12th International Conference on Harmful Algae

INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR THE STUDY OF HARMFUL ALGAE12 th <strong>International</strong> <strong>Conference</strong> on Harmful Algae, Copenhagen, Denmark, 4-8 September 2006of harmful algal taxa incidentlyappear in this region, these includespecies belonging to Alexandrium,Dinophysis, Pseudo-nitzschia andChattonella.PO.13-27The effect of Noctiluca scintillanson harmful algal species of southeastern AustraliaSession: PO.13 - Regional eventsME Albinsson 1 , SI Blackburn 1 , CLegrand 21 CSIRO Marine and AtmosphericResearch, HOBART, Australia2 University of Kalmar, KALMAR, SwedenThe red tide-forming dinoflagellateNoctiluca scintillans has bloomed offeastern Australia since the 1970sand was first recorded inTasmanian waters in 1994. Thedistribution of N. scintillans bloomsin Tasmanian waters over the timeperiod of 2001 - 2005 wasinvestigated with monthlymonitoring in the D’EntrecasteauxChannel and the Huon Estuary fromSeptember 2004 to January 2005,determining population fluctuationsin the area. The bloom frequency inTasmanian waters showed anincrease between 2001 and 2004,and there was an increasingsouthwards distribution in theD’Entrecasteaux Channel and theHuon Estuary with the peakabundance in December. Noctilucascintillans feeds on a variety of preyitems. In this study we investigatedthe feeding preferences of N.scintillans when fed ecologicallyimportant harmful algal species(HABs) of south eastern Australia.The feeding experiments showedthat N. scintillans has the potentialto graze both toxic and non-toxicspecies, and the ability to ingest andthrive on HAB species such asGymnodinium catenatum andChattonella antiqua (specific growthrates approx. 0.3 divisions day -1 )suggests that N. scintillans canhave a major impact on themicroalgal populations of southeastern Australia.PO.13-06Benthic species of the genusProrocentrum Ehrenberg in theeastern Mediterranean Sea (NorthAegean Sea, Greece)Session: PO.13 - Regional eventsK. Aligizaki, G NikolaidisAristotle University of Thessaloniki,THESSALONIKI, GreeceBenthic Prorocentrum speciesconstitute a subject of interest sincemost of them are associated withtoxin production. In order to provideadditional information on theoccurrence of these species, asurvey on 50 sites along NorthAegean continental and islandcoasts was conducted in August2003-December 2005. At least fivedifferent benthic Prorocentrumspecies (P. lima, P. emarginatum,P. rhathymum, P. borbonicum,Prorocentrum sp1.) were recorded.Prorocentrum borbonicumrepresents a new record for theMediterranean algal flora;Prorocentrum sp1. does not fit anyof the presently described benthicProrocentrum species, while P.lima, P. emarginatum and P.rhathymum have been recentlyrecorded in the EasternMediterranean Sea. Speciesidentification was based on light andelectron microscopy of preservedfield material and clonal cultures. P.lima contributed remarkably to thebenthic dinoflagellate community,which comprised also Ostreopsisovata, O. cf. siamensis, C. monotisand Amphidinium spp.; P. lima was123