California Current Ecosystem LTER

Picoplankton and Bacteria Abundance (CalCOFI Cruise)

Title
Picophytoplankton and bacteria abundances analyzed with flow cytometry (FCM) from CCE-CalCOFI Augmented cruises in the California Current System, 2004 - 2019 (ongoing).

Abstract
Picophytoplankton populations and non-pigmented prokaryotes are sampled within the California Current Ecosystem (CCE) for abundances from 3 to 8 depths at CalCOFI stations. Seawater is collected from Niskin bottles and cells are fixed in the field aboard the survey cruises (since 2004, ongoing) with paraformaldehyde, and stained with a DNA-specific dye back in the laboratory. The cells are enumerated by an Altra flow cytometer (with a syringe pump for volumetric sample delivery) simultaniously with argon ion lasers, to distinguish three major populations of photoautotrophs (Prochlorococcus, Synechococcus, and pico-eukaryotes) and the assemblage of heterotrophic prokaryotes collectively referred to as H-Bact.

Keywords
marine, ecology, phytoplankton, bacteria, bacterial abundance, flow cytometry

LTER Data System Record
http://dx.doi.org/10.6073/pasta/292b1e12b7b4bcb6c0e69a3d57a85bda
Projects
California Current Ecosystem LTER

Creators
Landry, Michael (mlandry@ucsd.edu)

Contact
CCE LTER Information Manager (ccelter.im@gmail.com)

Data

table PicoplanktonandBacteriaAbundance
Main data table for dataset
Rows: 12792
Columns: 15
View / Download

Methods


General Methods
including auto- and heterotrophic bacteria and protists, will be determined from flow cytometric (FCM) and microscopical methods as used in the Hawaii Ocean Time-series Program. Picoplankton samples (2 ml) will be preserved (paraformaldehyde, 0.5% final) and frozen in liquid N2. At the SOEST Flow Cytometry Facility (Univ. Hawaii), these samples will be stained with Hoescht 33342 (Monger & Landry 1993) and analyzed with a Beckman-Coulter EPICS Altra flow cytometer with dual lasers. This system distinguishes populations of Prochlorococcus, Synechococcus, heterotrophic prokaryotes, picoeukaryotic algae by differences in light scatter and fluorescence emission. All samples are spiked with fluorescent beads to normalize fluorescence and scattering properties. Correction Factors: preservative 0.95; run volume: 0.10; coincidence: 0.82