Release and consumption of DMSP from Emiliania huxleyi during grazing b y Oxyrrhis marina

Degradation and release to solution of intracellular dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) from Emiliania huxleyi 370 was observed during grazing by the heterotrophic dinoflagellate Oxyrrhis marina in 24 h bottle incubations. Between 30 and 70 % of the lost algal DMSP was metabolized by the grazers without production of dimethylsulfide (DMS) when grazer densities were 150 to 450 m l ' The rest was released to solution and about 30% was converted to DMS by bacteria associated with the grazer culture. These experiments demonstrate that grazing by herbivorous protists may be an important sink for DMSP in marine waters, removing a potential source of DMS. Microzooplankton grazing may also indirectly increase the production of DMS by transferring algal DMSP to the dissolved pool, making it available for bacterial n~etabolism.