Isolation and Cultivation

Our Plankton Lab holds various microalgal cultures from the North Sea, the Atlantic and from Arctic and Antarctic waters, as well as assorted fresh water species.
The isolation of cultures from field samples is facilitated by various microscopes and isolation tools. Furthermore, we operate specialised culturing cabinets that allow to grow the algae under the necessary light- and temperature regimes for the different species.
To provide the adequate nutrition sources at corresponding salinity levels, diverse culturing media are kept (F/2-, K-, L1- und WC-Medium).

Feel free to contact us for co-operations or any questions.

These species are in culture at the moment:

Genus Medium T in °C Light in µE Size in µm Shape Origin
Actinoptychus senarius (4x) F/2 15 50 20-150 cylindrical   North Sea / Helgoland
Coscinodiscus granii F/2 15 50 40-200 cylindrical   North Sea / Helgoland
Coscinodiscus wailesii (2x) F/2 15 50 250-500 cylindrical   North Sea / Helgoland
             
Thalassiosira punctigera F/2 15 50 40-185 cylindrical    
Odontella (4x) F/2 15 50 40-250 elliptic / cylinder - chains North Sea / Helgoland
             
Achnanthes taeniata F/2 15 50 60 elliptic / cylinder -         connected to ribbon-like bands North Sea / Helgoland
Mediopyxis helysia  F/2 15 50 85-125 elliptic / cylinder - chains North Sea / Helgoland
Skeletonema costatum F/2 15 100 5 cylindrical - chains  
Eucampia groenlandica K + Si 4 10 40 cylindrical - chains Arctic / Beaufort Sea
Helicotheca sp. K + Si 15 100 100 rectangular - chains Atlantic / English Channel
Pleurosigma sp. K + Si 15 100   elongated elliptical Atlantic / English Channel
Porosira glacialis (Arctic) K + Si 4 10 60 cylindrical - chains Arctic / Beaufort Sea
Porosira glacialis (Antarctic) L1 4 50 35   Antarctic / Fildes Bay
Navicula sp. K + Si 15 100   rectangular   Atlantic / English Channel
Pinnularia ilkaschoenfelderae WC 4       Svalbard
Caloneis silicula WC 4       Svalbard
Hantzschia amphioxys WC 4       Svalbard
Navicula radiosa WC 4       Svalbard
Melosira    4   25-70 cylindrical