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Azimuthal inhomogeneity in the forward light scattered from microalgal colonies, and its use as a morphological indicator in flow cytometry
Author(s) -
Buonaccorsi Giovanni,
Cunningham Alexander
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
limnology and oceanography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.7
H-Index - 197
eISSN - 1939-5590
pISSN - 0024-3590
DOI - 10.4319/lo.1990.35.5.1170
Subject(s) - scattering , azimuth , light scattering , optics , forward scatter , algae , flow (mathematics) , biology , diatom , phytoplankton , physics , biological system , botany , ecology , mechanics , nutrient
The forward scattering of laser illumination by colonial freshwater algae was studied by microscopy and flow cytometry. The scattering patterns generated by Pandorina morum (which forms globular clusters) and Oscillatoria redekei (which forms extended filaments) differ significantly in their azimuthal distribution of light intensity. They provide a means of distinguishing between the two species that is relatively insensitive to intraspecific variations in colony size. The discrimination technique was implemented in a flow cytometer with four photodiodes positioned in the forward‐scattering region: the two species can be distinguished at throughput rates of up to 1,000 colonies s −1 . We conclude that azimuthally resolved scattering measurements can be used to derive shape‐dependent cytometric parameters suitable for incorporation in automated, multivariate analysis of phytoplankton samples.