A Morphological and Molecular Analysis of a Bloom of the Filamentous Green Alga <i>Pithophora</i>
Filamentous representatives of Cladophorales (Chlorophyta) are major contributors to algal biomass of littoral communities. In the present study, community analysis of a reported bloom in the Ogeechee River in Georgia provided an opportunity to combine morphological and genetic analyses with ecologi...
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MDPI AG
2021-03-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/13/6/760 |
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| author | Blia Lor Merry Zohn Marcus J. Meade A. Bruce Cahoon Kalina M. Manoylov |
| author_facet | Blia Lor Merry Zohn Marcus J. Meade A. Bruce Cahoon Kalina M. Manoylov |
| author_sort | Blia Lor |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Filamentous representatives of Cladophorales (Chlorophyta) are major contributors to algal biomass of littoral communities. In the present study, community analysis of a reported bloom in the Ogeechee River in Georgia provided an opportunity to combine morphological and genetic analyses with ecological information related to an understudied nuisance alga. A polyphasic approach of incorporating genotypic and phenotypic methods led to the identification of the algal community as <i>Pithophora roettleri</i> (Roth) Wittrock. Morphological analysis showed a monospecific community based on the average length and diameter of the heterosporous intercalary and terminal akinetes, along with the diameter of the principal filaments. Single-gene and concatenated-gene phylogenetic analyses of the LSU (28S rRNA) and SSU (18S rRNA) markers further confirmed this species identification. In this study, we conducted a morphological treatment of <i>P. roettleri</i>, produced 17 novel gene sequences, and produced a new, schematic diagram illustrating the four steps of the asexual reproduction of an intercalary akinete. Morphological characteristics, like the position and shape of akinetes documented here, and the availability of genetic sequences can improve identification and further ecological understanding of filamentous green algae. Flowing mats of <i>P. roettleri</i>, like those observed in this study, can lower light availability for other biota and structurally alter the habitat. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:20:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2920fa4226114f0ab90629e8b98f6d38 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4441 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:20:04Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| spelling | doaj.art-2920fa4226114f0ab90629e8b98f6d382023-11-21T10:06:03ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412021-03-0113676010.3390/w13060760A Morphological and Molecular Analysis of a Bloom of the Filamentous Green Alga <i>Pithophora</i>Blia Lor0Merry Zohn1Marcus J. Meade2A. Bruce Cahoon3Kalina M. Manoylov4Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Georgia College and State University, Milledgeville, GA 31061, USADepartment of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Georgia College and State University, Milledgeville, GA 31061, USADepartment of Natural Sciences, The University of Virginia’s College at Wise, 1 College Ave., Wise, VA 24293, USADepartment of Natural Sciences, The University of Virginia’s College at Wise, 1 College Ave., Wise, VA 24293, USADepartment of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Georgia College and State University, Milledgeville, GA 31061, USAFilamentous representatives of Cladophorales (Chlorophyta) are major contributors to algal biomass of littoral communities. In the present study, community analysis of a reported bloom in the Ogeechee River in Georgia provided an opportunity to combine morphological and genetic analyses with ecological information related to an understudied nuisance alga. A polyphasic approach of incorporating genotypic and phenotypic methods led to the identification of the algal community as <i>Pithophora roettleri</i> (Roth) Wittrock. Morphological analysis showed a monospecific community based on the average length and diameter of the heterosporous intercalary and terminal akinetes, along with the diameter of the principal filaments. Single-gene and concatenated-gene phylogenetic analyses of the LSU (28S rRNA) and SSU (18S rRNA) markers further confirmed this species identification. In this study, we conducted a morphological treatment of <i>P. roettleri</i>, produced 17 novel gene sequences, and produced a new, schematic diagram illustrating the four steps of the asexual reproduction of an intercalary akinete. Morphological characteristics, like the position and shape of akinetes documented here, and the availability of genetic sequences can improve identification and further ecological understanding of filamentous green algae. Flowing mats of <i>P. roettleri</i>, like those observed in this study, can lower light availability for other biota and structurally alter the habitat.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/13/6/760<i>Pithophora</i> taxonomybiologylife cyclemorphological and molecular identification |
| spellingShingle | Blia Lor Merry Zohn Marcus J. Meade A. Bruce Cahoon Kalina M. Manoylov A Morphological and Molecular Analysis of a Bloom of the Filamentous Green Alga <i>Pithophora</i> Water <i>Pithophora</i> taxonomy biology life cycle morphological and molecular identification |
| title | A Morphological and Molecular Analysis of a Bloom of the Filamentous Green Alga <i>Pithophora</i> |
| title_full | A Morphological and Molecular Analysis of a Bloom of the Filamentous Green Alga <i>Pithophora</i> |
| title_fullStr | A Morphological and Molecular Analysis of a Bloom of the Filamentous Green Alga <i>Pithophora</i> |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Morphological and Molecular Analysis of a Bloom of the Filamentous Green Alga <i>Pithophora</i> |
| title_short | A Morphological and Molecular Analysis of a Bloom of the Filamentous Green Alga <i>Pithophora</i> |
| title_sort | morphological and molecular analysis of a bloom of the filamentous green alga i pithophora i |
| topic | <i>Pithophora</i> taxonomy biology life cycle morphological and molecular identification |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/13/6/760 |
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