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Phytoplankton-bacteria interactions are governed by the transformation of algal-derived organic matter, exchange of metabolites and infochemicals. However, the assembly of the bacterial community within the phycosphere is not well understood. In this study, we performed experiments to tease apart the role of species-specific exometabolites, bacterial/bacterial interactions and algal/bacterial interactions in shaping bacterial community within the phycophere. Twelve bacterial isolates, representative of the main members of the phycosphere microbiome were selected and exposed to phytoplankton extracellular fractions (PEF) from Alexandrium minutum, Prymnesium parvum and Tisochrysis lutea. While all bacterial isolates were able to grow individually on the different PEF, the bacterial community analysis indicated that some species were selected and others were not when grown in a synthetic community (SynCom). In addition, we compared the SynCom assembly in the absence or presence of the harmful algal cells. If PEF, irrespective of the producing alga, allowed the growth of copiotrophic strains, we found that exometabolites of the two different species led to distinct SynCom composition and that the presence of algal cells also influenced the bacterial assemblage. Overall, our results support the assertion that algal exudates and the presence of algae are the main factors driving the composition of the bacterial community.

Adaptation of cell populations to environmental changes is mediated by phenotypic variability at the single-cell level. Enzyme activity is a key factor in cell phenotype and the expression of the alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) is a fundamental phytoplankton strategy for maintaining growth under phosphate-limited conditions. Our aim was to compare the APA among cells and species revived from sediments of the Bay of Brest (Brittany, France), corresponding to a pre-eutrophication period (1940’s) and a beginning of a post-eutrophication period (1990’s) during which phosphate concentrations have undergone substantial variations. Both toxic marine dinoflagellate Alexandrium minutum and the non-toxic dinoflagellate Scrippsiella acuminata were revived from ancient sediments. Using microfluidics, we measured the kinetics of APA at the single-cell level. Our results indicate that all S. acuminata strains had significantly higher APA than A. minutum strains. For both species, the APA in the 1990’s decade was significantly lower than in the 1940’s. For the first time, our results reveal both inter and intraspecific variabilities of dinoflagellate APA and suggest that, at a half-century timescale, two different species of dinoflagellate may have undergone similar adaptative evolution to face environmental changes and acquire ecological advantages.

International audience; Biofilms of heterotrophic bacteria cover organic matter aggregates and constitute hotspots of mineralization, primarily acting through extracellular hydrolytic enzyme production. Nevertheless, regulation of both biofilm and hydrolytic enzyme synthesis remains poorly investigated, especially in estuarine ecosystems. In this study, various bioassays, mass spectrometry and genomics approaches were combined to test the possible involvement of quorum sensing (QS) in these mechanisms. QS is a bacterial cell–cell communication system that relies notably on the emission of N-acylhomoserine lactones (AHLs). In our estuarine bacterial collection, we found that 28 strains (9%), mainly Vibrio, Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter isolates, produced at least 14 different types of AHLs encoded by various luxI genes. We then inhibited the AHL QS circuits of those 28 strains using a broad-spectrum lactonase preparation and tested whether biofilm production as well as β-glucosidase and leucine-aminopeptidase activities were impacted. Interestingly, we recorded contrasted responses, as biofilm production, dissolved and cell-bound β-glucosidase and leucine-aminopeptidase activities significantly increased in 4%–68% of strains but decreased in 0%–21% of strains. These findings highlight the key role of AHL-based QS in estuarine bacterial physiology and ultimately on biogeochemical cycles. They also point out the complexity of QS regulations within natural microbial assemblages.

International audience; As microbial enzymatic activities initiate the mineralization of organic matter through the microbial loop, it is important to correctly measure those activities and be able to perform inter-study comparisons. Enzymatic activity assays are typically carried out using fluorogenic substrate analogs, such as 4-methylumbelliferone and 7-amino-4-methylcoumarin linked to sugar monomers, phosphate group, or amino acids. However, methodological divergences can be found in aquatic science literature, potentially leading to misestimated activities. To highlight some of those methodological key points, we first addressed the potential occurrence of an inner filter effect (IFE), a fluorometric artifact that affects the relationship between fluorophore concentration and fluorescence intensity, due to absorption of exciting or emitted light. It has never been considered in the context of environmental water studies before, despite significantly affecting measured activities. IFE occurred with two out of three tested spectrofluorometers when assaying proteases, although no IFE was detected for phosphatase assays. We also evaluated how substrate concentration ranges might affect kinetic parameters estimation, revealing that a many existing studies might use insufficient maximum substrate concentration. Finally, for single substrate concentration assays, we argued for the use of saturating substrate concentration, as naturally occurring substrates might compete with the fluorogenic analog at trace level. The amendment of a molecule mimicking natural substrates generated a significant inhibition of natural seawater phosphatases and proteases assayed with trace concentrations of fluorogenic substrate, while almost no inhibition occurred at higher concentrations. Those key points need to be addressed in order to assess enzymatic rates and allow inter-study comparison.

Phosphorus (P) limitation of phytoplankton growth is known to affect the accumulation and release of carbohydrates (CHO) by micro-algae. However, relatively little is known about the fate of algal exudates, notably their bacterial degradation. The CHO chemical characterization is also not exhaustive, especially in ‘functional’ pools relevant for phytoplankton physiology (particulate reserve [R] or structural [S] CHO) and for bacterial degradation (dissolved mono- [MDCHO] and polysaccharides [P-DCHO]). In this study, we investigated how P depletion and repletion affect the CHO composition in diatomThalassiosira weissflogiicultures, and the shortterm response of free and diatom-attached bacteria in terms of abundance and potential βglucosidase activity (βGlc). The bacterial inoculum was composed of the bacterial consortiums of diatom precultures and a natural bacterial community from the Bay of Brest. P depletion favored CHO accumulation in diatom cells, mainly as R i.e. soluble CHO accumulated in cytoplasm, but also as S, polysaccharides linked to the cell wall. The R:S ratio was high in the present diatom cultures. The high M-DCHO observed in P-deplete cultures (twice that of P-replete cultures) when P-DCHO remained quite similar is explained both by active polysaccharide hydrolysis (very high potential βGlc of attached bacteria) and reduced uptake of M-DCHO by Pdepleted bacteria. P depletion of heterotrophic bacteria favors labile CHO accumulation, which may affect particle potential aggregation. However, the remarkably constant M-DCHO concentration over time for both conditions suggests tight coupling between phytoplankton accumulation, release, polymer hydrolysis and monomer uptake by bacteria.

The occurrence of alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) that hydrolyses organic phosphorus into phosphate (PO4) is commonly related to PO4 deficiency of oceanic, coastal and fresh waters. APA is almost never investigated in PO4-rich estuaries, since very low activities are expected to occur. As a consequence, microbial mineralization of organic phosphorus into PO4 has often been ignored in estuaries. In this study, we examined the importance of potential APA and the associated microbial dynamics in two estuaries, the Aulne and the Elorn (Northwestern France), presenting two different levels of PO4 concentrations. Unexpected high potential APA was observed in both estuaries. Values ranged from 50 to 506 nmol L−1 h−1, which range is usually found in very phosphorus-limited environments. High potential APA values were observed in the oligohaline zone (salinity 5–15) in spring and summer, corresponding to a PO4 peak and a maximum bacterial production of particle-attached bacteria. In all cases, high potential APA was associated with high suspended particulate matter and total particulate phosphorus. The low contribution of the 0.2–1 μm fraction to total APA, the strong correlation between particulate APA and bacterial biomass, and the close relationship between the production of particle-attached bacteria and APA, suggested that high potential APA is mainly due to particle-attached bacteria. These results suggest that the microbial mineralization of organic phosphorus may contribute to an estuarine PO4 production in spring and summer besides physicochemical processes.

The speciation of particulate phosphorus (TPP) into inorganic (PIP) and organic phosphorus (POP), has been scarcely investigated in suspended particulate matter (SPM), contrary to numerous sediment studies. This work evaluates the actual capacity of methods for TPP, POP and PIP determination in SPM to measure efficiently and specifically each pool. Methods were tested on a range of plankton-associated organic and inorganic P compounds, on microalgal cultures and estuarine samples. Then results are specifically discussed reviewing P speciation in phytoplankton. For TPP analysis, the method of Solorzano and Sharp (1980) is recommended compared with that of Aspila et al. (1976) , originally dedicated to sediment, as there is one step less, the protocol is more explicit (use of MgSO4) and it provides the best results. The application of the original protocol of the Aspila method for TPP (no MgSO4) results in underestimated and highly variable values. For POP, the CWO (Chemical Wet Oxidation) method tested here succeeds in providing sufficient oxidation of organic P, but, inorganic polyphosphate is yet too significantly hydrolysed, and intracellular phosphate, an underestimated PIP fraction, contributes to the POP pool with this method. Finally the Aspila method for PIP is the best compromise in estimating the contribution of PIP to TPP and POP by difference. Even if particulate polyphosphate is only partially hydrolysed (41–49%), intracellular phosphate is included and only a very low percentage of organic P, essentially nucleotidic P, is attacked. In any case, our findings show clear evidence of the necessity to fully describe the procedure when P speciation methods are used.

Toxic algae are a worldwide problem threatening aquaculture public health and tourism Alexandrium a toxic dinoflagellate proliferates in Northwest France estuaries (i e the Penze estuary) causing Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning events Vegetative growth and in particular the role of nutrient uptake and growth rate are crucial parameters to understand toxic blooms With the goal of modelling in situ Alexandrium blooms related to environmental parameters we first try to calibrate a zero-dimensional box model of Alexandrium growth This work focuses on phosphorus nutrition Our objective is to calibrate Alexandrium minutum as well as Heterocapsa triquetra (a non-toxic dinoflagellate) growth under different rates of phosphorus supply other factors being optimal and constant Laboratory experiments are used to calibrate two growth models and three uptake models for each species Models are then used to simulate monospecific batch and semi continuous experiments as well as competition between the two algae (mixed cultures) Results show that the Droop growth model together with linear uptake versus quota can represent most of our observations although a power law uptake function can more accurately simulate our phosphorus uptake data We note that such models have limitations in non steady-state situations and cell quotas can depend on a variety of factors so care must be taken in extrapolating these results beyond the specific conditions studied (C) 2010 Elsevier BV All rights reserved

Alexandrium catenella (Whedon et Kof.) Balech has exhibited seasonal recurrent blooms in the Thau lagoon (South of France) since first reported in 1995. Its appearance followed a strong decrease (90%) in phosphate (PO(4)3-) concentrations in this environment over the 1970-1995 period. To determine if this dinoflagellate species has a competitive advantage in PO(4)3--limited conditions in terms of nutrient acquisition, semicontinuous cultures were carried out to characterize phosphorus (P) uptake by A. catenella cells along a P-limitation gradient using different dilution rates (DRs). Use of both inorganic and organic P was investigated from measurements of 33PO(4)3- uptake and alkaline phosphatase activity (APA), respectively. P status was estimated from cellular P and carbon contents (Q(P) and Q(C)). Shifts in trends of Q(P)/Q(C) and Q(P) per cell (Q(P center dot cell-1)) along the DR gradient allowed the definition of successive P-stress thresholds for A. catenella cells. The maximal uptake rate of 33PO(4)3- increased strongly with the decrease in DR and the decrease in Q(P)/Q(C), displaying physiological acclimations to PO(4)3- limitation. Concerning maximal APA per cell, the observation of an all-or-nothing pattern along the dilution gradient suggests that synthesis of AP was induced and maximized at the cellular scale as soon as PO(4)3- limitation set in. APA variations revealed that the synthesis of AP was repressed over a PO(4)3- threshold between 0.4 and 1 mu M. As lower PO(4)3- concentrations are regularly observed during A. catenella blooms in Thau lagoon, a significant portion of P uptake by A. catenella cells in the field may come from organic compounds.

Seasonal variations in nutrient inputs are described for the main rivers (Loire and Vilaine) flowing into the northern Bay of Biscay. The river plumes are high in N/P ratio in late winter and spring, but not in the inner plume during the summer. Conservative behavior results in most nutrients entering the estuary and eventually reaching the coastal zone. Temporal and spatial aspects of phytoplankton growth and nutrient uptake in the northern Bay of Biscay distinguish the central area of salinity 34 from the plume area. The first diatom bloom appears offshore in late winter, at the edge of the river plumes, taking advantage of haline stratification and anticyclonic "weather windows." In spring, when the central area of the northern shelf is phosphorus-limited, small cells predominate in the phytoplankton community and compete with bacteria for both mineral and organic phosphorus. At that period, river plumes are less extensive than in winter, but local nutrient enrichment at the river mouth allows diatom growth. In summer, phytoplankton become nitrogen-limited in the river plumes; the central area of the shelf is occupied by small forms of phytoplankton, which are located on the thermocline and use predominantly regenerated nutrients.

The understanding of the dominance of one species with respect to others is a pertinent challenge in HAB growth dynamics studies and the nutrient supply mode is one of the factors potentially involved. The competition for phosphorus (P) between a toxic species, Alexandrium minutum, and a non-toxic species, Heterocapsa triquetra, was studied (1) along a gradient of P depletion, (2) testing different P depletion degrees before a single PO4 supply and (3) experimenting different PO4 supply frequencies. In conditions Of PO4 depletion, H. triquetra stopped growing after two days both in monospecific and mixed batch cultures whereas A. minutum grew progressively from day 2 until the end of the experiment. This time-lag growth of A. minutum is associated to its ability to store P intracellularly and then mobilize it for cell division when P depletion becomes severe. Heterocapsa triquetra outcompeted A. minutum when it was submitted to less than three days of P depletion before the pulse. In contrast, A. minutum outcompeted H. triquetra after more than three days of depletion. This transition was related to the capacity for A. minutum to increase its cell PO4 uptake rate in a higher proportion to face potential PO4 supply. As a result of this physiological acclimatation to P starvation, A. minutum consumed the whole PO4 pulse supplied after 3 to 10 days of P depletion. This resulted in a reduction of H. triquetra growth. These two acclimatations were confirmed in a P limited semi-continuous culture experiment testing several PO4 supply frequencies (1, 2, 4, 6 day intervals). These experiments revealed that A. minutum is a "storage specialist" species for P, which uptakes PO4 pulses for luxury consumption, survives depletion periods and, then, utilizes P for cell growth. In contrast, H. triquetra is more a "velocity adapted" species, which utilizes PO4 just after supply to increase their cell division rate. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

International audience; Uptake and assimilation kinetics of nitrate and ammonium were investigated along with inhibition of nitrate uptake by ammonium in the harmful dinoflagellate Alexandrium minutum Halim at different nitrogen (N)-limited growth rates. Alexandrium minutum had a strong affinity for nitrate and ammonium (Ks50.26 0.03 and 0.31 0.04 lmol .L 1, respectively) whatever the degree of N deficiency of the cells. Ammonium was always the preferred form of nitrogen taken up (rNO3=rNH4 50.42-0.50). In the presence of both forms, nitrate uptake was inhibited by ammonium, and inhibition was particularly marked in N-sufficient cells (Imax~0.9 and Ki50.31-0.56 lmol .L 1). In the case of N assimilation, ammonium was also the preferred form in N-deficient cells (rassim NO3=rassim NH4 50.54-0.72), whereas in N-sufficient cells, both N sources were equally preferred (rassim NO3=rassim NH4 50.90-1.00). The comparison of uptake and assimilation rates highlighted the ability of A. minutum to significantly store in 1 h nitrate and ammonium in amounts sufficient to supply twice the daily N requirements of the slowest-growing N-deficient cells. Nitrogen uptake kinetic parameters of A. minutum and their ecological implications are discussed.

Previous studies conducted on the continental shelf in the Southeast Bay of Biscay influenced by Gironde waters (one of the two largest rivers on the French Atlantic coast) showed the occurrence of late winter phytoplankton blooms and phosphorus limitation of algal growth thereafter. In this context, the importance of dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) for both algae and bacteria was investigated in 1998 and 1999 in terms of stocks and fluxes. Within the mixed layer, although phosphate decreased until exhaustion from winter to spring, DOP remained high and phosphate monoesters made up between I I to 65% of this pool. Total alkaline phosphatase activity (APA, V-max) rose gradually from winter (2-8 nM h(-1)) to late spring (100-400 nM h-1), which was mainly due to an increase in specific phytoplankton (from 0.02 to 3.0 nmol mu gC(-1) h(-1)) and bacterial APA (from 0.04 to 4.0 nmol mu gC(-1) h(-1)), a strategy to compensate for the lack of phosphate. At each season, both communities had equal competitive abilities to exploit DOP but, taking into account biomass, the phytoplankton community activity always dominated (57-63% of total APA) that of bacterial community (9-11%). The dissolved APA represented a significant contribution. In situ regulation of phytoplanktonic APA by phosphate (induction or inversely repression of enzyme synthesis) was confirmed by simultaneously conducted phosphate-enrichment bioassays. Such changes recorded at a time scale of a few days could partly explain the seasonal response of phytoplankton communities to phosphate depletion.

More and more studies emphasize the status of phosphorus (P) as the principal limiting nutrient of phytoplankton growth, especially in coastal waters under the influence of freshwater discharges. The purpose of the present paper is to investigate the role of P on planktonic production in the waters influenced by the Gironde discharges; the Gironde being one of the two largest rivers on the French Atlantic coast. The survey is based on several cruises made in 1998 and 1999. Two different patterns were observed for waters with salinity below and above 34.5. For waters with salinity 100:1, short phosphate turnover time (1 to 2 h), high alkaline phosphatase activities (mean of 176 nM h(-1) in late May 1999) and ultimately great increases of chlorophyll a (Chl a) and primary production in phosphate-enriched samples relative to controls. This limitation could be partly explained by the Gironde nutrient supplies, which were phosphate deficient compared with the mineral nitrogen (N-min : PO4 was >40 within a salinity range 16-33). In summer, corresponding to the period of low influence of Gironde supplies (low runoff and a spreading effect of the plume), phytoplankton growth would be controlled by both P and nitrogen (N), according to low nitrate and the major effect of combined P+N (NH4) enrichment on Chl a and primary production compared with the addition of Nor P singly. In early October, after the first autumn gales, the mixed layer was enriched with a sufficient supply of nutrients to support exponential phytoplankton growth for 4 days in enclosures. The pattern was different for waters at the limit of the Gironde plume and Atlantic oceanic waters (within salinity range 34.5-35.4). P would not be the single limiting nutrient of winter blooms and spring phytoplankton growth since low phosphate, and also low nitrate and silicate, availability were recorded and phosphate addition alone had no effect on phytoplankton biomass and production in bioassays. The early P limitation of winter blooms had consequences for the phytoplankton community structure in the Gironde plume waters (salinity < 34.5). Whereas major cells of these blooms were greater than 20 pm in size, phytoplankton growth in spring and autumn was dominated by 3-20 μm (e.g. 53% of Chl a in late April 1999) and < 3 mum cells (e.g. 29% of Chl a). The decreasing size of phytoplankton cells is emphasized by the severe competition between bacteria and algae for phosphate, since bacteria dominated phosphate uptake in spring (e.g. 87% in late April, 77% in late May). Bacteria tended to have greater affinity for phosphate and seemed also to be P limited at certain times in spring, according to results from phosphate enrichment bioassays in late May 1999. The alternative method for phytoplankton to obtain P would be the use of the dissolved organic phosphorus pool by alkaline phosphatase activity. According to the movement of P-33 after initial labelling of microbial populations and a subsequent cold chase, the major transfer of P occurred from the bacterial to the dissolved fraction. We hypothesize that algae obtain part of its dissolved organic phosphorus from bacteria-originated organic phosphorus compounds.

[Departement_IRSTEA]Eaux [TR1_IRSTEA]QUASARE; International audience; The Bay of Biscay (North-East Atlantic) has long been subjected to intense direct and indirect human activities that lead to the excessive degradation and sometimes overexploitation of natural resources. Fisheries management is gradually moving away from single-species assessments to more holistic, multi-species approaches that better respond to the reality of ecosystem processes. Quantitative modelling methods such as Ecopath with Ecosim can be useful tools for planning, implementing and evaluating ecosystem-based fisheries management strategies. The aim of this study was therefore to model the energy fluxes within the food web of this highly pressured ecosystem and to extract practical information required in the diagnosis of ecosystem state/health. A well-described model comprising 30 living and two non-living compartments was successfully constructed with data of local origin, for the Bay of Biscay continental shelf. The same level of aggregation was applied to primary producers, mid-trophic-levels and top-predators boxes. The model was even more general as it encompassed the entire continuum of marine habitats, from benthic to pelagic domains. Output values for most ecosystem attributes indicated a relatively mature and stable ecosystem, with a large proportion of its energy flow originating from detritus. Ecological network analysis also provided evidence that bottom-up processes play a significant role in the population dynamics of upper-trophic-levels and in the global structuring of this marine ecosystem. Finally, a novel metric based on ecosystem production depicted an ecosystem not far from being overexploited. This finding being not entirely consistent over indicators, further analyses based on dynamic simulations are required.

International audience; Along the French coast of the Bay of Biscay, the seasonal progression of phytoplankton presents specific hydrographic conditions compared to other temperate areas due to the influence of two large river plumes (Loire and Gironde). However, in spite of the occurrence of a microphy-toplankton bloom during winter and phosphate limitation in spring, the dynamics of the planktonic food web on the continental shelf of the Bay seem to correspond with the characteristics typical of temperate oceans with the dominance of herbivory during spring and the development of the microbial food web under the stable post-bloom environment. Existing plankton data from recent scientific cruises were combined with inverse and network analyses to construct five model ecosystems between late winter and late spring and to investigate the structure and the function of the food web. The analysis of those models confirmed that the absolute amount of biogenic carbon export from the planktonic food web follows a continuum from high carbon export to depth when the microphytoplankton winter bloom is not consumed by grazers to carbon recycling within the microbial food web after the spring bloom when the water column is strongly stratified. Therefore, the winterespring period corresponds to a situation of high export. The particular hydrological conditions of the Bay of Biscay are not altering the capacity of the planktonic food web to export the greatest absolute amount of carbon during spring to plankton predators such as small pelagic fishes. However, this study showed that, in proportion to the primary production, the relative amount of biogenic carbon export to higher trophic levels does not vary considerably among the three types of planktonic food web function. Bacterial activity seems to have a higher control on relative export than phytoplankton size structure.

A new Fine Scale Sampler (FSS) was designed and used in the Loire River plume (Bay of Biscay, France) in order to study phytoplankton distribution in highly stratified water columns. The FSS consists of a linear array of 15 sampling bottles, set horizontally at 20 cm intervals. Data acquired from the CTD and fluorescence probe of the FSS enable it to be precisely positioned at the depth of the highest density gradient or at the chlorophyll a maximum. The FSS made it possible to investigate fine scale vertical distribution of phytoplankton and relationships with water density, nutrient concentrations or light availability, for spring and summer conditions. Under spring conditions, the entire upper layer exhibited a dominant diatom population (Chaetoceros sociale, Thalassiosira rotula) above 15 meters with evident uptake in dissolved inorganic nutrients and the maximum concentration of dinoflagellates (mainly small forms of Gymnodinium spp. and Gyrodinium spp.) was located 16 meters deep, where light energy began to be a limiting factor for phytoplankton growth. During summer conditions, the maximum phytoplankton biomass (10 µg l -1 of chlorophyll a) was only concentrated in the 2 m thick pycnocline layer, located at a depth of 12 m. The diatom Chaetoceros sociale was dominant in the phytoplankton peak. Dinoflagellates (Dinophysis acuminata and Gymnodinium spp.) were also concentrated around the density gradient. Low inorganic nitrogen concentration (< 0.2 µmol.l -1 ) was responsible for the limitation of phytoplankton production in the surface layer above the pycnocline, and the phytoplankton growth was irradiance-limited underneath the pycnocline.

In biological modelling of the coastal phytoplankton dynamics, the light attenuation coefficient is often expressed as a function of the concentrations of chlorophyll and mineral suspended particulate matter (SPM). In order to estimate the relationship between these parameters over the continental shelf of the northern Bay of Biscay, a set of in situ data has been gathered for the period 1998-2003 when SeaWiFS imagery is available. These data comprise surface measurements of the concentrations of total SPM, chlorophyll, and irradiance profiles from which is derived the attenuation coefficient of the photosynthetically available radiation, K-PAR. The performance of the IFREMER look-up table used to retrieve the chlorophyll concentration from the SeaWiFS radiance is evaluated on this new set of data. The quality of the estimated chlorophyll concentration is assessed from a comparison of the variograms of the in situ and satellite-derived chlorophyll concentrations. Once the chlorophyll concentration is determined, the non living SPM, which is defined as the SPM not related to the dead or alive endogenous phytoplankton, is estimated from the radiance at 555 nm by inverting a semi-analytic model. This method provides realistic estimations of concentrations of chlorophyll and SPM over the continental shelf all over the year. Finally, a relationship, based on non living SPM and chlorophyll, is proposed to estimate K-PAR on the continental shelf of the Bay of Biscay. The same formula is applied to non living SPM and chlorophyll concentrations, observed in situ or derived from SeaWiFS radiance.

Suite à un premier criblage des facteurs environnementaux favorables à la croissance d'Alexandrium minutum comparativement à celle d'une espèce compétitrice en rivière de Penzé, Heterocapsa triquetra (rapport ART3 2002-2003) cette étude vise à préciser et quantifier les réponses physiologiques respectives des deux espèces à différentes conditions d'apports en phosphate (taux de croissance, vitesse d'assimilation des phosphates, capacité à stocker le phosphore intracellulaire). Elle montre qu'Alexandrium minutum a plutôt une stratégie de « stockage », capable d'assimiler rapidement le phosphate après un apport mais le stockant pour une meilleure croissance ultérieure quand la ressource sera à nouveau épuisée. Comparativement, Heterocapsa triquetra aurait, une stratégie de « vitesse adaptée », assimilant rapidement le phosphate et l'utilisant aussitôt pour augmenter son taux de croissance. Ainsi Am serait plus compétitive par rapport à Ht dans des situations de relatives fortes carences en phosphate. Mais les deux espèces ont une faible affinité pour le phosphate et dans de telles conditions elles ne seraient pas compétitives par rapport à des espèces pico ou nanophytoplanctoniques. Plus généralement cette étude permettra de paramétriser l'influence du quota intracellulaire en phosphore sur les processus de croissance et d'assimilation, participant ainsi à une meilleure calibration du modèle de croissance d'Alexandrium minutum.

Inscrite dans le cadre du Grand Défi Golfe de Gascogne, la campagne VILOIR a été réalisée du 19 au 26 Juin 2003 à bord du Côtes de la Manche avec pour objectif l’étude en période estivale des structures hydrologiques et phytoplanctoniques des panaches de la Loire et de la Vilaine. Elle fait suite, sur la même thématique, à la campagne hivernale NUTRIGAS (2001) et à la campagne printanière GASPROD (2002).

Thermostratification and seasonal light increase are generally considered the first causes of phytoplankton spring blooms in temperate waters. The objective of this study is to confirm the existence of winter phytoplankton blooms, responsible for the early exhaustion of phosphate, within the Gironde plume waters (southeast Bay of Biscay), and to understand what may initiate them so early. Two cruises, BIOMET 2 and BIOMET 3, were carried out respectively in early (8 to 21 Jan- uary) and late winter 1998 (25 February to 11 March). An increase of phytoplankton biomass (chl a) between the 2 cruises and non-conservative nutrients observed in late winter confirm an early phyto- plankton growth both in the Gironde plume and adjacent oceanic waters. Among factors that possi- bly initiate these blooms, light availability seems to be the best candidate. First, the status of available light for phytoplankton changed dramatically between the 2 cruises when comparing the instanta- neous depth-averaged irradiance (Em) received by phytoplankton with the light saturation parameter Ek determined from P versus E curves. Light was limiting for phytoplankton growth in early winter according to systematically lower values of Em than Ek in the daytime. However, light was not limit- ing during a large part of the day in late winter since Em was above Ek during 40% of the daylight. The estimated critical depth from the Nelson & Smith (1991; Limnol Oceanogr 36:1650-1661) refor- mulation of the Sverdrup (1953; J Cons Perm Int Explor Mer 18:287-295) equation was much shallower (4 to 13 m) than the mixed layer depth (15 to 50 m) in early winter in the whole Gironde plume up to oceanic waters. On the contrary, it was much deeper (35 m) than the mixed layer depth (9 m) in late winter for the intermediate plume (salinity range 33 to 35) and similar for oceanic waters (S > 35.5) with a bottom depth of 60 to 70 m. Therefore, according to the Sverdrup model, available light is the triggering factor of winter phytoplankton blooms in the Gironde plume and adjacent oceanic waters. Moreover, Riley's (1957; Limnol Oceanogr 2:252-270) empirical critical irradiance of 20.9 W m -2 could be applied in these waters to predict the onset of blooms since it was reached in late winter but not in early winter. The establishment of halostratification and/or decrease of the light vertical attenuation coefficient prevail in the initiation process of winter phytoplankton blooms.

Suite à l’événement de grande ampleur d’efflorescence d’Alexandrium minutum et des toxicités associées en Rade de Brest en 2012, un projet a été monté avec la Région dans le cadre du développement du port de Brest. De juillet à août 2013, l’Ifremer a organisé un échantillonnage serré dans l’estuaire de Daoulas, zone la plus touchée en 2012. De ce suivi et des mesures réalisées au laboratoire à ce jour, ainsi que des résultats du réseau Rephy et Velyger, il ressort que : * Alexandrium minutum s’est développé à nouveau en rade de Brest en 2013 mais à des teneurs inférieures à 2012. * l’épisode de bloom et de toxicité supérieur aux seuils légaux s’est déroulé plus tard qu’en 2012, du 1er juillet jusqu’à 5 août. * les efflorescences et la toxicité ont touché essentiellement l’estuaire de Daoulas et le Sillon des Anglais. Le secteur Elorn n’a pas été affecté contrairement à 2012. * Les conditions environnementales 2013 ont été différentes de 2012, avec une fenêtre favorable au développement d’A. minutum plus tardive qu’en 2012 (température de l’eau et insolation plus faibles au printemps 2013) et des apports des rivières plus faibles au printemps et été 2013. * Les populations d’A. minutum de la rade sont toutes toxiques et se distinguent génétiquement des autres populations d’A. minutum bretonnes. * Un bloom localisé dans l’estuaire de Daoulas peut, par transport hydrodynamique, toucher l’ensemble de la rade sud mais plus difficilement le secteur Elorn. Ce rapport est, comme son nom l’indique, un rapport d’avancement. Toutes les analyses basées sur l’échantillonnage 2013 n’ont pas été terminées et doit se rajouter au projet une quantification des kystes d’A. minutum dans les sédiments de la rade de Brest (rapport d’avancement n°2) ainsi qu’un nouveau suivi du bloom en 2014. Une synthèse finale sera réalisée pour la fin du projet, en décembre 2014.

Many studies in coastal areas have shown the existence of thin chemical and biological layers. Their thickness and vertical extension are mainly controlled by hydrological and physical forcing. An accurate description of the phytoplankton communities growing within these layers is difficult to obtain without a well-adapted sampling system. A new Fine Scale Sampler (FSS) has been designed in Ifremer in order to study phytoplankton distribution and associated dissolved properties in high stratified water column. This FSS consists in a vertical array of 15 sampling bottles, horizontally laid with 20 cm intervals. Data acquired from a CTD and Fluorescence probe provide a precise FSS positioning at the depth of highest density gradient or at chlorophyll a maximum. For two seasonal situations (spring and summer), the FSS allowed us to investigate micro-scale vertical distribution of phytoplankton species and relationships with physico-chemical parameters in the Loire estuary. For both situation, it was shown that the vertical distribution of phytoplankton communities was very variable. In summer conditions, the diatom Chaetoceros sociale was dominant in the phytoplankton peak located below the pycnocline and a thin layer of Dinophysis acuminata was detected 1 m above, in nutrient depleted conditions.