Nitrogen-Fixing Algal Species Composition and Morphology Variation Along a Temperature Gradient in Iceland.
Algae, photosynthetic microorganisms that form the base of aquatic food webs, can be limited by the availability of nitrogen. Cyanobacteria, a special group of algae, are able to fix atmospheric nitrogen and convert it into a form usable by biota. Though nitrogen fixation plays a key role in stream...
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ftstcatherineuni:oai:sophia.stkate.edu:undergraduate_research_symposium-1050 2023-05-15T16:47:58+02:00 Nitrogen-Fixing Algal Species Composition and Morphology Variation Along a Temperature Gradient in Iceland. Wolfe, Rebecca L 2013-04-07T02:25:35Z https://sophia.stkate.edu/undergraduate_research_symposium/2013/Sciences/44 unknown SOPHIA https://sophia.stkate.edu/undergraduate_research_symposium/2013/Sciences/44 Sr. Seraphim Gibbons Undergraduate Symposium text 2013 ftstcatherineuni 2022-03-14T20:36:24Z Algae, photosynthetic microorganisms that form the base of aquatic food webs, can be limited by the availability of nitrogen. Cyanobacteria, a special group of algae, are able to fix atmospheric nitrogen and convert it into a form usable by biota. Though nitrogen fixation plays a key role in stream ecology, there has been little research on the link between algal species assemblages and nitrogen fixation patterns in streams. Nitrogen-fixation is also energetically costly and may be further impacted by temperature. The first goal of this study was to compare species distribution patterns and morphological variation in the nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterial genus Nostoc from samples collected from nitrogen-poor streams along a geothermal gradient (5 to 25° C) in Iceland. Morphological features relevant to nitrogen fixation were measured, such as size, density, location, and shape of heterocytes (specialized nitrogen-fixing cell). The second goal was to relate morphological distribution patterns to nitrogen fixation rates along the temperature gradient. I hypothesized that algal species would shift in response to different temperatures, and that higher nitrogen fixation rates would correlate with an increase in heterocyte frequency and/or increase in heterocyte size. Early results indicate that species distribution patterns vary with temperature. Early results show heterocyte size and density varied significantly with temperature (ANOVA, p Text Iceland St. Catherine University: SOPHIA |
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St. Catherine University: SOPHIA |
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Algae, photosynthetic microorganisms that form the base of aquatic food webs, can be limited by the availability of nitrogen. Cyanobacteria, a special group of algae, are able to fix atmospheric nitrogen and convert it into a form usable by biota. Though nitrogen fixation plays a key role in stream ecology, there has been little research on the link between algal species assemblages and nitrogen fixation patterns in streams. Nitrogen-fixation is also energetically costly and may be further impacted by temperature. The first goal of this study was to compare species distribution patterns and morphological variation in the nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterial genus Nostoc from samples collected from nitrogen-poor streams along a geothermal gradient (5 to 25° C) in Iceland. Morphological features relevant to nitrogen fixation were measured, such as size, density, location, and shape of heterocytes (specialized nitrogen-fixing cell). The second goal was to relate morphological distribution patterns to nitrogen fixation rates along the temperature gradient. I hypothesized that algal species would shift in response to different temperatures, and that higher nitrogen fixation rates would correlate with an increase in heterocyte frequency and/or increase in heterocyte size. Early results indicate that species distribution patterns vary with temperature. Early results show heterocyte size and density varied significantly with temperature (ANOVA, p |
format |
Text |
author |
Wolfe, Rebecca L |
spellingShingle |
Wolfe, Rebecca L Nitrogen-Fixing Algal Species Composition and Morphology Variation Along a Temperature Gradient in Iceland. |
author_facet |
Wolfe, Rebecca L |
author_sort |
Wolfe, Rebecca L |
title |
Nitrogen-Fixing Algal Species Composition and Morphology Variation Along a Temperature Gradient in Iceland. |
title_short |
Nitrogen-Fixing Algal Species Composition and Morphology Variation Along a Temperature Gradient in Iceland. |
title_full |
Nitrogen-Fixing Algal Species Composition and Morphology Variation Along a Temperature Gradient in Iceland. |
title_fullStr |
Nitrogen-Fixing Algal Species Composition and Morphology Variation Along a Temperature Gradient in Iceland. |
title_full_unstemmed |
Nitrogen-Fixing Algal Species Composition and Morphology Variation Along a Temperature Gradient in Iceland. |
title_sort |
nitrogen-fixing algal species composition and morphology variation along a temperature gradient in iceland. |
publisher |
SOPHIA |
publishDate |
2013 |
url |
https://sophia.stkate.edu/undergraduate_research_symposium/2013/Sciences/44 |
genre |
Iceland |
genre_facet |
Iceland |
op_source |
Sr. Seraphim Gibbons Undergraduate Symposium |
op_relation |
https://sophia.stkate.edu/undergraduate_research_symposium/2013/Sciences/44 |
_version_ |
1766038068521861120 |