Spatial distribution of cysts of the noxious red tide flagellates
Chattonella (Raphidophyceae) in bottom sediments were investigated in the Eastern Seto Inland Sea (Harima-Nada, Osaka-Bay and Kii-Suido, 70-72 stations), in both May 1988 and May 1989. Densities of the cysts in sediments (0-3cm in depth) were enumerated by the direct count method (for total living cysts) and the extinction dilution method (for germinable cysts). The cysts were widely detected in the whole area of the Eastern Seto Inland Sea (0-1, 503 total living cysts/cm
3•wet sediment). In these two years, high concentration areas of
Chattonella cysts were noticed in northern to eastern middle parts of Harima-Nada, the eastern part of Osaka-Bay, and middle to western parts of Kii-Suido. Local hydrographic and sedimentary conditions presumably account for the condensed deposition of the cysts in these areas. Mean densities of total living cysts between the two years showed little difference in Harima-Nada (201 and 238/cm
3) and Osaka-Bay (62 and 79/cm
3), whereas the total living cysts decreased about 1/2 in Kii-Suido (from 425 to 198/cm
3). Mean densities of germinable cysts decreased <1/2 in Harima-Nada (from 100 to 45/cm
3), Osaka-Bay (from 30 to 13/cm
3), and Kii-Suido (from 107 to 25/cm
3). The percentage of germinable cysts to total living cysts also decreased in each area (Harima-Nada: from 50% to 19%, Osaka-Bay: from 49% to 16%, Kii-Suido: from 25% to 13%) between the two years. The correlation between total living cyst abundance and germinability of the cysts was not significant in either year. The red tide of
Chattonella was observed in August 1987, whereas it did not occur in the summer of 1988. The results of this study suggest that the abundance of vegetative cells in the preceding year affects the proportion of germinable cysts to total living cysts in the following summer.
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