title: Tracking the algal origin of the Ulva bloom in the Yellow Sea by a combination of molecular, morphological and physiological analyses.
abstract: In 2008, Qingdao (36 degrees 06'N, 120 degrees 25'E, PR China) experienced the world largest drifting macroalgal bloom composed of the filamentous macroalga Ulva prolifera. No convincing biologic evidence regarding the algal source is available so far. A series of field collections of both Ulva sp. and waters in various sites along Jiangsu coasts were conducted in March to May of 2009. Density of microscopic Ulva germlings in the waters sampled from different sites ranged from 7 to 3140 individuals L(-1), indicating the wide-spreading and long-term existence of the algae in the investigated region. Morphological and the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer ITS nrDNA and the chloroplast-encoded rbcL gene comparisons of 26 algal samples revealed that the algae collected from land-based animal aquaculture ponds mostly resembled the dominating blooming alga in 2008. Mismatch of Porphyra farming period with the occurrence of the green tide bloom, as well as the negative identification results of the sampled green algae from the Porphyra rafts eliminated Porphyra rafts as the principal and original source of the dominating blooming alga.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071, PR China. sjpang@ms.qdio.ac.cn
authors.forename: Shao Jun
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ti Feng
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Shan
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Zhi Huai
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Su Qin
authors.initials: SQ
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chopin
authors.forename: Song
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000235:genetics; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005068:Eutrophication; D008967:Molecular Biology; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D010802:Phylogeny; D012273:Ribulose-Bisphosphate Carboxylase / Q000235:genetics; D054712:Salinity; D013170:Spores / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development; D013696:Temperature; D044445:Ulva / Q000145:classification / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; C101625:RbcL protein, plastid; D012273:Ribulose-Bisphosphate Carboxylase