TY  - JOUR
AU  - Wilken, S.
AU  - Hoffmann, B.
AU  - Hersch, N.
AU  - Kirchgeßner, N.
AU  - Dieluweit, S.
AU  - Rubner, W.
AU  - Hoffmann, L. J.
AU  - Merkel, R.
AU  - Peeken, I.
TI  - Diatom frustules show increased mechanical strength and altered valve morphology under iron limitation
JO  - Limnology and oceanography
VL  - 56
SN  - 0024-3590
CY  - Waco, Tex.
PB  - ASLO
M1  - PreJuSER-15717
SP  - 1399 - 1410
PY  - 2011
N1  - We thank J. Lezius for help with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The SEM pictures have been made at the Laboratory for Scanning Electron Microscopy, Department of Geology at the Christian Albrechts University Kiel (CAU-Kiel). We thank two anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments on an earlier version of the manuscript. This research was funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) grant PE_565_5 awarded to I. Peeken.
AB  - Iron limitation often results in increased cellular silica contents of diatoms, suggesting that diatoms grow thicker and possibly mechanically stronger frustules when limited. We performed stability measurements for six diatom species grown under iron-limitation and iron-sufficient conditions. Frustule strength increased in all species when grown under iron limitation, with this effect being statistically significant for four of them. Valve morphology and silica content of the pennate Fragilariopsis kerguelensis and the centric Coscinodiscus wailesii changed under iron limitation but only valve morphology changes were significant; F. kerguelensis grew thicker costae while C. wailesii had smaller pores, especially in the outer part of the valves. These morphological changes are clearly in agreement with increased mechanical strength. Increased cellular silica concentrations in diatoms grown under iron limitation do result in increased frustule strength, most likely improving their protection against grazers.
KW  - J (WoSType)
LB  - PUB:(DE-HGF)16
UR  - <Go to ISI:>//WOS:000294603400018
DO  - DOI:10.4319/lo.2011.56.4.1399
UR  - https://juser.fz-juelich.de/record/15717
ER  -