This dataset contains data on the cellular elemental contents (carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus) of the phytoplankton species Rhodomonas salina grown in nitrogen limited and phosphorus limited conditions. These two phytoplankton qualities were offered as food to the heterotrophic dinoflagellate Oxyrrhis marina. The resulting cellular elemental contents of the dinoflagellates are also included for a stavation period of up to 78 h, as well as the cellular lipid content and respiration rate of O. marina fed with nitrogen limited or phosphorus limited R. salina, before being starved for 24 h or up to 48 h, respectively. To highlight possible differences in the source of energy used by differently preconditioned O. marina, we determined total lipid content following Urzua and Anger (2011).
Since 1962 phytoplankton and microzooplankton composition are monitored every weekday at the station Kabeltonne (54°11.3′N, 7°54.0′E) as part of the Helgoland Roads long term data series. This data set contains the total abundance of the wider taxonomic groups bacillariophyceae, and dinophyceae of the phytoplankton community observed in 1962. Additional meta-information and further documentation are also provided in the section Documentation.
Molecular probes of high specificity to the microflora of selected dinoflagellate species will be produced, in order to supplement the use of traditional microbial culture techniques in monitoring the progress of various treatments in removing dinoflagellate-associated bacteria. Depending on the success of the latter either axenic dinoflagellate cultures or those which have a limited defined bacterial population will be used to determine the influence of bacteria on toxin production of dinoflagellates. The techniques developed will also be utilised to determine the influence of natural bacterial populations on dinoflagellate toxicity. The work will be supplemented with TEM, confocal microscopy and flow cytometry, to determine the physical association of bacteria at different stages of the dino flagellates life cycle. The influence of bacteria on shellfish toxicity either through direct toxification or the ability to metabolie the PST toxins will also be evaluated. The frequency of occurrence of these bacteria in the environment and potential relevance to toxic events will also be determined.