OCEANGOING PLASTICS AFFECT CHEMICAL SIGNALING AMONG HAB FORMING PHYTOPLANKTON

Phytoplankton, single-celled photosynthetic aquatic cells, are estimated to produce over 70% of the world's breathable oxygen, are involved in the microbial loop, and serve as the base of the oceanic food web. Many species of phytoplankton produce potent toxins that affect both marine and terrestrial organisms, bioaccumulate in seafood, and cause hundreds of millions of dollars of damage annually. In addition to these toxins, phytoplankton produce compounds that affect competitor physiology and behavior in a competition mechanism called allelopathy. Little is known of the identities of these allelochemicals, but their involvement in phytoplankton bloom dynamics has been hypothesized. Harmful algal blooms occur in coastal and riverine waterways and are subject to influxes of terrestrial contamination, including agricultural runoff, industrial/chemical waste, and importantly plastic waste. The impact of oceangoing plastics on toxin or allelochemical production in phytoplankton has yet to be addressed. The toxic dinoflagellate, Karlodinium veneficum is native to the waters of North Carolina and is known to produce a suite of toxins called karlotoxins. The effects of oceangoing plastics on allelopathy and karlotoxin production by K. veneficum were investigated in this study.

Presentation Preference: Either

Primary Presenter: Remington Poulin, University of North Carolina Wilmington (poulinr@uncw.edu)

Authors:

Jamison Painter, University of North Carolina Wilmington  (jlp1006@uncw.edu)

Kristy Syhapanha, University of North Carolina Wilmington  (syhapanhak@uncw.edu)

Susan Niven, University of North Carolina Wilmington  (nivens@uncw.edu)

Ana Penuela Mendoza, University of North Carolina Wilmington  (penuelamendozaa@uncw.edu)

Remington Poulin, University of North Carolina Wilmington  (poulinr@uncw.edu)