Aspects of the biology of resting spores of Thalassiosira nordenskioeldii and Detonula confervacea

Abstract

Large numbers of resting spores of Thalassiosira nordenskioeldii Cleve and Detonula confervacea (Cleve) Gran were produced when these species were grown at low levels of ammonia and nitrate. The production of resting spores by T. nordenskioeldii was inversely related to temperature. At 0° and 5°C between 68 and 96% of the total cells were resting spores, while at 15°C resting spores were not produced. Resting spores of both species would not survive 7 days in the dark at 20°C. At 0°, 5°, 10° and 15°C, the length of time that the resting spores of both T. nordenskioeldii and D. confervacea remained viable was inversely related to temperature. At 0°C, T. nordenskioeldii remained viable for 576 days. The data suggest that the production of resting spores by these two species does not aid them in the survival of unfavorably high temperatures such as are found in temperate estuaries during the summer. Rather, they appear to be an adaptation for the survival of long periods of darkness in polar regions.