COMPARATIVE STUDY ON MORPHOMETRICS OF MICROALGAE OF THE GENUS DUNALIELLA FROM HYPERSALTED LAKES OF CRIMEA

Abstract

Genus of microalgae Dunaliella includes a large number of species greatly differing by its product potential, but being similar by general physical appearance. In fact, different Dunaliella species differ much by cell shape and size. The algae cell can be ellipsoid, ovoid, almost spherical, pear-shaped or fusiform. Cell size is variable even within a species, and differences are related to growth conditions, such as the amount of nutrients, light intensity, and salt concentration. Morphometric and phylogenetic analyses are necessary to identify the taxonomic status of different species of microalgae of the genus Dunaliella. The aim of the work is a morphometric analysis of wild strains of microalgae of the genus Dunaliella from hypersalted lakes of the Crimea: Sasyk-Sivash, Saki, Moynak and Ajigol. With the help of the FlowCam 8400 visualizing flow cytometer, four populations were studied, about 10 thousand cells were analyzed in each, 8 morphological parameters were evaluated. The results were processed using a program for statistical data processing R. To assess the degree of separability of D. salina cells and to construct the corresponding discriminating function, the method of linear discriminant analysis was used. Applying a step-by-step algorithm for constructing a discriminant function, an optimal set of the most indicative morphometric characteristics sufficient to divide a set of cells into groups according to their belonging to a particular reservoir was established.