The ecological stoichiometry of toxins produced by harmful cyanobacteria: an experimental test of the carbonnutrient balance hypothesis

Autor: Waal, D.B. Van de, Verspagen, J.M.H., Lurling, M., Donk, E. van, Visser, P.M., Huisman, J.
Přispěvatelé: Aquatic Microbiology (IBED, FNWI), Foodweb Studies, Aquatic Ecology (AqE)
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2009
Předmět:
Zdroj: Ecology Letters, 12(2), 1326-1335
Ecology Letters, 12(12), 1326-1335. Wiley-Blackwell
Ecology Letters, 12, 1326-1335
Ecology Letters 12 (2009) 2
Ecology Letters, 12, 12, pp. 1326-1335
ISSN: 1461-023X
Popis: The elemental composition of primary producers reflects the availability of light, carbon and nutrients in their environment. According to the carbon-nutrient balance hypothesis, this has implications for the production of secondary metabolites. To test this hypothesis, we investigated a family of toxins, known as microcystins, produced by harmful cyanobacteria. The strain Microcystis aeruginosa HUB 5-2-4, which produces several microcystin variants of different N:C stoichiometry, was cultured in chemostats supplied with various combinations of nitrate and CO2. Excess supply of both nitrogen and carbon yielded high cellular N:C ratios accompanied by high cellular contents of total microcystin and the nitrogen-rich variant microcystin-RR. Comparable patterns were found in Microcystis-dominated lakes, where the relative microcystin-RR content increased with the seston N:C ratio. In total, our results are largely consistent with the carbon-nutrient balance hypothesis, and warn that a combination of rising CO2 and nitrogen enrichment will affect the microcystin composition of harmful cyanobacteria.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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