Responses of phytoplankton species to diel temperature fluctuation patterns

Diel temperature fluctuation might promote the dominance of cyanobacteria and result in the advance of bloom onset timing in spring. However, knowledge of how temperature fluctuations impact phytoplankton shift and then favor cyanobacterial growth in spring is limited. In this study, we analyzed photosynthesis and growth responses of phytoplankton species to different temperature fluctuation patterns in the laboratory. We also performed daily monitoring to detect the relationship between phytoplankton groups and diel temperature fluctuations. The results of the laboratory experiments suggested that the photosynthetic performance and growth rate of Microcystis aeruginosa were better adapted to temperature fluctuations than those of Chlorella pyrenoidosa and Cyclotella meneghiniana. Temperature fluctuations slowed the proliferation of Ch. pyrenoidosa and Cy. meneghiniana, while promoting M. aeruginosa. Moreover, the response dynamics of different phytoplankton species to diel temperature fluctuations depended on the mean temperature. The results from the field also indicated that there was a positive relationship between cyanobacterial biomass and diel temperature fluctuations. Our study offers further understanding of the effect of temperature fluctuation on phytoplankton composition shift and the formation of cyanobacterial dominance in spring.