Carotenoid Pigments in Micrzooplankton: Characterization and Relation to Biomass

微型浮游动物（原生动物和微后生动物）在海洋中非常丰富，在远洋食物网中起着重要的作用。然而，估算微型浮游动物的生物量是一个繁琐且相对专业化的过程。需要技术来增强传统方法。众所周知，藻类色素含量大致与生物量成正比。本研究的假设是，微浮游动物中类胡萝卜素的含量也与生物量相关。本研究的目的是检验这一假设，并确定造成这种关系变异性的环境强迫函数。到目前为止，研究结果支持这一假设，但还需要进一步阐述。将进行实验，以确定食物供应、光强度和光谱特性以及种群增长对色素：生物量关系的影响。此外，将改进包括HPLC在内的分析方法，以提高类胡萝卜素的分辨率。改进后的方法将以比目前可能的更高的速率提供数据，并且可以区分微后生动物和原生动物的生物量。

Microzooplankton (protozoans and micrometazoans) are abundant in the sea and play significant roles in pelagic food webs. Estimating microzooplankton biomass, however, is a tedious and relatively specialized process. Techniques are needed to augment traditional approaches. It is known that algal pigment content is roughly proportional to biomass. The hypothesis of the present study is that carotenoid pigment content in microzooplankton is also correlated with biomass. The objectives of this research are to test this hypothesis and to identify environmental forcing functions responsible for variability in the relationship. Findings, to date, support the hypothesis, but elaboration is necessary. Experiments will be undertaken to identify the influence of food availability, light intensity and spectral characteristics, and population growth on the pigment:biomass relationship. In addition, the analytical method, which involves HPLC, will be modified to increase carotenoid resolution. The improved method will provide data at higher rates than presently possible, and may allow discrimination between micrometazoan and protozoan biomass.