Plankton productivity and biomass in a tributary of the upper Chesapeake Bay. I. Importance of size-fractionated phytoplankton productivity,biomass and species composition in carbon export |
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| Authors: | Kevin G Sellner |
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| Institution: | Academy of Natural Sciences, Benedict Estuarine Research Laboratory, Benedict, MD 20612, U.S.A. |
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| Abstract: | Phytoplankton productivity, community composition and biomass were determined over a nine-month period in brackish waters of the lower Gunpowder River, a tributary of Chesapeake Bay. Primary productivity followed expected seasonal magnitudes for temperate estuaries with rates exceeding 142·4 mg C m?3 h?1 in July through September 1979 and minimum rates of 1·6 mg C m?3 h?1 in February 1980. Annual primary production was estimated at 45·5 gC m?2. Cell numbers were highest in August, September and November with cyanophytes dominating the planktonic algae. Primary productivity, chlorophyll concentrations and cell densities were dominated by nanoplanktonic forms (< 10 μm) through-out the study. Phytoplankton carbon calculated from cells volumes exceeded nutritional requirements of the pelagic herbivores in all months suggesting a mean daily export (to the bay or sediments) of 1607 mg C m?3 d?1. |
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| Keywords: | carbon cyanophyta estuaries grazing nannoplankton primary productivity zooplankton |
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