The first benthic harmful dinoflagellate bloom in China: Morphology and toxicology of Prorocentrum concavum.
Jian Zou, Qun Li, Songhui Lu, Yuelei Dong, Heng Chen, Chengzhi Zheng, Lei Cui
Author Information
Jian Zou: Research Center of Harmful Algae and Marine Biology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; Key Laboratory of Eutrophication and Red Tide Prevention of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
Qun Li: Research Center of Harmful Algae and Marine Biology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; Key Laboratory of Eutrophication and Red Tide Prevention of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
Songhui Lu: Research Center of Harmful Algae and Marine Biology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; Key Laboratory of Eutrophication and Red Tide Prevention of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Zhuhai, China. Electronic address: lusonghui1963@163.com.
Yuelei Dong: Research Center of Harmful Algae and Marine Biology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; Key Laboratory of Eutrophication and Red Tide Prevention of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
Heng Chen: Research Center of Harmful Algae and Marine Biology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; Key Laboratory of Eutrophication and Red Tide Prevention of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
Chengzhi Zheng: Research Center of Harmful Algae and Marine Biology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; Key Laboratory of Eutrophication and Red Tide Prevention of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
Lei Cui: Research Center of Harmful Algae and Marine Biology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; Key Laboratory of Eutrophication and Red Tide Prevention of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China. Electronic address: leicui@jnu.edu.cn.
More frequent events and geographic expansion of benthic harmful algal blooms have been reported in recent years. An unexpected bloom of benthic P. concavum occurred in Xincun Bay, Hainan Island, the South China Sea was monitored in August 2018. Species identification, toxin analysis and toxicity test were conducted in the study. Quantitative study revealed that P. concavum had a high cell density on the surface of substrates and in water column. The bloom forming species was identified based on the morphology and phylogeny. Toxin analysis indicated that there were no detectable DSP toxins either in algae or in shellfish samples. The result of toxicity test revealed that the extracts of P. concavum caused the mortality of brine shrimp larvae (Artemia salina). The results from this study may provide more insight into the rising threats of harmful dinoflagellate blooms to marine benthic ecosystems.
