Some effects of sewage discharge upon phytoplankton in Hong Kong

The coastal waters of Hong Kong constitute a transition from estuarine conditions in the west to more oceanic conditions in the east, with a major discharge of untreated sewage located at the mid-point. Chlorophyll a was determined and net phytoplankton was sampled at 45 stations throughout this transition. Over a period of 20 months, chlorophyll a values rarely exceeded 2 μg l.^?1 in unpolluted coastal waters. Estuarine waters generally contained 2–6 μg l.^?1 and, in waters influenced by sewage discharge, values sometimes exceeded 20 μg l.^?1. There was no evidence of a reduction in taxonomic diversity in polluted areas except in summer, when the net phytoplankton was dominated by Chaetoceros spp. In the autumn and early winter, Skeletonema costatum was abundant in the central polluted areas.     

On the remote monitoring of Karenia brevis blooms of the west Florida shelf

In situ surveys (1997–2002) of Karenia brevis distribution on the west Florida shelf were used to explain spectral remote sensing reflectance, chlorophyll-a concentration, and backscattering coefficient estimates derived using SeaWiFS satellite data. Two existing approaches were tested in an attempt to differentiate K. brevis blooms from other blooms or plumes. A chlorophyll-anomaly method used operationally by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) sometimes correctly identified K. brevis blooms but also generated false positives and false negatives. The method identified approximately 1000 km² of high chlorophyll-anomalies (>1 mg m⁻³) off southwest Florida between the 10 and 50-m isobaths nearly every day from summer to late fall. Whether these patches were K. brevis blooms or not is unknown. A second method used a backscattering:chlorophyll-a ratio to identify K. brevis patches. This method separated K. brevis from other blooms using in situ optical data, but it yielded less satisfactory results with SeaWiFS data. Spectral reflectance (R_rs) estimates for K. brevis blooms, diatom blooms, and coastal river plumes are statistically similar for many cases. Large pixel size, shallow water, and imperfect algorithms distort satellite retrievals of bio-optical parameters in patchy blooms. At present, a combination of chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-anomaly, backscattering:chlorophyll-a ratio, RGB composites, MODIS fluorescence data, as well as time-series analysis and ancillary data such as winds, currents, and sea surface temperature can improve K. brevis bloom assessments. Progress in atmospheric correction and bio-optical inversion algorithms is required to help improve capabilities to monitor K. brevis blooms from space. Further, satellite sensors with improved radiometric capabilities and temporal/spatial resolutions are also required.     

Spatial and temporal variations in nutrient and chlorophyll-a concentrations in the northern East China Sea surrounding Cheju Island

Nutrients, chlorophyll-a (Chl-a), and environmental conditions were extensively investigated in the northern East China Sea (ECS) near Cheju Island during five research cruises from 2003 to 2007. In the eastern part of the study area, surface waters were characterized only by the Tsushima Current Water (TCW) during all five cruises. However, the western surface waters changed with season and were characterized by the Yellow Sea Cold Water (YSCW) in spring, the Changjiang Diluted Water (CDW) in summer, and the Yellow Sea Mixed Water (YSMW) in autumn. In spring and autumn, relatively high concentrations of nitrate and phosphate were observed in the surface waters in the western part of the study area, where vertical mixing brought large supplies of nutrients from deep waters. Changes in wind direction occasionally varied the inflow of the Changjiang plume in summer, clearly causing the annual variation in surface nitrate and phosphate concentrations in summer. In summer, the surface distribution of nitrate and phosphate did not coincide with that of silicate in the study area, which probably resulted from the significant drop in the Si:N ratio in the Changjiang plume since construction of the Three Gorges Dam (TGD). Despite large temporal and spatial variations in surface Chl-a concentrations, depth-integrated Chl-a concentrations exhibited little variation temporally and spatially. In the study area, surface Chl-a concentration did not well reflect the standing stocks of phytoplankton. The vertical distribution of Chl-a showed large temporal and spatial variations, and the main factor controlling the vertical distribution of Chl-a in summer was the availability of nitrate. The thermohaline front may play an important role for accumulation of phytoplankton biomass in spring and autumn.     

Spatial distribution of cyanotoxins and ratios of microcystin to biomass indicators in the reservoirs of the Volga,Kama and Don Rivers,the European part of Russia

We studied the distribution of cyanotoxins and potential producers, as well as the variability of microcystin to biomass parameters (chlorophyll-a; MC/Chl-a; and biovolume; MC/BV) in 12 drinking water reservoirs of the world’s largest reservoir system, the Volga-Kama-Don cascade (European part of Russia) during the summers of 2016 and 2018. MC concentrations varied from below 0.1 μg L⁻¹ in June up to 16.4 μg L⁻¹ in August and exceeded 1 μg L^-1 in 25 % of the samples. This MC variability was associated to changes in the abundance of widespread bloom formers such as Microcystis spp., Dolichospermum spp. and Planktothrix agardhii. Ratios of MC/Chl-a and MC/BV_cyano ranged up to 0.88 μg μg⁻¹ and 4.5 μg mm⁻³, respectively. Together with microcystin profiles MC/BV_cyano ratios characterized cyanobacterial populations along the reservoir cascade and they indicated a potential toxin hazard better than MC/Chl-a. The neurotoxin anatoxin-a was observed only in the most southern and hypereutrophic Tsimlyansk Reservoir (maximum 0.01 μg L⁻¹). Toxin gene analysis revealed that MC mostly originated from Microcystis and Dolichospermum. During their co-existence up to 14 MC congeners co-occurred. Cuspidothrix issatschenkoi cf. Raphidiopsis mediterranea was identified as possible neurotoxin producers.     

A case study of airborne and satellite remote sensing of a spring bloom event in the Gulf of Finland

The concentrations of chlorophyll-a (chl-a), total suspended solids (TSS) and the absorption coefficient of colored dissolved organic matter (a_CDOM(400)) are estimated in Case II waters using medium resolution imaging spectrometer (MERIS) satellite (full resolution [FR] level 1b, 300 m resolution) and AISA airborne spectrometer data acquired during a spring bloom in the Gulf of Finland, Baltic Sea on April 27, 2004. The accuracy of the estimation is analyzed using empirical band-ratio algorithms together with in situ observations that include water samples analyzed in a laboratory (variation ranges: 22–130 μg/l, 2.9–20 mg/l, and 1.29–2.61 m⁻¹ for chl-a, TSS and a_CDOM(400), respectively). Additional in situ estimates (transects) on these characteristics are available through absorption and scattering coefficients measured with an ac-9 absorption and attenuation meter installed in a flow-through system. The retrieval accuracy (R²) of all three water quality characteristics with MERIS data is close to or above 0.9, while the RMSE is 7.8 μg/l (22%), 0.74 mg/l (16%) and 0.08 m⁻¹ (5%), for chl-a, TSS and a_CDOM(400), respectively. The validity of the chl-a algorithm is tested using nine additional data points. The BIAS-error for these points is 5.2 μg/l and the RMSE is 10.6 μg/l. The effects of changes in the atmospheric characteristics on band-ratio algorithms in cases where no concurrent in situ reference data are available are analyzed using the MODerate spectral resolution atmospheric TRANSmittance algorithm and computer model (MODTRAN). The additional error due to these changes is estimated to be below 20% for the applied ratio algorithms. The water quality data available in the level 2 MERIS-product distributed by the European Space Agency did not include valid results for the date investigated here.     

Algal pigment patterns and phytoplankton assemblages in different water masses of the Río de la Plata maritime front

The composition of phytoplankton assemblages were studied in three sections across the continental shelf between the Río de la Plata and the oceanic waters of the Subtropical Convergence, during late spring. Algal communities were examined using microscopy and HPLC-derived pigment concentrations. The CHEMTAX program was used to estimate the chlorophyll a (chl a) biomass of different algal classes. Trends in pigment ratios due to phytoplankton photo-adaptation and photo-acclimation were also examined. In order to accommodate the natural diversity of phytoplankton assemblages the original data have been split to represent five ecosystems. In addition, the pigment data for the Brazil Current ecosystem has been split by sample depth.     

Size-fractionated phytoplankton biomass,primary production and respiration in the Nervión–Ibaizabal estuary: A comparison with other nearshore coastal and estuarine ecosystems from the Bay of Biscay

The seasonal pattern of size-fractionated phytoplankton biomass, primary production and respiration was investigated along the longitudinal axis of the Nervión–Ibaizabal estuary (Bay of Biscay) from April 2003 to September 2004. Environmental factors influencing phytoplankton dynamics were also studied. Chlorophyll a biomass showed a longitudinal pattern of increase from the outer Abra bay to the inner estuary. On a seasonal scale, in the intermediate and inner estuary phytoplankton biomass maxima were registered in summer, the warmest and driest season, whereas in the outer bay chlorophyll a peaks occurred in May 2004, but were delayed to August 2003, likely due to a very rainy spring. Data suggest that river flow exerts a marked influence on the timing of phytoplankton biomass maxima in this estuary, decreased river flows providing a lowering of turbidity and an increase in water residence time needed for chlorophyll a to build up. Nutrient concentrations were high enough not to limit phytoplankton growth throughout the annual cycle, except silicate and occasionally phosphate in the outer bay during summer. Silicate concentration correlated positively with river flow, whereas ammonium and phosphate maximum values were generally measured in the mid-estuary, suggesting the importance of allochthonous anthropogenic sources. In the intermediate and inner estuary phytoplankton biomass was generally dominated by >8 μm size-fraction (ca. 60%), but in August 2003 <8 μm size-fraction increased its contribution in the intermediate estuary. It is argued that the lower nutrient concentrations measured in August 2003 than in August 2004 could have played a role. This is the first study in which phytoplankton primary production rates have been measured along the longitudinal axis of the Nervión–Ibaizabal estuary. Throughout the annual cycle these rates ranged from 0.001 to 3.163 g C m^?3 d^?1 and were comparable to those measured in nearby small estuaries of the Basque coast and other larger estuaries on the Bay of Biscay. Surface plankton community respiration rate maxima were measured during the spring 2004 chlorophyll a peak in the Abra bay and in summer months at the mid and inner estuary, coinciding with chlorophyll a biomass and primary production maxima. In general, respiration rates showed a positive correlation with temperature. In order to compare results from the Nervión–Ibaizabal estuary with other nearshore coastal and estuarine ecosystems within the Bay of Biscay a review of existing information on phytoplankton biomass and primary production dynamics was performed.     

呼伦湖浮游植物群落季节动态及其与环境因子的关系

为探究呼伦湖浮游植物群落的季节变化特征及其与环境因子的关系,本研究分别于2019年3、5—10月对呼伦湖浮游植物的种类、细胞密度和生物量及湖水水质进行调查.结果显示,共鉴定出120种浮游植物,隶属于7门72属.从浮游植物群落季节组成差异上来看,春季绿藻门种类数最多,其次是硅藻门、蓝藻门;夏秋季绿藻门种类数最多,蓝藻门次之;冬季硅藻门种类数最多,绿藻门次之.呼伦湖浮游植物优势种主要为硅藻门的梅尼小环藻（Cyclotella meneghiniana）、蓝藻门的卷曲长孢藻（Anabaena circinalis）和细小平裂藻（Merismopedia minima）,种类数在春季最多,秋冬季最少.浮游植物细胞密度在春季（123.52×10⁴ cells/L）和冬季（16.41×10⁴ cells/L）较夏季（280.80×10⁴ cells/L）和秋季（380.63×10⁴ cells/L）低,春冬季绿藻门细胞密度最高,夏秋季蓝藻门细胞密度最高.就浮游植物生物量而言,夏季（0.38 mg/L）最大,其次是秋季（0.26 mg/L）和春季（0.24 mg/L）,冬季（0.13 mg/L）最小.香农-威纳（Shannon-Wiener）多样性指数、均匀度指数和综合营养状态指数均表明呼伦湖水体处于中营养状态.冗余分析（RDA）表明：水温、叶绿素a、pH和营养盐浓度是影响呼伦湖浮游植物群落分布的主要环境因子.     

Validation of SeaWiFS chlorophyll a in Massachusetts Bay

Massachusetts Bay, a semi-enclosed embayment (50×100 km) in the Northwest Atlantic, is the focus of a monitoring program designed to measure the effects of relocating the Boston Harbor sewage outfall to a site 15 km offshore in Massachusetts Bay. The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) in situ monitoring program samples selected stations up to 17 times per year to observe seasonal changes in phytoplankton biomass and other water quality variables. We investigated the feasibility of augmenting the monitoring data with satellite ocean color data to increase the spatial and temporal resolution of quantitative phytoplankton measurements. In coastal regions such as Massachusetts Bay, ocean color remote sensing can be complicated by in-water constituents whose concentrations vary independently of phytoplankton and by inaccurate modeling of absorbing aerosols that tend to be concentrated near the coast. An evaluation of in situ and sea-viewing wide field-of-view sensor (SeaWiFS) measurements from 1998 to 2005 demonstrated that SeaWiFS overestimated chlorophyll a mainly due to atmospheric correction errors that were amplified by absorption from elevated concentrations of chlorophyll a and colored dissolved organic matter. Negative water-leaving radiances in the 412 nm band, an obvious artifact of inadequate atmospheric correction, were recorded in approximately 60–80% of the cloud-free images along the coast, while the remaining portions of the Bay only experience negative radiances 35–55% of the time with a clear nearshore to offshore decrease in frequency. Seasonally, the greatest occurrences of negative 412 nm radiances were in November and December and the lowest were recorded during the summer months. Concentrations of suspended solids in Massachusetts Bay were low compared with other coastal regions and did not have a significant impact on SeaWiFS chlorophyll a measurements. A regional empirical algorithm was developed to correct the SeaWiFS data to agree with in situ observations. Monthly SeaWiFS composites illustrated the spatial extent of a bimodal seasonal pattern, including prominent spring and fall phytoplankton blooms; and the approximate 115 cloud-free scenes per year revealed interannual variations in the timing, magnitude and duration of phytoplankton blooms. Despite known artifacts of SeaWiFS in coastal regions, this study provided a viable chlorophyll a product in Massachusetts Bay that significantly increased the spatial and temporal synoptic coverage of phytoplankton biomass, which can be used to gain a comprehensive ecosystem-wide understanding of phytoplankton dynamics at event, seasonal and interannual timescales.     

Vertical distribution of phytoplankton in a stratified estuary

We present a fine vertical distribution of physico-chemical parameters and phytoplankton density around the halocline (freshwater/seawater interface) in the Krka estuary on the East coast of the Adriatic Sea. Suspended matter, surfactant activity, surface active aggregates, particulate organic carbon and phaeophytin all show largest concentrations in the 20–50 cm thick interface layer. The highest concentration of chlorophyll-a is found on the upper boundary of the interface and it is a consequence of majority of viable freshwater phytoplankton cells that accumulate there. The phytoplankton accumulates selectively in the interface: larger size fractions accumulate faster than smaller ones. In particular, nanoplanakton accumulates the least. The visible interface is also populated by dead phytoplankton cells. Most of the freshwater phytoplankton dies and decomposes in the interface, as revealed by a small chlorophyll-a/phaeophytin ratio, and it represents the main source of surface active dissolved and particulate organic matter. Marine flagellates migrate and divide in the interface, while some species likeProrocentrum micans andSyracosphera sp. are also found in the upper freshwater layer.     

Abiotic controls of potentially harmful algal blooms in Santa Monica Bay,California

Despite the increasing occurrence of harmful phytoplankton blooms along the North American west coast, records of phytoplankton populations and related environmental conditions are uncommon. In this study, twice monthly measurements in the upper 50 m are used to assess physico-chemical conditions contributing to the growth of potentially harmful bloom taxa over two annual cycles (2004–2005) in the Santa Monica Bay, California. Results were compared to the predictions of the Intaglio model [Smayda, T.J., Reynolds, C.S., 2001. Community assembly in marine phytoplankton: application of recent models to harmful dinoflagellate blooms. Journal of Plankton Research 23, 447–461.] of phytoplankton community assembly. Potentially harmful taxa were present in every surface sample and were numerically dominant during the largest observed blooms, contributing up to 92% of the total phytoplankton abundance >5 μm. Large interannual variation was observed in the dominant taxa and bloom seasonality; Pseudo-nitzschia sp. dominated blooms in early 2004 (February and April), whereas Prorocentrum micans and Lingulodinium polyedrum blooms occurred in May and September of 2005, respectively. The Pseudo-nitzschia sp. blooms were associated with elevated nitrate, dissolved silicon and phosphate concentrations throughout the euphotic zone; the first bloom followed a strong upwelling and the second occurred during the onset of seasonal stratification. In contrast, the blooms of P. micans were associated with highly stratified, low nutrient waters. Multivariate analysis supports the roles of temperature, mixed-layer depth and nutrient concentrations as primary controls of bloom growth, following the conceptual Intaglio model. The strong presence of potentially harmful bloom species in the Santa Monica Bay during this study appears unusual in comparison to limited studies over the last several decades.     

硝态氮对库区水体藻类和细菌群落的影响

水体富营养化极易引起湖泊水库如藻类水华等水生态系统环境问题。氮素作为初级生产力的限制性生源要素之一,认识其在水华形成过程中潜在作用至关重要。本研究选取胶东半岛低碳高氮水库水体进行模拟实验,通过添加不同剂量硝态氮,探究高硝态氮输入对库区水体藻类和细菌群落结构的影响。结果表明:(1)当硝态氮作为唯一氮源,随着培养时间延长,硝态氮浓度显著下降,亚硝态氮和氨氮浓度逐渐升高,表明微藻和细菌共同作用可能将硝态氮转化为亚硝态氮和氨氮;(2)当硝态氮浓度为6 mg/L时,藻类叶绿素a浓度达到最高值,随着硝态氮浓度升高,叶绿素a浓度则会降低;(3)添加硝态氮后,蓝藻门成为优势藻类,绿藻门次之;变形菌门相对丰度显著升高。研究结果为低碳高氮类水体暴发蓝绿藻水华及有效防控提供理论依据和技术支撑。     

太湖蓝藻水华的年度情势预测方法探讨

在太湖、巢湖、滇池、洱海、三峡水库等我国重要湖泊和水库,蓝藻水华时常发生但年际之间藻情往往有较大差异,给蓝藻水华的防控物资及人员投入、湖库水源地水质安全保障带来较大的挑战,亟待探索周年尺度的蓝藻水华强度预测方法.本文收集了太湖连续15年的蓝藻水华情势观测数据和同步的气象、水文数据用于构建蓝藻水华预测模型,提出了利用遥感反演的蓝藻水华面积(A_(BL))及人工观测的水体浮游植物叶绿素α浓度([Chl.a]_(LB))共同表征的蓝藻水华强度指标(BI).分析了太湖年尺度的BI值与环境条件的关系,提出了基于年初能够掌握的气象、水文、营养盐等综合环境指标进行年度BI预测的统计模型.结果表明,太湖年度BI值与冬季及初春(12-3月)日均水温(WT_(12-3))、冬春季有效积温(AT_(12-3))、前一年降雨总量(RF_(YB))等环境因子呈显著正相关,与冬季及初春的水体总氮(TN_(12-3))、溶解性总氮(DTN_(12-3))、总磷(TP_(12-3))及溶解性总磷(DTP_(12-3))不存在统计上的显著相关关系.此外,本研究开展了基于上述因子(BI为因变量,其余环境因子为自变量)的多元(或一元)回归分析,并遴选出最优模型.总体而言,最优模型的模拟计算结果与实测浓度具有较高的一致性,因此本研究得出的模型对太湖蓝藻水华年际强度预测具有较高精度.本研究对太湖等富营养化湖库蓝藻水华的中长期预测具有指导意义.     

基于高频高光谱近感观测量化风对蓝藻水华的影响

全球气候变化显著影响湖泊理化环境和生态系统演化,对生态系统服务造成负面影响甚至引发生态系统灾变,其中风速下降可能促使富营养化湖泊蓝藻水华的暴发和水面漂浮集聚。以往由于较低的观测频次,往往很难精细量化风对蓝藻水华的影响。利用陆基高光谱近感观测技术,基于分钟小时尺度开展周年高频观测,通过对6—10月蓝藻生长期太湖表层水体叶绿素a浓度统计分析,量化蓝藻水华高频动态变化特征,确定蓝藻水华漂浮集聚的风速阈值。研究发现,随着风速的下降,水体表层叶绿素a浓度随之增加,蓝藻水华出现概率也随之增加。概率分析显示,当近地面风速小于2.5 m/s时,湖泊表层比较容易形成明显肉眼可见的蓝藻水华,藻华发生概率为55.1%。长时间持续的低风速容易诱发蓝藻水华形成和漂浮集聚,强风浪事件后低风速出现1～2天叶绿素a往往就能恢复以往较高水平,这为管理者有效防控蓝藻水华提供了新视角。长期气象观测显示,气候变化影响下太湖地区风速呈现显著下降趋势,增加了蓝藻竞争优势和发生概率,有助于其在表面漂浮集聚。在未来的气候变化情景下,如果风速继续呈现下降趋势,在营养盐条件不变情况下湖泊表层蓝藻水华发生概率可能还会上升,增加蓝藻水华防控...     

Organic matter recycling in a shallow coastal zone (NW Mediterranean): The influence of local and global climatic forcing and organic matter lability on hydrolytic enzyme activity

Seawater and sediment were collected on a monthly basis from a shallow (10.5 m depth) coastal site in the Ligurian Sea (NW Mediterranean) from November 1993 to December 1994 to determine the main environmental forces that influenced the biogeochemical processes and to study the relationships between the availability and lability of the organic matter (OM) and hydrolytic enzymatic activity. The current direction throughout the sampling year was influenced by the climatic conditions, which showed significant correlations with north atlantic oscillation (NAO) index values. The current generally flowed northwards in spring. This could cause significantly lower transparency values than in the summer, when an eastward current probably reduced the allochthonous input of material from the main local watercourse and contributed to turning the conditions from mesotrophic to oligotrophic. Spring and summer were separated by transitional periods more than by the canonical autumn and winter seasons. These transitions were characterised by a reduction in salinity values and by resuspension caused by water column mixing and a current flowing towards the southwest. The significant inverse correlations of the chlorophyll-a and protein concentrations, bacterial abundance and proteolysis of the bottom seawater and transparency showed the direct influence of resuspension on the organic matter dynamics. Moreover, OM trophic quality influenced the bacterial parameters and the enzymatic activities. The glycolytic β glucosidase and chitinase activities and their bacterial cell-specific hydrolytic rates were higher when substrates such as hydrolysable proteins were available, while they decreased when refractory compounds were abundant. The low leucine aminopeptidase: β glucosidase ratio values observed in the water column were presumably related to the potential ease with which microbes obtained protein-derived materials and energy, the protein hydrolysable fraction being estimated at ca. 90%. The significant correlations of protein with the chlorophyll-a concentrations suggested an autotrophic-derived origin, although the higher chlorophyll-a values corresponded to lower hydrolysable protein concentrations and an increase in the autotrophic biomass at the surface was correlated with a reduction in the proteolytic affinity for substrates, suggesting that a recent origin did not necessarily mean higher trophic availability.     

基于非线性时序分析的三峡支流浮游植物因果响应

水华的频发已成为当前三峡水库最为突出的生态环境问题之一。尽管水动力调控叠加上温度变暖和营养负荷增加会诱导水华暴发强度和频率增加,但仍缺乏有效的方法框架去利用野外观测数据评估环境因子与浮游植物间的因果关联。本研究以三峡水库澎溪河监测数据为例,采用非线性时序分析的建模框架来量化浮游植物的因果响应规律。数据来自于2007年6月至2018年9月澎溪河流域的高阳平湖和汉丰湖两个观测点,其中包含了水文、气象和水质及叶绿素a等11种变量。首先,利用奇异谱分析(SSA)分离了叶绿素a和环境因子的低维确定性动力学信号;其次,采用收敛交叉映射(CCM)方法检验了叶绿素a与环境因子间的因果关联。结果显示:(1)气象因子、支流流量、水温、三峡大坝水位和上游调节坝水位是影响高阳平湖叶绿素a时序变化的重要因素;(2)总氮、总磷为代表的营养盐只在汉丰湖观测点中表现出与叶绿素a的因果关系,且总氮较之于总磷对叶绿素a变化影响更为显著;(3)CCM结果与传统的皮尔森相关性分析及格兰杰因果检验比较,证实非线性时序分析方法在分析浮游植物的因果响应上更具优势。本研究为水生态系统的因果建模提供了研究范例,也为推动利用长期观测数据...     

The growth dynamics of Karenia brevis within discrete blooms on the West Florida Shelf

As part of the ECOHAB: Florida Program, we studied three large blooms of the harmful bloom forming dinoflagellate Karenia brevis. These blooms formed on the West Florida Shelf during Fall of 2000 off Panama City, and during Fall 2001 and Fall 2002 off the coastline between Tampa Bay and Charlotte Harbor. We suggest that these blooms represent two different stages of development, with the 2000 and 2001 blooms in an active growth or maintenance phase and the 2002 bloom in the early bloom initiation phase. Each bloom was highly productive with vertically integrated primary production values of 0.47–0.61, 0.39–1.33 and 0.65 g C m⁻² d⁻¹ for the 2000, 2001 and 2002 K. brevis blooms, respectively. Carbon specific growth rates were low during each of these blooms with values remaining fairly uniform with depth corresponding to generation times of 3–5 days. Nitrogen assimilation by K. brevis was highest during 2001 with values ranging from 0.15 to 2.14 μmol N L⁻¹ d⁻¹ and lower generally for 2000 and 2002 (0.01–0.64 and 0.66–0.76 μmol N L⁻¹ d⁻¹ for 2000 and 2002, respectively). The highest K. brevis cell densities occurred during the 2001 bloom and ranged from 400 to 800 cells mL⁻¹. Cell densities were lower for each of the 2000 and 2002 blooms relative to those for 2001 with densities ranging from 100 to 500 cells mL⁻¹. The 2000 and 2001 blooms were dominated by K. brevis in terms of its contribution to the total chlorophyll a (chl a) pool with K. brevis accounting generally for >70% of the observed chl a. For those populations that were dominated by K. brevis (e.g. 2000 and 2001), phytoplankton C biomass (C_p,0) constituted <30% of the total particulate organic carbon (POC). However, in 2002 when diatoms and K. brevis each contributed about the same to the total chl a, C_p,0 was >72% of the POC. The fraction of the total chl a that could be attributed to K. brevis was most highly correlated with POC, chl a and salinity. Nitrogen assimilation rate and primary production were highly correlated with a greater correlation coefficient than all other comparisons.     

Increased eutrophication of the Northern Adriatic sea

The Northern Adriatic is one of the most productive regions of the Mediterranean, primarily due to the eutrophicating influence of Italian rivers, in particular the Po. In June 1977 unusually high phytoplankton standing crops (13 μg Chl a l.^?1) occurred, together with extremely low dissolved oxygen concentrations in bottom waters (to 13%) which persisted for 4–6 months. Such conditions were associated with unusual climatic conditions creating increased discharge from the Po.The data indicate long term meteorological changes which may alter the biological characteristics of the region to a degree equal to, or exceeding, those created by anthropomorphic eutrophication.The 1977 data are presented, discussed, and contrasted with a 10 year data series.     

A time-series study of the spring bloom at the Bering Sea ice edge I. Physical processes, chlorophyll and nutrient chemistry

An intense but short-lived phytoplankton bloom develops in the low-salinity melt waters at the edge of the Bering Sea ice as the ice melts and retreats each spring. In spring 1988 we followed the development of this bloom by sampling every 3 h while following a freely drifting drogue in the marginal ice-edge zone for two four-day periods. The first period (29 April–3 May) was at an early stage of the bloom while the second period (10–13 May) was at the peak of the bloom. Early in the bloom, the phytoplankton consumed all the nitrate (400 mmoles m⁻²) initially present in the surface water producing large accumulations of particulate carbon (>1000 mmoles C m⁻²). By the time of peak chlorophyll concentrations (35 mg M⁻³), nitrate concentrations had been depleted so that the sustained high productivity depended on either recycled or imported nutrients. After this point, there was little net additional accumulation of biomass. From these data plus cruise data from previous years, we find that the Bering Sea ice-edge bloom typically begins in the last week of April and appears to precede blooms in the adjacent ice-free waters by days to weeks. The variability in bloom onset observed over several years is not linked very closely to the large scale climatic variations found in this region, but rather appears to be related to local weather during the end of April and the first part of May, with calm, sunny weather being required to initiate the blooms.     

Spring and summer blooms of phytoplankton (SeaWiFS/MODIS) along a ferry line in the Bay of Biscay and western English Channel

The seasonal cycle of chlorophyll concentration in the Bay of Biscay and western English Channel has been examined using satellite data (chlorophyll, sea surface temperature (SST), photosynthetically available radiation (PAR) and wind) along the line of the ferry Pride of Bilbao (Bilbao to Portsmouth). The spring phytoplankton bloom develops regularly in the oceanic region of the Bay of Biscay from mid March to the beginning of May with peak chlorophyll concentrations ranging 2–4 mg m^?3. Low wind turbulence is a major factor allowing the development of productivity pulses in the Bay of Biscay during spring. Exceptional blooms of phytoplankton take place in summer (July–August) in the western English Channel with chlorophyll concentrations as high as 40 mg m^?3. Some environmental factors (SST, wind, pressure and tide) are examined. Autumn blooms of phytoplankton (1–2 mg m^?3) are also detected in the northern Bay of Biscay, shelf-break and Celtic Sea in October. A 11 years pluri-annual synthesis of SeaWiFS satellite measurements is presented.