Sponsor
Financial support provided by the NIH Common Fund and Office of Scientific Workforce Diversity (SW-DEI) (UL1GM118964, RL5GM118963, and TL4GM118965) for the BUILD EXITO Biomedical Research Training Program at PSU. And by NSF-OCE 1830002 and Simons Foundation LS-ECIAMEE-00001481 awards to Anne W. Thompson
First Advisor
Anne W. Thompson
Date of Award
12-2023
Document Type
Thesis
Department
Chemistry
Language
English
Subjects
Biogeochemistry, Freshwater phytoplankton, Phytoplankton populations -- Oregon -- Willamette River, Phytoplankton populations -- Columbia River, Phytoplankton -- Geographical distribution
Abstract
As important primary producers, picophytoplankton determine the flow of carbon and energy in aquatic ecosystems. Picocyanobacteria are one picophytoplankton group known to be dominant in oceans and lakes, but they are still poorly understood in river systems. This project examined picophytoplankton communities in two distinct river systems: the Columbia and Willamette Rivers in Portland, Oregon. I aimed to characterize and quantify the picophytoplankton populations in the context of the environmental conditions of the two rivers. I used flow cytometry to detect cells based on their relative size and pigment fluorescence. I sampled nearly weekly for ten months to capture population dynamics over seasonal changes and short-duration disturbances. And finally, I discovered seven distinct picophytoplankton populations present in both rivers at varying abundances over time. My findings highlight the physiological and genetic diversity that underlie these persistent and biogeochemically important primary producers in freshwater ecosystems.
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/41691
Recommended Citation
Brevick, Kylee, "The Discovery of Diverse Picophytoplankton Populations in the Columbia and Willamette Rivers Using Flow Cytometry" (2023). Chemistry Undergraduate Departmental Honors Theses. 1.
https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/chem_theseshonors/1
Comments
An undergraduate honors thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Chemistry: Biochemistry with Departmental Honors.