Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
100 μm
Figure 1.3
Colour characteristics
of different algal groups. Top: Fresh
lake phytoplankton sample show-
ing colour differences between major
algal phyla: Dinophyta (brown: C),
Cyanobacteria (blue-green: An, Aph,
M) and Chlorophyta (grass-green:
P). Algal genera: An,
Anabaena
;
Aph,
Aphanothece
;C,
Ceratium
;G,
Gomphosphaeria
;M,
Microcystis
;
P,
Pandorina
. Bottom left:
Synura
(cultured alga, lightly fixed) showing
golden brown colour of Chrysophyta.
Bottom right: End of filament of
Aulacoseira granulata
var.
angustis-
sima
(with terminal spine) from lake
phytoplankton showing olive-green
chloroplasts (Bacillariophyta).
10 μm
20 μm
chlorophyll-
a
, which can therefore be used for the
estimation of total biomass (see Chapter 2). Diagnos-
tic carotenoids have been particularly relevant in the
application of high performance liquid chromatog-
raphy (HPLC) for the identification and quantitation
of major algal groups within mixed phytoplankton
samples (see Section 2.3.3, Fig 2.11) - and have
been used, for example, in the analysis of estuarine
eutrophication (see Section 3.5.2).
Visualisation of key differences in cell struc-
ture normally requires the higher resolution of oil
immersion (light microscopy), transmission electron
microscopy (TEM) or scanning electron microscopy
(SEM) and includes both internal (e.g. chloroplast
fine structure) and external (e.g. location/number of
flagella, cell surface ornamentation) features. Com-
parisons of light and electron microscopic images are
shown in Figs. 1.4 (light/TEM) and 4.56 (light/SEM).
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