[Effects of Alexandrium tamarense and Prorocentrum donghaiense on rotifer Brachionus plicatilis population].

The effects of Prorocentrum donghaiense and Alexandrium sp., causative species of harmful algal bloom of East China Sea in May 2002, on rotifer Brachionus plicatilis population were studied in the laboratory. The results showed that Alexandrium tamarense (ATHK) had a lethal effect on B. plicatilis and the 48hLC50 was about 1300 cell.ml-1. The toxin comparison of different fractions showed that the algal culture and re-suspended algal cells had the adverse effects, and the alga at earlier growth phases showed a stronger impact, indicating that the inhibitory effect was related with the activity of the living algal cells. P. donghaiense at high densities (4 x 10(4), 5 x 10(4) and 10 x 10(4) cell.ml-1) had an adverse effect on B. plicatilis population, while at low densities (1 x 10(4), 2 x 10(4) and 3 x 10(4) cell.ml-1), the alga could be used as food for rotifer population. When the two algae were mixed, the lethal effect of A. tamarense could be decreased by P. donghaiense. The results indicated that the above HAB event could affect the micro-zooplankton population in the occurrence area of East China Sea.