the seasonal variation a time gap was observed between the phytoplankton bloom and the zooplankton bloom (particularly a rotifer, Keratella cochlearis). It is likely to that Keratella production is partially supported by heterotrophic food sources than phytoplankton. The dominance of a mixotrophic dinoflagellate (Peridinium bipes f. ocultatum) might have complicated the trophic relationship between phytoplankton and zooplankton. Our results provide some ecological information of zooplankton community in a highly disturbed alpine reservoir ecosystem relying on mostly allochthonous organic matter.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.2971-2977
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• 2015

This study aimed to understand the changes in microbial community after algicide dosing to control the fish-killing dinoflagellate Cochlodinium polykrikoides in 10L microcosm. Based on our microcosm experiments, the algicidal activity for C. polykrikoides of yellow clay at the concentrations of 4g and 10g per 10 L was < 20%. At $0.8{\mu}M$ concentration of thiazolidinedione(TD49), the population of C. polykrikoides was controlled to be > 85%. In microbial community, a significant increase in heterotrophic bacterial (HB) abundance was observed at day 1 in the TD49 and yellow clay treatments including control. The HB remained high for 2 days and then gradually decreased. In contrast, the abundance of heterotrophic nanoflagellates (HNFs) increased significantly on days 3 and 5 in the TD49 treatments, indicating that the decline in HB was probably a result of predation by the high density of HNFs. In addition, fluctuations in the aloricate ciliate Uronema sp., which feed on bacteria, was clearly correlated with fluctuations in HB abundance, with a lag period of 1-3 days. Therefore, the short-term responses of the HNF and Uronema sp. may have been a result of the rapidly increasing of HB abundance, which is related to degradation of the dense C. polykrikoides bloom, particularly in the TD49 treatment. In addition, large aloricate ciliate Euplotes sp. was significantly increased after reproduction of HNFs and Uronema sp. Consequently, the algicide TD49 had positive effect on the microbial communities, which indicates that the microbial loop was temporarily enhanced in the microcosm by energy flow from HB through HNFs to ciliate.

• Ocean Science Journal
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.49-59
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• 2008

To examine the population development of the dinoflagellates, Ceratium furca and Ceratium fusus, daily field monitoring was conducted between April and July 2003 in the temperate coastal water of Sagami Bay, Japan. During the study period, the concentrations of C. furca were always lower than those of C. fusus. A sharp increase in the densities of both species was recorded on 5 May showing the maximum cell concentrations (C. furca = $14,800\;cells\;L^{-1}$, C. fusus = $49,600\;cells\;L^{-1}$). In the 7 days prior to the May bloom of the Ceratium species (29 April to 1 May), the highest density of the heterotrophic dinoflagellate Noctiluca scintillans was observed. Additionally, a second bloom of C. fusus occurred on 22 July. Here, two causes of the significant increases in the Ceratium populations during the two blooming periods (first time; 1 to 8 May, second time; 15 to 22 July) are presented. First, an increase in the nutrients of the surface layer regenerated by the breakdown of blooms by N.scintillans could be considered as a major cause of the population increase of the two Ceratium species. Second, a decrease in salinity (to 27 psu) was correlated with the later bloom of C. fusus. These results suggest that the population development of the two Ceratium species requires nutrients regenerated after the reduction of the diatom population by N. scintillans and, for C. fusus, continuous low salinity conditions, compared to other environmental factors during the rainy season.