Aims and Activities of DYMAPHY:
INTERREG IV A
« 2 Mers Sea Zeeën »
Activity 1
Equipment
calibration and
standardisation
of analysis
techniques
Activity 2
Automation and
establishment of a
fingerprinting library
and database
The DYMAPHY project is part of the European crossborder cooperation programme INTERREG IV A « 2
Seas ». The project began in 2010, and will be completed
in 2013. DYMAPHY operates on a budget of €2,460,974:
up to 50% is contributed by FEDER, with the remaining
50% supplied by the partner institutes.
Development of a DYnamic observation
system for determining the quality of
MArine waters based on PHYtoplankton
community analysis
Activity 3
Validation of the
analysis
techniques during
common research
cruises and current
monitoring work
For more information
www.dymaphy.eu
[email protected]
What are the innovative techniques tested?
Flow cytometry is used to count and characterize each
cell present in a phytoplankton water sample.
What are phytoplankton ?
Phytoplankton,
also
called
microalgae,
are
photosynthetic microorganisms floating in the water
column. They produce large quantities of organic matter
used in the marine food web. They are responsible for
much of the oxygen released into the atmosphere.
Phytoplankton are represented by a diverse range of
species, with many different shapes, sizes, and
structure. They form communities which alter according
to the season, the location and other events.
Different species of phytoplankton
Why
do
we
communities?
study
phytoplankton
The observation of the succession of phytoplankton
groups is some of the means used to characterise the
evolution of marine waters’ quality. However, a lack of
automation in sampling and analysis procedures
reduces the use of phytoplankton data in monitoring
programmes.
To increase efficiency and utility, these procedures
should be fast, easy, reproducible, cost-effective and
adapted to special events such as blooms of harmful
algae.
What are the curent monitoring tools?
Observation and monitoring take place
primarily by regular collection of samples at
sea for laboratory analysis. Microscopes or
other measuring instruments are used to
identify and count the microalgae collected.
More recently, instruments placed
on board ships or buoys make
continuous recordings of the marine
environment. These data
collected allow an in real
time estimate of the amount
and diversity of microalgae.
What is DYMAPHY ?
Spectral fluorescence can detect and monitor in vivo
phytoplankton pigment groups, in real time.
These instruments (among others) are used in a
laboratory, or onboard a ship equipped to pump water
continuously. They are tested in connection with a
onboard measurement system (the Pocket ferry box),
which can also make measurements of physico-chemical
properties.
PHYSAT Method
Fluoroprobe®
CytoSense®
Pocket Ferry Box®
The project is interested in different approaches and
techniques for the study of phytoplankton. It is for
scientists to improve the assessment of marine waters
through the study of phytoplankton as indicators of water
quality, at high resolution.
For this they need to compare and calibrate these
different techniques. Techniques as microscopy and
extraction of pigments in laboratory are compared with
innovative techniques.
At the same time, the project seeks to automate some
steps, demanding in time and expertise, in the
processing of the data.
Finally, the PHYSAT method, applied to satellite imagery,
can be used to discriminate certain groups of
phytoplankton at a synoptic, “two Seas“ scale.