The life cycle of two paralytic shellfish toxin producing dinoflagellates, Alexandrium minutum and Alexandrium tamiyavanichii (Dinophyceae) in Malaysia / Liow Guat Ru

Hundreds of marine and brackish water dinoflagellates are associated with the natural phenomenon called harmful algal blooms (HABs). HAB is known to cause negative impacts to coastal ecosystems and threaten human lives by contaminating seafood. The dinoflagellates Alexandrium minutum and A. tamiyava...

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Main Author: Liow , Guat Ru
Format: Thesis
Published: 2017
Subjects:
Online Access:http://studentsrepo.um.edu.my/8304/
http://studentsrepo.um.edu.my/8304/1/All.pdf
http://studentsrepo.um.edu.my/8304/6/liow.pdf
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author Liow , Guat Ru
author_facet Liow , Guat Ru
author_sort Liow , Guat Ru
building UM Research Repository
collection Online Access
description Hundreds of marine and brackish water dinoflagellates are associated with the natural phenomenon called harmful algal blooms (HABs). HAB is known to cause negative impacts to coastal ecosystems and threaten human lives by contaminating seafood. The dinoflagellates Alexandrium minutum and A. tamiyavanichii are capable of producing the sodium channel-blocking neurotoxins, saxitoxins (STXs). The purpose of this study is to investigate the dynamics and life cycle transitions of these two species in Malaysian waters in order to understand the triggering environmental factors in formation of blooms. Field sampling was undertaken at two paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) hotspots, Tumpat, Kelantan and Kuantan Port, Pahang. Clonal cultures of A. tamiyavanichii were established from Kuantan Port, and A. minutum from Tumpat. Microscopic enumeration coupled with quantitative qPCR assay was used to detect the low cell abundance of toxic Alexandrium species in both the motile vegetative cell and dormant resting-cyst phases in Kuantan Port. The results from a 14-months survey showed that cell abundance up to 17 cells m-3 of A. tamiyavanichii was present between April 2015 and May 2016. In order to understand the bloom dynamics in relation to the life cycle transitions, A. minutum were used in cross-mating and cyst germination experiments. The results revealed that the period of encystment-excystment for A. minutum were relatively short (~10 days). This study provides baseline data for future predictive modelling study and early warning of HABs, particularly A. minutum and A. tamiyavanichii.
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format Thesis
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institution University Malaya
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publishDate 2017
recordtype eprints
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spelling um-83042022-01-02T17:06:19Z The life cycle of two paralytic shellfish toxin producing dinoflagellates, Alexandrium minutum and Alexandrium tamiyavanichii (Dinophyceae) in Malaysia / Liow Guat Ru Liow , Guat Ru Q Science (General) QH301 Biology Hundreds of marine and brackish water dinoflagellates are associated with the natural phenomenon called harmful algal blooms (HABs). HAB is known to cause negative impacts to coastal ecosystems and threaten human lives by contaminating seafood. The dinoflagellates Alexandrium minutum and A. tamiyavanichii are capable of producing the sodium channel-blocking neurotoxins, saxitoxins (STXs). The purpose of this study is to investigate the dynamics and life cycle transitions of these two species in Malaysian waters in order to understand the triggering environmental factors in formation of blooms. Field sampling was undertaken at two paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) hotspots, Tumpat, Kelantan and Kuantan Port, Pahang. Clonal cultures of A. tamiyavanichii were established from Kuantan Port, and A. minutum from Tumpat. Microscopic enumeration coupled with quantitative qPCR assay was used to detect the low cell abundance of toxic Alexandrium species in both the motile vegetative cell and dormant resting-cyst phases in Kuantan Port. The results from a 14-months survey showed that cell abundance up to 17 cells m-3 of A. tamiyavanichii was present between April 2015 and May 2016. In order to understand the bloom dynamics in relation to the life cycle transitions, A. minutum were used in cross-mating and cyst germination experiments. The results revealed that the period of encystment-excystment for A. minutum were relatively short (~10 days). This study provides baseline data for future predictive modelling study and early warning of HABs, particularly A. minutum and A. tamiyavanichii. 2017-08 Thesis NonPeerReviewed application/pdf http://studentsrepo.um.edu.my/8304/1/All.pdf application/pdf http://studentsrepo.um.edu.my/8304/6/liow.pdf Liow , Guat Ru (2017) The life cycle of two paralytic shellfish toxin producing dinoflagellates, Alexandrium minutum and Alexandrium tamiyavanichii (Dinophyceae) in Malaysia / Liow Guat Ru. Masters thesis, Universiti Malaya. http://studentsrepo.um.edu.my/8304/
spellingShingle Q Science (General)
QH301 Biology
Liow , Guat Ru
The life cycle of two paralytic shellfish toxin producing dinoflagellates, Alexandrium minutum and Alexandrium tamiyavanichii (Dinophyceae) in Malaysia / Liow Guat Ru
title The life cycle of two paralytic shellfish toxin producing dinoflagellates, Alexandrium minutum and Alexandrium tamiyavanichii (Dinophyceae) in Malaysia / Liow Guat Ru
title_full The life cycle of two paralytic shellfish toxin producing dinoflagellates, Alexandrium minutum and Alexandrium tamiyavanichii (Dinophyceae) in Malaysia / Liow Guat Ru
title_fullStr The life cycle of two paralytic shellfish toxin producing dinoflagellates, Alexandrium minutum and Alexandrium tamiyavanichii (Dinophyceae) in Malaysia / Liow Guat Ru
title_full_unstemmed The life cycle of two paralytic shellfish toxin producing dinoflagellates, Alexandrium minutum and Alexandrium tamiyavanichii (Dinophyceae) in Malaysia / Liow Guat Ru
title_short The life cycle of two paralytic shellfish toxin producing dinoflagellates, Alexandrium minutum and Alexandrium tamiyavanichii (Dinophyceae) in Malaysia / Liow Guat Ru
title_sort life cycle of two paralytic shellfish toxin producing dinoflagellates, alexandrium minutum and alexandrium tamiyavanichii (dinophyceae) in malaysia / liow guat ru
topic Q Science (General)
QH301 Biology
url http://studentsrepo.um.edu.my/8304/
http://studentsrepo.um.edu.my/8304/1/All.pdf
http://studentsrepo.um.edu.my/8304/6/liow.pdf