Freshwater Algae: Identification and Use as Bioindicators

279 Pages·2010·67.8 MB·English

by  Edward G. Bellinger

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Freshwater Algae
Freshwater Algae: Identification and Use as Bioindicators E dward G. Bellinger and David C. Sigee
© 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. ISBN: 978-0-470-05814-5
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Freshwater Algae
Identification and Use as Bioindicators
Edward G. Bellinger
Environmental Science and Policy, Central European University, Hungary
and
David C. Sigee
Manchester University, UK
A John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, Publication
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LibraryofCongressCataloguing-in-PublicationData
Bellinger,E.G.
Freshwateralgae:identificationanduseasbioindicators/EdwardG.BellingerandDavidC.Sigee.
p. cm.
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN978-0-470-05814-5(cloth)
1.Freshwateralgae. 2.Indicators(Biology). 3.Environmentalmonitoring. I.Sigee,D.C. II.Title.
QK570.25.B452010
579.8–dc22
2009052145
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Firstimpression2010
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Contents
Preface ix
CopyrightAcknowledgements xi
1 IntroductiontoFreshwaterAlgae 1
1.1 Generalintroduction 1
1.1.1 Algae–anoverview 1
1.1.2 Algaeasprimaryproducers 2
1.1.3 Freshwaterenvironments 3
1.1.4 Planktonicandbenthicalgae 3
1.1.5 Sizeandshape 4
1.2 Taxonomicvariation–themajorgroupsofalgae 5
1.2.1 Microscopicalappearance 8
1.2.2 Biochemistryandcellstructure 9
1.2.3 Molecularcharacterizationandidentification 9
1.3 Blue-greenalgae 12
1.3.1 Cytology 12
1.3.2 Morphologicalandtaxonomicdiversity 13
1.3.3 Ecology 15
1.3.4 Blue-greenalgaeasbio-indicators 17
1.4 Greenalgae 17
1.4.1 Cytology 17
1.4.2 Morphologicaldiversity 17
1.4.3 Ecology 18
1.4.4 Greenalgaeasbioindicators 21
1.5 Euglenoids 21
1.5.1 Cytology 22
1.5.2 Morphologicaldiversity 22
1.5.3 Ecology 23
1.5.4 Euglenoidsasbioindicators 23
1.6 Yellow-greenalgae 23
1.6.1 Cytology 23
1.6.2 Morphologicaldiversity 24
1.6.3 Ecology 24
1.6.4 Yellow-greenalgaeasbioindicators 24
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1.7 Dinoflagellates 25
1.7.1 Cytology 25
1.7.2 Morphologicaldiversity 26
1.7.3 Ecology 27
1.8 Cryptomonads 28
1.8.1 Cytology 28
1.8.2 Comparisonwitheuglenoidalgae 29
1.8.3 Biodiversity 29
1.8.4 Ecology 30
1.8.5 Cryptomonadsasbioindicators 30
1.9 Chrysophytes 31
1.9.1 Cytology 31
1.9.2 Morphologicaldiversity 31
1.9.3 Ecology 32
1.9.4 Chrysophytesasbioindicators 32
1.10 Diatoms 33
1.10.1 Cytology 33
1.10.2 Morphologicaldiversity 35
1.10.3 Ecology 38
1.10.4 Diatomsasbioindicators 39
1.11 Redalgae 40
1.12 Brownalgae 40
2 Sampling,BiomassEstimationandCountsofFreshwaterAlgae 41
A. PLANKTONICALGAE 41
2.1 Protocolforcollection 41
2.1.1 Standingwaterphytoplankton 42
2.1.2 Riverphytoplankton 46
2.2 Modeofcollection 46
2.2.1 Phytoplanktontrawlnet 46
2.2.2 Volumesamplers 48
2.2.3 Integratedsampling 49
2.2.4 Sedimenttraps 50
2.3 Phytoplanktonbiomass 51
2.3.1 Turbidity 51
2.3.2 Dryweightandash-freedryweight 53
2.3.3 Pigmentconcentrations 53
2.4 Flowcytometry:automatedanalysisofphytoplanktonpopulations 60
2.5 Microscopecountsofspeciespopulations 61
2.5.1 Samplepreservationandprocessing 61
2.5.2 Speciescounts 63
2.5.3 Conversionofspeciescountstobiovolumes 70
2.5.4 Chemicalcleaningofdiatoms 75
2.6 Diversitywithinsingle-speciespopulations 76
2.6.1 Molecularanalysis 76
2.6.2 Analyticalmicroscopicaltechniques 77
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CONTENTS vii
B. NON-PLANKTONICALGAE 82
2.7 Deepwaterbenthicalgae 82
2.7.1 Benthic–pelagiccoupling 83
2.7.2 Benthicalgaeandsedimentstability 84
2.7.3 Invertebrategrazingofbenthicalgae 84
2.8 Shallowwatercommunities 84
2.8.1 Substrate 84
2.8.2 Algalcommunities 87
2.9 Algalbiofilms 89
2.9.1 Mucilaginousbiofilms 89
2.9.2 Biomass 89
2.9.3 Taxonomiccomposition 91
2.9.4 Matrixstructure 93
2.10 Periphyton–algalmats 93
2.10.1 Inorganicsubstratum 93
2.10.2 Plantsurfaces 95
3 AlgaeasBioindicators 99
3.1 Bioindicatorsandwaterquality 99
3.1.1 Biomarkersandbioindicators 99
3.1.2 Characteristicsofbioindicators 100
3.1.3 Biologicalmonitoringversuschemicalmeasurements 101
3.1.4 Monitoringwaterquality:objectives 102
3.2 Lakes 105
3.2.1 Contemporaryplanktonicandattachedalgaeasbioindicators 105
3.2.2 Fossilalgaeasbioindicators:lakesedimentanalysis 106
3.2.3 Waterqualityparameters:inorganicandorganicnutrients,acidityandheavymetals 110
3.3 Wetlands 119
3.4 Rivers 121
3.4.1 Theperiphytoncommunity 121
3.4.2 Riverdiatoms 121
3.4.3 Evaluationofthediatomcommunity 122
3.4.4 Humanimpactsanddiatomindices 123
3.4.5 Calculationofdiatomindices 126
3.4.6 Practicalapplicationsofdiatomindices 128
3.5 Estuaries 133
3.5.1 Ecosystemcomplexity 133
3.5.2 Algaeasestuarinebioindicators 134
4 AKeytotheMoreFrequentlyOccurringFreshwaterAlgae 137
4.1 Introductiontothekey 137
4.1.1 Usingthekey 137
4.1.2 Morphologicalgroupings 138
4.2 Keytothemaingeneraandspecies 138
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4.3 Listofalgaeincludedandtheiroccurrenceinthekey 241
4.4 Algalidentification:bibliography 243
Glossary 245
References 255
Index 265
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Preface
Almost any freshwater or brackish water site will human and natural impacts in aquatic systems be-
containoneormanyspeciesofalgae.Althoughthey causeoftheiroftenrapidresponsetochangesinthe
aremainlymicroscopicandthereforenotasvisually environment. Examples include nutrient enrichment
apparentaslargeraquaticorganisms,suchashigher (eutrophication),industrialpollutionandchangesto
plants or fish, algae play an equally important role the hydrological regime of the water body. Some
intheecologyofthesewaterbodies.Theirpresence groupsofalgaepreservewellasfossilsingeological
cansometimesbenoticedwhentheyoccurasdense deposits such as lake sediments, analysis of which
populations, colouring the water and in some cases givesusinformationonpastenvironmentalchanges.
formingmassivesurfacescums. This book comes at a time of increasing concern
Freshwater algae constitute a very diverse group over the widespread effects of human activities on
oforganisms.Theirrangeofshapesandbeautywhen the general environment of this planet. Monitoring
viewed through a microscope have delighted biol- shiftsinalgalpopulationgivesusaninsightintothese
ogists for more than a hundred years. They have an changes.Weneedtobeabletoassessthe‘health’of
enormousrangeofsizefromlessthanonemicrometre aquaticsystemssuchaslakesandrivers,sincewateris
toseveralcentimetres(forthestoneworts)–equalling vitaltobothhumanandgeneralecosystemsurvival.
the size span (104) for higher plants seen in a trop- Knowledge of algal population dynamics can help
icalrainforestAlgalmorphology isdiverse,ranging usdevelopeffectivemanagementstrategiesforthose
from single cells to complex colonies and fila- systems.Includedinthisbookaresectionsonthegen-
ments. Some species are capable of active move- eralfeaturesofthemainfreshwateralgalgroupswith
ment.Theterm‘algae’embracesanumberofphyla notesontheirecology,methodsofsamplecollection
(e.g. Cyanophyta, Bacillariophyta and Chlorophyta) andenumeration,usingalgaeasindictorsofenviron-
of chlorophyll-containing organisms with different mentalconditionsand,finally,akeytotheidentifica-
growth forms and cytologies. Algae are important tionofthemorefrequentlyoccurringgenera.Theau-
primary producers in both freshwater and marine thorshavetriedtocombinedescriptivematerialwith
systems. In many lakes and rivers they generate originalcolourphotographsandlinedrawings,where
biomass which is the foundation of diverse food possible, to help the reader. We would also like to
chains. Although algae have beneficial impacts on gratefullyacknowledgethehelpandencouragement
aquaticecosystemstheycanalsohaveadverseeffects. ofcolleaguesandstudents,andparticularlyappreci-
When present in very large numbers they can pro- ate the direct contributions of postdoctoral workers
duce ‘blooms’ that, on decomposition, deoxygenate and research studentsmentioned inthelistof copy-
the water – causing fish death and other ecological rightacknowledgements.Wewouldalsoliketothank
problems.Somealgaeproducetoxinsthatarelethalto ourfamiliesfortheirunderstandingandpatiencedur-
bothaquaticandterrestrialorganisms.Itisimportant ingthepreparationofthistext.
tobeawareoftheseimpactsandtomonitorwatersfor We hope that all those using the book will find
thepresenceofthesepotentiallyharmfulorganisms. it useful, and will enjoy the numerous colour pho-
Algae can be used to flag up and assess a range of tographsoftheseverybeautifulorganisms.
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Copyright Acknowledgements
Weareverygratefultothefollowingindividualsfor material – Academic Press, American Health As-
allowing us to publish previously unpublished mat- sociation, Cambridge University Press, Journal of
ter: Andrew Dean (Tables 2.3, 2.4), Matt Capstick PlanktonResearch,McGraw-Hill,Phycologia,Pren-
(Figs.4.10–4.12,4.42,4.62,4.64,4.66,4.68–4.70a, ticeHall.
4.73a)andHudaQari(Fig.2.8).
Wealsothankthefollowingcopyrightholdersfor
giving us permission to use previously published
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1
Introduction to Freshwater Algae
1.1 General introduction tosynthetic–generatingcomplexcarboncompounds
from carbon dioxide and light energy. Some algae
Algaearewidelypresentinfreshwaterenvironments, have become secondarily heterotrophic, taking up
such as lakes and rivers, where they are typically complexorganicmoleculesbyorganotrophy orhet-
presentasmicro-organisms–visibleonlywiththeaid erotrophy (Tuchman, 1996), but still retaining fun-
ofalightmicroscope.Althoughrelativelyinconspic- damentalgeneticaffinitieswiththeirphotosynthetic
uous,theyhaveamajorimportanceinthefreshwater relatives(Pfandletal.,2009).
environment, both in terms of fundamental ecology The term ‘algae’ (singular alga) is not strictly a
andinrelationtohumanuseofnaturalresources. taxonomic term but is used as an inclusive label for
Thisbookconsidersthediversityofalgaeinfresh- a number of different phyla that fit the broad de-
waterenvironmentsandgivesageneraloverviewof scriptionnotedabove.Theseorganismsincludeboth
the major groups of these organisms (Chapter 1), prokaryotes(Section1.3,cellslackingamembrane-
methods of collection and enumeration (Chapter 2) boundnucleus)andeukaryotes(cellswithanucleus
and keys to algal groups and major genera (Chap- plustypicalmembrane-boundorganelles).
ter 4). Algae are considered as indicators of en- Humanshavelongmadeuseofalgalspecies,both
vironmental conditions (bioindicators) in terms of living and dead. Fossil algal diatomite deposits, for
individual species (Chapter 1) and as communities example, in the form of light but strong rocks, have
(Chapter3). beenusedasbuildingmaterialsandfiltrationmediain
waterpurificationandswimmingpools.Somefossil
algae,suchasBotryococcus,cangiverisetooil-rich
deposits.Certainspeciesofgreenalgaearecultivated
1.1.1 Algae – an overview for the purpose of extracting key biochemicals for
use in medicine and cosmetics. Even blue-green al-
Theword‘algae’originatesfromtheLatinwordfor gae,oftenregardedasnuisanceorganisms,mayhave
seaweed and is now applied to a broad assemblage beneficialuses.ThisisparticularlythecaseforSpir-
of organisms that can be defined both in terms of ulina,whichwasharvestedbytheAztecsofMexico
morphologyandgeneralphysiology.Theyaresimple andisstillusedbythepeoplearoundLakeChadas
organisms, without differentiation into roots, stems a dietary supplement. Spirulina tablets may still be
and leaves – and their sexual organs are not en- obtained in some health food shops. Blue-green al-
closedwithinprotectivecoverings.Intermsofphysi- gaeare,however,arebetterknowninthefreshwater
ology,theyarefundamentallyautotrophic(obtaining environment as nuisance organisms, forming dense
all their materials from inorganic sources) and pho- blooms having adverse effects on human activities
Freshwater Algae: Identification and Use as Bioindicators E dward G. Bellinger and David C. Sigee
© 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. ISBN: 978-0-470-05814-5