154
accomplish this, cells from each subpopulation were sorted for identification.
The low light scatter (FALS) and low fluorescent (LIRFL)
subpopulations we~e identified as a mixture of diatoms, but the high
fluorescent subpopulation was clearly unialgal Ceratium sp. (;;;98%).
This suggests the ability to separate chromatic groups to establish
functional relationships in nature.
As summarized by Sakshaug (1980) in his review chapter entitled
Problems in the Methodology of Studying Phytoplankton: "In phytoplankton ecology, in particular when dealing with chemical methods,
it is crucial to separate groups of organisms from each other and
from detritus (dead organic matter) so that chemical data can be
assigned correctly to the various groups of organisms and a
correction made for detritus.
This is one of the most difficult
methodological problems in phytoplankton ecology ••• Problems increase
with maturity of a community."
Flow cytometry and fluorescence-activated cell sorting may
provide a means by which rapid analysis and separation of phytoplankton is feasible at sea and thus lead us to a better understanding of
the organisms in the oceanic environments.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I thank O. Holm-Hansen for the opportunity to participate in this
interesting symposium and helpful comments on an earlier version of
this manuscript.
Collectively, the authors thank P.K. Horan and K.
Muirhead for the introduction to flow cytometers!sorters.
Funding
for the instrument at Bigelow Laboratory was through NSF OCE 82-13567
and ONR N00014-81-C-0043.
Partial support was provided by OCE
81-21331 and NA-82-FA-C-00043.
P. Boisvert prepared the manuscript and J. Rollins and K.
Knowlton prepared the illustrations.
This is Bigelow Laboratory
contribution number 84001.
accomplish this, cells from each subpopulation were sorted for identification.
The low light scatter (FALS) and low fluorescent (LIRFL)
subpopulations we~e identified as a mixture of diatoms, but the high
fluorescent subpopulation was clearly unialgal Ceratium sp. (;;;98%).
This suggests the ability to separate chromatic groups to establish
functional relationships in nature.
As summarized by Sakshaug (1980) in his review chapter entitled
Problems in the Methodology of Studying Phytoplankton: "In phytoplankton ecology, in particular when dealing with chemical methods,
it is crucial to separate groups of organisms from each other and
from detritus (dead organic matter) so that chemical data can be
assigned correctly to the various groups of organisms and a
correction made for detritus.
This is one of the most difficult
methodological problems in phytoplankton ecology ••• Problems increase
with maturity of a community."
Flow cytometry and fluorescence-activated cell sorting may
provide a means by which rapid analysis and separation of phytoplankton is feasible at sea and thus lead us to a better understanding of
the organisms in the oceanic environments.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I thank O. Holm-Hansen for the opportunity to participate in this
interesting symposium and helpful comments on an earlier version of
this manuscript.
Collectively, the authors thank P.K. Horan and K.
Muirhead for the introduction to flow cytometers!sorters.
Funding
for the instrument at Bigelow Laboratory was through NSF OCE 82-13567
and ONR N00014-81-C-0043.
Partial support was provided by OCE
81-21331 and NA-82-FA-C-00043.
P. Boisvert prepared the manuscript and J. Rollins and K.
Knowlton prepared the illustrations.
This is Bigelow Laboratory
contribution number 84001.