Effects of Water Temperature, Salinity and Irradiance on the Growth of the Toxic Dinoflagellate, Gymnodinium catenatum (Graham) Isolated from Yeosuhae Bay, Korea

doi:2004.19.4.293

Algae > Volume 19(4); 2004 > Article

Algae 2004;19(4): 293-301. doi: https://doi.org/10.4490/ALGAE.2004.19.4.293

Seok Jin Oh and Yang Ho Yoon¹^*

Laboratory of Fisheries Bioenvironmental Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8531, Japan and
¹Division of Ocean System, Yosu National University, Yeosu 550-749, Korea

ABSTRACT

A chain-forming toxic din flagellate, Gymnodinium catenatum (Graham) was known as a paralytic toxin-producer among Gymnodinoid group. In the study, the effects of water temperature, salinity and irradiance on the growth of G. catenatum isolated from Yeosuhae Bay, Korea were investigated. Water temperature range in which G. catenatum showed specific growth rate higher than 0.3 day were above about 18. However, salinity did not have such an effect on growth of G. catenatum. The maximum growth rate (0.5 day) was obtained at 25 and 30 psu. The specific growth rate (u) expressed as a polynomial equation as functions of temperature (T; ) and salinity (S; psu) was = 0.005·T - 0.0001164 T - 0.063-S + 0.005-S - 0.00007608-S - 0.003-T-S + 0.00005308-T-S. Thus, in aspects of water temperature and salinity, the species may be expected to survive in most Korean coastal waters from early summer to autumn. The irradiance-growth curve was described as = 0.16 (I - 10.4)/(1 + 21.8) at 18 and 30 psu, indicating a half-saturation (Ks) photon flux density (PFD) of 42.6mol m and compensation PFD (I) of 10.4mol m. These characteristic responses to irradiance suggest that G. catenatum can reside at the sub-surface.

Key words: growth; Gymnodinium catenatum; irradiance; salinity; toxic dinoflagellate; water temperature; Yeosuhae