Baltic Algae Research Articles

The Effect of Abiotic Factors on Abundance and Photosynthetic Performance of Airborne Cyanobacteria and Microalgae Isolated from the Southern Baltic Sea Region.

Cyanobacteria and microalgae present in the aquatic or terrestrial environment may be emitted into the air and transported along with air masses over long distances. As a result of staying in the atmosphere, these organisms may develop a greater tolerance to stressful factors, but this topic is still relatively unknown. The main aim was to show an autecological characteristic of some airborne microalgae and cyanobacteria strains by a factorial laboratory experiment approach, including changes in irradiance, temperature, and salinity conditions. The additional purpose of this work was also to present part of the Culture Collection of Baltic Algae (CCBA) collection, which consists of airborne algae (AA) isolated from the atmospheric air of the southern Baltic Sea region. Altogether, 61 strains of airborne cyanobacteria and microalgae from the southern Baltic Sea region were isolated from May 2018 to August 2020. Selected microorganisms were tested in controlled laboratory conditions to identify their response to different irradiance (10–190 µmol photons m−2 s−1), temperature (13–23 °C), and salinity conditions (0–36 PSU). The highest numbers of cells (above 30 × 105 cell mL−1) were recorded for cyanobacterium Nostoc sp., and for diatoms Nitzschia sp., Amphora sp., and Halamphora sp. We found that for cyanobacterium Nostoc sp. as well as for green alga Coccomyxa sp. the maximum cell concentrations were recorded at the salinity of 0 PSU. Moreover, cyanobacteria Planktolyngbya contorta, Pseudanabaena catenata, Leptolyngbya foveolarum, Gloeocapsa sp., and Rivularia sp. were able to grow only at a salinity of 0 PSU. On the other hand, in the range of 16–24 PSU, the highest cell numbers of examined diatoms have been identified. Our research provided that deposited airborne microalgae and cyanobacteria showed full colonization potential. The present experiment suggests that the adaptive abilities of microorganisms, in particular those producing toxins, may contribute to the spread in the future. Thus, it may increase human exposure to their negative health effects. Any distinctive adaptations of the genera give them an additional competitive advantage and a greater chance for territorial expansion.

Baltic Fucus vesiculosus as potential bio-sorbent for Zn removal: Mechanism insight

This research aimed to find the best phenotype of the brown algae Fucus vesiculosus (kelp) which has the greater potential to become a sorption byproduct for Zn removal from contaminated waters. Thus, the Zn uptake capacity and sorption mechanisms of the kelp collected from the Baltic Sea shore was, for the first time, investigated under various conditions, and compared to the phenotype habiting on the Irish Sea shore. Sorption studies were performed investigating the effect of algal dosage, Zn sources as well as algal harvesting time of the year on Zn uptake capacity. The results suggested that the Baltic algae is a better bio-sorbent for Zn uptake. Sorption mechanisms were studied by employing various indirect and direct approaches, more importantly, including high resolution synchrotron X-Ray Fluorescence and X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS) and molecular modelling (MM). The results revealed that alginate and cellulose are among the main polysaccharide bonding Zn at algal surface, via coordination with O atoms from carboxyl and hydroxyl groups. XAS results giving direct measurements of Zn bonding environment on algal surface are supported by MM outputs and suggested that Zn is surrounded by ca. 5 O atoms at interatomic distances varying from 1.94 to 2.02 Å. The results contribute to understanding sorption mechanisms which can further lead to finding the best eluent for Zn desorption from the used biomass, bio sorbent reconditioning and reuse in multiple sorption desorption cycles as well as process optimization before industrial scaling up.

Earth’s Rich Textures, Seen by Satellite

From the soaring peaks of the Himalayas to Baltic algae blooms, Earth-observing satellites showcase the breathtaking and seemingly tactile beauty of our planet.

Simultaneous determination of nine phytohormones in seaweed and algae extracts by HPLC-PDA.

An RP-HPLC-PDA method for the simultaneous analysis of 9 compounds deriving from the phytohormones class was developed and optimized, namely indoleacetic acid (IAA), indolebutyric acid (IBA), phenyleacetic acid (PAA), naphtyleacetic acid (NAA), trans-zeatin (TZ), kinetin (KA), isopentenyladenine (IA), 6-benzylaminopurine (6-BA) and abscisic acid (ABA). Validation of the method was performed on the SFE-CO2 extract made out of the mixture of Baltic algae. The regression coefficients for plant hormones were in the range from 0.997 to 0.999. The LOD and LOQ were on the levels from 0.05-0.29 and 0.15-0.88mg/L, respectively. Developed method was used for the separation and determination plant hormones in extracts obtained by SFE-CO2 (supercritical fluid extraction) made out of the mixture of Baltic algae, Cladophora glomerata and Spirulina sp. In the extract of Baltic seaweed 2 of tested compounds were present in the concentration of 154,45±20,63μg/g for TZ and 362,47±13,00μg/g for PAA, whereas in Cladophora glomerata extract contained PAA and IAA in the concentration of 229,30±7,90μg/g and 23,91±0,80μg/g, respectively (all values per g of extract). The differences in the hormones levels may occur due to the different scale of extract preparation (laboratory or industrial) and other factors like the place of algae collection, year of collection or the way of biomass preparation.

Evaluation of Supercritical Extracts of Algae as Biostimulants of Plant Growth in Field Trials.

The aim of the field trials was to determine the influence of supercritical algal extracts on the growth and development of winter wheat (variety Akteur). As a raw material for the supercritical fluid extraction, the biomass of microalga Spirulina plantensis, brown seaweed – Ascophyllum nodosum and Baltic green macroalgae was used. Forthial and Asahi SL constituted the reference products. It was found that the tested biostimulants did not influence statistically significantly the plant height, length of ear, and shank length. The ear number per m2 was the highest in the group where the Baltic macroalgae extract was applied in the dose 1.0 L/ha (statistically significant differences). Number of grains in ear (statistically significant differences) and shank length was the highest in the group treated with Spirulina at the dose 1.5 L/ha. In the group with Ascophyllum at the dose 1.0 L/ha, the highest length of ear was observed. The yield was comparable in all the experimental groups (lack of statistically significant differences). Among the tested supercritical extracts, the best results were obtained for Spirulina (1.5 L/ha). The mass of 1000 grains was the highest for extract from Baltic macroalgae and was 3.5% higher than for Asahi, 4.0% higher than for Forthial and 18.5% higher than for the control group (statistically significant differences). Future work is needed to fully characterize the chemical composition of the applied algal extracts. A special attention should be paid to the extracts obtained from Baltic algae because they are inexpensive source of naturally occurring bioactive compounds, which can be used in sustainable agriculture and horticulture.

Bioconversion of Baltic Seaweeds into Organic Compost

PurposeLarge quantities of green seaweeds, resulting from the eutrophication, are cast ashore on the beaches of Baltic Sea (Poland). There is a necessity to collect this biomass and dispose in a cost-effective and environmental-friendly method. In the present paper, preliminary study on the possibility of composting of Baltic algae is described. After 8 weeks, algal compost and compost extract were produced. The obtained bio-products are expected to enhance plant growth and crop yield since seaweeds are known to be rich in macro- and microelement nutrients, amino acids, vitamins and plant growth promoting substances.MethodsThe obtained compost and compost extract were characterized in terms of the content of micro- and macroelements and toxic metals. The phytotoxicity of products were then biologically evaluated in germination tests on garden cress (Lepidium sativum) and radish (Raphanus sativus). In the control group, both plant species were watered with distilled water. After the experiment, dry weight of the cultivated plants was measured. Moreover, yield and the content of and micro- and macronutrients in plants was determined.ResultsResults showed that there were no phytotoxic effects in both cases and the addition of compost and extract increased the plant growth. The difference in weight for both plants between the examined groups was insignificant. The biomass of plants fertilized with the algal compost and extract was biofortified in micro- and macroelements (in particular B, Fe, Cu, Zn, Ca, K, S).ConclusionsAccording to these results, composting is a useful technology both to solve waste disposal problems and to produce a valuable organic fertilizer. This could help to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and improve physicochemical properties of the soil and to increase the plant growth.

Baltic sea algae analysis using Bayesian spatial statistics methods

Spatial statistics is one of the fields in statistics dealing with spatialy spread data analysis. Recently, Bayes methods are often applied for data statistical analysis. A spatial data model for predicting algae quantity in the Baltic Sea is made and described in this article. Black Carrageen is a dependent variable and depth, sand, pebble, boulders are independent variables in the described model. Two models with different covariation functions (Gaussian and exponential) are built to estimate the best model fitting for algae quantity prediction. Unknown model parameters are estimated and Bayesian kriging prediction posterior distribution is computed in OpenBUGS modeling environment by using Bayesian spatial statistics methods.

Identification of diatom isolates from the Gulf of Gdańsk: testing of species identifications using morphology, 18S rDNA sequencing and DNA barcodes of strains from the Culture Collection of Baltic Algae (CCBA)

Abstract Eighteen strains of diatoms isolated from different phytoplankton and microphytobenthic assemblages in the Gulf of Gdańsk (Baltic Sea, Poland) and maintained at the Culture Collection of Baltic Algae (CCBA) were investigated for their species identifications. The latter were tested by phylogenetic analyses of nearly full 18S rDNA sequences as well as through sequence comparisons of 5.8S+ITS2 rDNA fragments for use as DNA barcode. The planktonic species were readily identified as a member of the Cyclotella meneghiniana species complex and Skeletonema marinoi, respectively, by both 18S phylogenies and DNA barcoding. In contrast, for the pennate diatom strains the suitability of DNA sequence comparisons for species identification appeared to be still rather limited. Only one strain could be identified to the species level (Navicula gregaria) using DNA barcodes, and no closest relative barcode sequences were available for the other strains. The 18S rDNA phylogenies supported species identification for only one strain (Bacillaria cf. paxillifera). In all other pennate strains identification was only possible to the genus level. Because for most species identified by morphology no closest neighbouring 18S rDNA sequences were available, the CCBA strains may serve as references to represent certain species which have been well characterized by morphology, 18S rDNA sequence analyses and DNA barcodes. Relatively high 18S rDNA differences between pairs of strains of Fistulifera saprophila and Navicula perminuta indicated that each species may represent a complex of several cryptic species. In contrast, the five isolates of Nitzschia microcephala had identical sequences as well as the two isolates of Nitzschia cf. fonticola. With the addition of new species to the 18S rDNA phylogeny of pennate raphid diatoms, the monophyly of the genera Fistulifera, Haslea and Navicula s.str. were confirmed, while Nitzschia appeared paraphyletic. The traditional family Naviculaceae was paraphyletic, in agreement with previous phylogenetic studies.

The Baltic Algae Watch System - a remote sensing application for monitoring cyanobacterial blooms in the Baltic Sea

Nowcasting of harmful algal blooms is important both for the public and for environmental management purposes. In the Baltic Sea summer blooms of nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria are regular phenomena but the past years intense and widespread blooms have caused major environmental concern due to its nuisance, increased nitrogen input and toxicity. The Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute have developed a monitoring application that use satellite data to detect blooms and that assembles essential sources of information at one website. A supervised classifications algorithm has been applied to NOAA-AVHRR data during 1997-2006 and the dataset collected has been evaluated and analyzed. Subsequently, definitions of normalized bloom duration, extent and intensity have been developed to enable comparison between different years. Results suggest that the most intense blooms during 1997-2006 were recorded in 2006, while both 2005 and 2006 had the longest duration. The largest extent was noted in 1998. The experience from the 10 years of monitoring has shown that the combination of satellite imagery, observations, forecasts and tools assembled at one website, is a powerful nowcasting tool for monitoring and prediction of cyanobacterial blooms.

Culture Collection of Baltic Algae (CCBA) and characteristic of some strains by factorial experiment approach

Culture Collection of Baltic Algae (CCBA) and characteristic of some strains by factorial experiment approach

Marine toxicity assessment of imidazolium ionic liquids: Acute effects on the Baltic algae Oocystis submarina and Cyclotella meneghiniana

Interest in ionic liquids for their potential in different chemical processes is increasing, as they are claimed to be environmentally benign and are very good non-volatile solvents for a wide range of applications. With regard to their physical and chemical characteristics, the properties of ionic liquids can be modified over a wide range because the cation's fine structure and the anion's identity can be altered. Since millions of ion combinations are possible it is of the highest importance to outline rational guidelines to develop technologically suitable but also environmentally harmless ionic liquids. This paper presents the results of a preliminary assessment of the toxicity of selected imidazolium ionic liquids towards marine algae. The selection of chemical entities was based on the t-SAR approach (thinking in terms of structure–activity relationships) focusing on the length (C 2 < R1 < C 6) or type (aliphatic–aromatic) of the side chain whereas head group (imidazolium) remained the same. The acute effect of ionic liquids was measured using the green alga Oocystis submarina and the diatom Cyclotella meneghiniana inhabiting the southern Baltic Sea. Standard algal testing procedures revealed significant differences in the responses of the two species. O. submarina appeared to acclimatize to the lower concentrations used: after ca. 5 days their ability to grow recovered, and initial densities were eventually restored. In the case of C. meneghiniana, growth in batch cultures was effectively inhibited throughout the experiment regardless of the ionic liquid concentration applied. Additionally, it was found that at higher salinities, the toxicity of 1-butyl- and 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium entities towards O. submarina was significantly lower than at low salinities.

Recent evolution in Baltic Fucus vesiculosus: reduced tolerance to emersion stresses compared to intertidal (North Sea) populations

The Baltic is a young, brackish and non-tidal sea, supporting an impoverished marine flora compared with adjacent open coastal areas. Populations of the normally intertidal brown alga Fucus vesiculosus L. are permanently submerged in the Baltic. We tested the hypothesis that these populations have evolved a reduced ability to withstand water-stresses caused by aerial exposure (desiccation and freezing), relative to adjacent intertidal populations in the North Sea. Desiccation and freezing tolerance were compared using chlorophyll fluorescence to monitor photosynthetic sta- tus during stress and recovery. To control for the influence of growth salinity on stress tolerance, the experimental material consisted of either adult algae cross-acclimated at Baltic and North Sea salin- ities (6.5 and 20 to 24 practical salinity units (psu), respectively), or juveniles from both populations grown in the Baltic from embryos (submersed, 6.5 psu). Baltic algae were less able to recover maxi- mum photochemical yield (Fv/Fm) after freezing at -15°C than North Sea algae, and neither acclima- tion (adults) or growth salinity (juveniles) accounted for between-population differences. During des- iccation at 5°C, differences in the response of variable fluorescence (Fv), as well as in initial fluorescence (F0) and Fv during recovery, indicated that impaired photoprotective processes may con- tribute to the inability of Baltic algae to fully recover Fv/Fm after stress, in contrast to North Sea algae which displayed dynamic and rapidly recoverable reductions of Fv/Fm. Subsequent desiccation experiments during the summer (at 25°C) showed that, relative to North Sea algae, the effective pho- tochemical yield (ΔF/Fm') of Baltic algae started to decline at lower tissue-water content (TWC) and recovered less completely after a return to seawater. A critical TWC of ca 10% for Baltic populations was identified, below which ΔF/Fm' did not fully recover. In addition, Baltic algae were less able to regain initial TWC during recovery. These results indicate that, in ca 7500 yr since the recruitment of the present marine flora to the Baltic, F. vesiculosus has evolved reduced tolerance to emersion stresses compared to adjacent intertidal populations.

Polonium, uranium and plutonium in the southern Baltic ecosystem

This paper presents the results of the measurement of polonium, uranium and plutonium alpha radio-nuclides in seawater and biota of the southern Baltic ecosystem as well as the recognition of their accumulation processes in the trophic chain. Investigation of the polonium210Po and plutonium239+240Pu concentrations in Baltic biota revealed that these radionuclides are strongly accumulated by some species. Mean values of the bioconcentration factor (BCF) fell within the range 9·102 to 3.7·104. The Baltic Sea algae, benthic animals and fish concentrated uranium radioisotopes only to a small extent and mean BCF values for this element range from 1 to 55, which is several orders of magnitude lower than that for polonium and plutonium. Moreover, it was found that Baltic fish constitute an important source of polonium210Po for humans.

The Influence of Gibberellins and Cytokinins on the Growth of Some Unicellular Baltic Algae

The Influence of Gibberellins and Cytokinins on the Growth of Some Unicellular Baltic Algae

Recent evolutionary changes in the algae of the Baltic Sea

A decrease in salinity and temperature over the past 3000 years has presented the marine algae of the Baltic Sea with very considerable problems in adaptation. The effects of salinity upon a number of Baltic algae have been measured. The results showed cell mortality to be severe in 0, 68 and 102‰, and minimal in 6 and 11‰: there was most variation in tolerance to 34 and 51‰. The salt tolerances of Baltic marine algae have proved more hyposaline than those of British intertidal algae. Water uptake and loss in tissues of Chorda filum and Fucus vesiculosus from Baltic and British populations have been measured in response to salinity changes. The results revealed significant population differences in both live and killed tissues. Receptacle development and oogonial maturation have been observed in Baltic and British F. vesiculosus, and found to differ in seasonality. Some observations were associated with local sea temperatures but differences in the timing of receptacle initiation and in oogonial size were not. Th depauperate thallus, commonly ascribed to the effects of low salinity, was found to be a complicated phenomenon, comprising numerous attributes which are combined differently in different taxa. The morphological differences between Baltic and British marine algae were usually striking. The marine algae of the Baltic Sea have therefore diverged in a number of ways from their N. Atlantic counterparts. The naturally high variability of these taxa has enabled them to survive the period of increasingly strong selection pressure which followed the Littorina Sea episode. Divergence seems not to have advanced to the point where speciation may be said to have occurred. The Baltic may therefore be contrasted with the much older Mediterranean Sea, which contains a large number of endemic species. Nevertheless, the Baltic is a site of very considerable evolutionary importance.

Oxidation and Accumulation of Benzo(a)pyrene in the Presence of the Baltic Algae

AbstractIn batch experiments with 0.5 nM benzo(a)pyrene in artificial sea water there are investigated the distribution and degradation of benzopyrene in the presence of various plants: Cladophora glomerata, Enteromorpha intestinalis, Fucus vesiculosus and Chara aspera (in each case 10 … 20 g/l dry weight). The conversion of benzopyrene in the presence of the plants is considerably promoted compared with the pure autoxidation, except in the presence of Fucus. Obviously, there prevails initially the accumulation of benzopyrene in the biomass. Whereas for Fucus even after 10 d still 89% of benzopyrene can be detected in the biomass, in the other species a degradation of benzopyrene in the biomass takes place, the respective oxidation products as diols, quinones and phenols being detected in the biomass in proportionately higher concentrations. With the exception of Fucus, the degradation of benzopyrene comes up to 40 … 60% within a period of 5 … 6d with the other species tested.