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Mixotrophy in Red Tide Algae Raphidophytes 1
Author(s) -
JEONG HAE JIN
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of eukaryotic microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.067
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1550-7408
pISSN - 1066-5234
DOI - 10.1111/j.1550-7408.2011.00550.x
Subject(s) - biology , mixotroph , dinoflagellate , autotroph , plankton , algae , heterotroph , red tide , algal bloom , ecology , population , bloom , phytoplankton , bacteria , nutrient , demography , sociology , genetics
. Marine raphidophytes are common red tide organisms that are distributed worldwide. They are known to be harmful to other plankton and fish and have often caused large‐scale fish mortality in many countries. Thus, the population dynamics of raphidophytes is a critical concern for scientists, the aquaculture industry, and government officers from many countries. Raphidophyte growth and mortality should be investigated to understand bloom dynamics. Raphidophytes were thought to be exclusively autotrophic organisms. However, several recent studies have revealed that raphidophytes are able to feed on heterotrophic and autotrophic bacteria, i.e. raphidophytes are mixotrophic algae. Further, high‐resolution video microscopy has revealed the mechanism by which raphidophytes feed on bacteria, which involves capturing prey cells in the mucus excreted by mucocysts and engulfing the cells through mucocysts. These discoveries may influence the conventional view on both raphidophyte bloom dynamics and plankton energy flow and carbon cycling. In the present study, I review prey, feeding mechanisms, and ingestion rates of mixotrophic marine raphidophytes. In addition, I examine the ecological significance of raphidophyte mixotrophy.