Experimental studies on dimethylsulfide (DMS) and dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) production by four marine microalgae

The production of dimethylsulfide (DMS) and dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) by marine microalgae was investigated to elucidate more on the role of marine phytoplankton in ocean-atmosphere interactions in the global biogeochemical sulfur cycle. Axenic laboratory cultures of four marine microalgae-Isochrysis galbana 8701, Pavlova viridis, Platymonas sp. and Chlorella were tested for DMSP production and conversion into DMS. Among these four microalgae, Isochrysis galbana 8701 and Pavlova viridis are two species of Haptophyta, while Chlorella and Platymonas sp. belong to Chlorophyta. The results demonstrate that the four algae can produce various amounts of DMS(P), and their DMS(P) production was species specific. With similar cell size, more DMS was released by Haptophyta than that by Chlorophyta. DMS and dissolved DMSP (DMSPd) concentrations in algal cultures varied significantly during their life cycles. The highest release of DMS appeared in the senescent period for all the four algae. Variations in DMSP concentrations were in strong compliance with variations in algal cell densities during the growing period. A highly significant correlation was observed between the DMS and DMSPd concentrations in algal cultures, and there was a time lag for the variation trend of the DMS concentrations as compared with that of the DMSPd. The consistency of variation patterns of DMS and DMSPd implies that the DMSPd produced by phytoplankton cells has a marked effect on the production of DMS. In the present study, the authors’ results specify the significant contribution of the marine phytoplankton to DMS(P) production and the importance of biological control of DMS concentrations in oceanic water.