Diatom populations in an upwelling environment decrease silica content to avoid growth limitation.

ABSTRACT: A mix of adaptive strategies enable diatoms to sustain rapid growth in dynamic ocean regions, making diatoms one of the most productive primary producers in the world. We illustrate one such strategy off coastal California that facilitates continued, high, cell division rates despite silicic acid stress. Using a fluorescent dye to measure single-cell diatom silica production rates, silicification (silica per unit area) and growth rates we show diatoms decrease silicification and maintain growth rate when silicon concentration limits silica production rates. While this physiological response to silicon stress was similar across taxa, in situ silicic acid concentration limited silica production rates by varying degrees for taxa within the same community. Despite this variability among taxa,

SUBMITTER: McNair HM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6242762 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature