How Turbulence Affects the

Movement of Phytoplankton
By: Charlotte Horn
 Background

Coccolithophores
Cyanobacteria

Diatoms

Dinoflagellates Yellow-Green Algae

 Outline

Scientific Studies
1. Bistability in oxidative stress response
determines the migration behavior of
phytoplankton in turbulence
2. Chain formation can enhance the vertical
migration of phytoplankton through turbulence
 Problem

For phytoplankton, turbulence drives the fitness and species succession. Yet a
mechanistic understanding of the effects of turbulence on phytoplankton
physiology and migratory behavior has been lacking.
 Study #1
Bistability in oxidative stress response
• Turbulence affects phytoplankton by both transporting cells and
triggering switches in migration behavior
• Turbulent cues can cause dinoflagellates to invert direction
• Cells can generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) to actively change
their migration direction.
Study #1
 Study #2
• Many motile species can form long chains
• Theses chains can increase speed, however, reduces its ability to
maintain their bearings
• Elongated shapes or chains are the most beneficial through weak to
moderate turbulence
Study #2
 Other Info

• Vertical migration is a daily occurrence

• Some move by swimming others, by changes in buoyancy
• Combination of vertical migration and a vertical shear in horizontal
current speed can lead to significant horizontal transport of organisms
• Example: if a plankter is high in the water column during the day with a
tidal current flowing eastward, and sinks at night into weaker currents
flowing westward, there is a net movement towards the east over a tidal
cycle. That movement can be up to several km
 Conculsion

Turbulence affects the way in which phytoplankton move, as

well as with species succession, nutrient uptake, and predation.
In response to turbulence, phytoplankton can change their
direction of migration and form chains.
 Work Cited

Carrara, Francesco, et al. "Bistability in oxidative stress response determines the migration
behavior of phytoplankton in turbulence." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 118.5
(2021)
Lovecchio, Salvatore, et al. "Chain formation can enhance the vertical migration of phytoplankton
through turbulence." Science advances 5.10 (2019)
Macdonald, R. G., et al. "Vertical migration maintains phytoplankton position in a tidal channel with
residual flow." Marine Ecology Progress Series 509 (2014)