Photosynthetic picoeukaryote assemblages in （光合picoeukaryote组合在）.pdf

Vol. 71: 271–284, 2014 AQUATIC MICROBIAL ECOLOGY Published online February 14 doi: 10.3354/ame01681 Aquat Microb Ecol Photosynthetic picoeukaryote assemblages in the South China Sea from the Pearl River estuary to the SEATS station Wenxue Wu, Bangqin Huang*, Chao Zhong Key Laboratory of Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, Ministry of Education / State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, PR China ABSTRACT: Photosynthetic picoeukaryotes (PPEs) can be important primary producers in the oli- gotrophic ocean and coastal waters at certain times of the year. In this study, we investigated the abundance and biodiversity of picoplankton, focusing on PPEs in the South China Sea (SCS) from the Pearl River estuary to SCS basin in January 2010, when the northeast monsoon prevailed. PPE abundance was quantified using fluorescent in situ hybridization associated tyramide signal amplification, and the biodiversity at 5 selected stations was determined using small subunit ribo- somal RNA gene (18S rDNA) clone libraries. Our results showed that PPEs were most abundant in the Pearl River estuary (up to 8500 cells ml−1), and that mamiellophycean picoplanktonic green algae, such as Micromonas, Ostreococcus and Bathycoccus, showed peaks of abundance in slope or coastal waters. The 18S rDNA phylogeny revealed that most of the PPEs belonged to prasino- phytes, affiliating to 4 clades (Clade IX, Clade V, Clade VII, and Mamiellophyceae). Phytoplank- ton pigment analysis clearly showed the difference in picophytoplankton community structure along