Diversity of microalgae of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon waters (N-W Atlantic), with emphasis on potentially toxic or harmful taxa
Supervisor: Nicolas Chomérat (IFREMER Environment and Resources Laboratory of Western Brittany, Concarneau, France)
There have been recent attempts to develop scallop aquaculture in Saint-Pierre and Miquelon (SPM), with the scientific support of ARDA and IFREMER. The latter have been involved into the monitoring of potentially toxic or harmful taxa for fifteen years, and the knowledge about microalgae in SPM marine waters (North-West Atlantic) begins to improve. This study aimed to identify potentially toxic or harmful taxa of microalgae in SPM by a morpho-molecular approach and to report new species in SPM waters. It is the result of the analysis of phytoplankton material collected from the coast and a lagoon of SPM. Microalgae were studied using light microscopy (LM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and molecular methods. Eighteen taxa in total have been observed within diatoms and dinoflagellates. Twelve taxa have been confirmed in SPM compared to previous observations (but two are not reported as toxic or harmful) either by SEM, either by molecular analysis, or both methods in some cases. Two new potentially toxic or harmful taxa have been recorded in SPM: P. delicatissima and K. cristata. This study reports two new records for the North Atlantic: K. cristata and K. umbella.