Seasonal and spatial dynamics of nutrients and phytoplankton biomass in Victoria Harbour and its vicinity before and after sewage abatement

This study investigated the seasonal and spatial dynamics of nutrients and phytoplankton biomass at 12 stations in Hong Kong (HK) waters during a three year period from 2004 to 2006 after upgraded sewage treatment and compared these results to observations before sewage treatment. Pearl River estuary (PRE) discharge significantly increased NO₃ and SiO₄ concentrations, particularly in western and southern waters when rainfall and river discharge was maximal in summer. Continuous year round discharge of sewage effluent resulted in high NH₄ and PO₄ in Victoria Harbour (VH) and its vicinity. In winter, spring and fall, the water column at all stations was moderately mixed by winds and tidal currents, and phytoplankton biomass was relatively low compared to summer. In summer, the mean surface phytoplankton chl biomass was generally >9 μg L⁻¹ in most areas as a result of thermohaline stratification, and high nutrients, light, and water temperature. In summer, the potential limiting nutrient is PO₄ in the most productive southern waters and it seldom decreased to limiting levels (∼0.1 μM), suggesting that phytoplankton growth may be only episodically limiting. The mean bottom dissolved oxygen (DO) remained >3.5 mg L⁻¹ at most stations, indicating that the eutrophication impact in HK waters was not as severe as expected for such a eutrophic area. After the implementation of chemically enhanced primary sewage treatment in 2001, water quality in VH improved as indicated by a significant decrease in NH₄ and PO₄ and an increase in bottom DO. In contrast, there were an increase in chl a and NO₃, and a significant decrease in bottom DO in southern waters in summer, suggesting that hypoxic events are most likely to occur in this region if phytoplankton biomass and oxygen consumption keep increasing and exceed the buffering capacity of HK waters maintained by monsoon winds, tidal mixing and zooplankton grazing. Therefore, future studies on the long-term changes in nutrient loading from PRE and HK sewage discharge will be crucial for developing future strategies of sewage management in HK waters.     

Spatial and temporal variability of phytoplankton and environmental factors in a temperate estuary of South America (Atlantic coast,Argentina)

A spatial and temporal study on data collected along the longitudinal gradient of the Principal Channel of Bahía Blanca estuary, Argentina, was carried out during 1992–1993. At nine stations, phytoplankton abundance, chlorophyll a (Chl-a) concentration, inorganic nutrient levels, Secchi disk depth, euphotic depth:mixing depth ratio (Z_eu:Z_m), salinity and temperature were recorded. Phytoplankton abundance, Chl-a concentration and nutrient levels decreased towards the outer zone of the estuary. The inner zone (stations 1 and 2), which was characterized by high turbidity, high nutrient concentrations and high Z_eu:Z_m (>0.16, [critical mixing ratio]), registered the highest phytoplankton abundance and Chl-a concentrations. Temporal variability of data was also noteworthy in this zone. The highest biomass values thus corresponded to June, July, August and the beginning of spring (18 μg Chl-a L⁻¹ and 9×10⁶ cells L⁻¹) concomitantly with a diatom bloom. In the middle zone (stations 3–6), a strong phytoplankton biomass decrease was observed and it coincided with both deep-mixed depths and low Z_eu:Z_m (<0.16). The outer zone (stations 7–9), which was characterized by low phytoplankton biomass values and low nutrient levels all along the year, was the area mostly influenced by waters from the adjacent continental shelf. In view of the above, it can be concluded that the most important primary production in the Bahía Blanca would be produced in the shallow inner zone during winter, being the spatial reach of the phytoplankton biomass principally limited to estuarine waters. Presumably, less than 5% of such biomass may reach the coastal area of the estuary.     

Nitrogen over enrichment in subtropical Pearl River estuarine coastal waters: Possible causes and consequences

Hong Kong is surrounded by estuarine, coastal and oceanic waters. In this study, monthly averages over a 10 year time series of salinity, temperature, chlorophyll a (chl a), dissolved oxygen (DO), dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), silicate (SiO₄) and orthophosphate (PO₄) at three representative stations around Hong Kong were used to examine if excess nitrogen in estuarine influenced waters is due to P limitation. The monthly distribution clearly shows the dominant influence of the seasonal change in river discharge in the Pearl River estuary and adjacent coastal waters. In winter, the river discharge is small and more oceanic waters are dominant and as a result, salinity is high, and chlorophyll and nutrients are low. In summer, when the river discharge is high, salinity decreases and nutrients increase. DIN is very high, reaching 100 μM in the estuary. This indicates over enrichment of nitrogen relative to P and consequently there is an excess of N in coastal waters of Hong Kong. P remains low (∼1 μM) and can potentially limit both phytoplankton biomass and N utilization which was demonstrated in field incubation experiments. P limitation would result in excess N being left in the estuarine influenced waters south of Hong Kong. Phosphate concentration is lower in the Pearl River estuary than in many other eutrophied estuaries. Therefore, this relatively low PO₄ concentration should be a significant factor limiting a further increase in the magnitude of algal biomass and in the degree of eutrophication in the Pearl River estuary. The export of the excess N offshore into the northern South China Sea may result in an increase in the size of the region that is P limited in summer.     

Effects of an estuarine plume-associated bloom on the carbonate system in the lower reaches of the Pearl River estuary and the coastal zone of the northern South China Sea

We observed a phytoplankton bloom downstream of a large estuarine plume induced by heavy precipitation during a cruise conducted in the Pearl River estuary and the northern South China Sea in May–June 2001. The plume delivered a significant amount of nutrients into the estuary and the adjacent coastal region, and enhanced stratification stimulating a phytoplankton bloom in the region near and offshore of Hong Kong. A several fold increase (0.2–1.8 μg Chl L⁻¹) in biomass (Chl a) was observed during the bloom. During the bloom event, the surface water phytoplankton community structure significantly shifted from a pico-phytoplankton dominated community to one dominated by micro-phytoplankton (>20 μm). In addition to increased Chl a, we observed a significant drawdown of pCO₂, biological uptake of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and an associated enhancement of dissolved oxygen and pH, demonstrating enhanced photosynthesis during the bloom. During the bloom, we estimated a net DIC drawdown of 100–150 μmol kg⁻¹ and a TAlk increase of 0–50 μmol kg⁻¹. The mean sea–air CO₂ flux at the peak of the bloom was estimated to be as high as ∼−18 mmol m⁻² d⁻¹. For an average surface water depth of 5 m, a very high apparent biological CO₂ consumption rate of 70–110 mmol m⁻² d⁻¹ was estimated. This value is 2–6 times higher than the estimated air–sea exchange rate.     

Effects of nitrogen and phosphorus on phytoplankton composition and biomass in 15 subtropical, urban shallow lakes in Wuhan, China

This study aims at investigating the composition and biomass of the phytoplankton community in 15 urban shallow eutrophic lakes as well as the effects of main environmental factors, including nutrient concentrations and the ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus, temperature, COD, BOD, water depth, etc. on the phytoplankton community structure. Lake water samples were taken and analyzed on a bimonthly basis during the period from March 2004 to March 2006. The redundancy analysis (RDA) and regression analysis (RA) were performed to identify the effects of nutrients on the phytoplankton community and biomass in these typical urban lakes. The results indicate that most of these urban lakes were hypertrophic due to high concentrations of total phosphorus (TP) and total nitrogen (TN), with mean levels of 490 and 5380 mg m⁻³, respectively. The phytoplankton community was dominated by Microcystis aeruginosa and Euglena caudate in summer and Cryptomonas ovata and Cyclotella meneghiniana in winter. The mean biomass of the phytoplankton reached 456.87 mg L⁻¹ in summer months and the annual level was 189.24 mg L⁻¹. Temperature and TP content were found to be the principal limiting factors for phytoplankton growth on an annual basis. On the other hand, the results of RDA and RA demonstrate that the dominant phytoplankton species were not nutrient-limited during summer months. Low TN:TP ratios (<10) were detected accompanied with fewer occurrences of N-fixing cyanobacteria and other filamentous algae in most lakes in summer, which implies that low N:P ratio does not always shifts the dominance of phytoplankton community to the N-fixing cyanobacteria. Moreover, TP always had higher correlation with chlorophyll a (Chl-a) than TN, even when the TN:TP ratios of most samples were lower than 10. Therefore, it is concluded that the TN:TP ratio is not always a suitable index to determine whether nitrogen or phosphorus limits the phytoplankton biomass in urban shallow eutrophic lakes.     

Nutrients,irradiance, and mixing as factors regulating primary production in coastal waters impacted by the Mississippi River plume

Relationships among primary production, chlorophyll, nutrients, irradiance and mixing processes were examined along the salinity gradient in the Mississippi River outflow region. A series of six cruises were conducted during 1988–1992 at various times of year and stages of river discharge. Maximum values of biomass and primary production were typically observed at intermediate salinities and coincided with non-conservative decreases in nutrients along the salinity gradient. Highest values of productivity (>10 gC m⁻² d⁻¹) and biomass (>30 mg chlorophyll a m⁻³) were observed in April 1988, July–August 1990 and April–May 1992; values were lower in March and September 1991. Rates of primary production were apparently constrained by low irradiance and mixing in the more turbid, low salinity regions of the plume, and by nutrient limitation outside the plume. Highest values of primary production occurred at stations where surface nutrient concentrations exhibited large deviations from conservative mixing relationships, indicating that depletion of nutrients was related to phytoplankton uptake. Mixing and advection were important in determining the location and magnitude of primary production maxima and nutrient depletion. In addition to growth within plume surface waters, enhanced growth and/or retention of biomass may have occurred in longer residence time waters at the plume edge and/or beneath the surface plume. Vertical structure of some plume stations revealed the presence of subsurface biomass maxima in intermediate salinity water that was depleted in nutrients presumably by uptake processes. Exchange between subsurface water and the surface plume apparently contributed to the reduction in nutrients at intermediate salinities in the surface layer. DIN (=nitrate+nitrite+ammonium) : PO₄ (=phosphate) ratios in river water varied seasonally, with high values in winter and spring and low values in late summer and fall. Periods of high DIN : PO₄ ratios in river nutrients coincided with cruises when surface nutrient concentrations and their ratios indicated a high probability for P limitation. N limitation was more likely to occur at high salinities and during late summer and fall. Evidence for Si limitation was also found, particularly in spring.     

Physical–biological coupling in the Pearl River Estuary

The Pearl River Estuary is a subtropical estuary and the second largest in China based on discharge volume from the Pearl River. Processes in the estuary vary spatially and temporally (wet vs dry season). In the dry season at the head of the estuary, hypoxic and nearly anoxic conditions occur and NH₄ reaches >600 μM, NO₃ is ∼300 μM and nitrite is ∼60 μM indicating that nitrification and denitrification may be important dry season processes in the region extending 40 km upstream of the Humen outlet. There are very few biological studies conducted in this upper section of the estuary in either the dry or wet seasons and hence there is a need for further research in this region of the river. In the wet season, the salinity wedge extends to the Hongqimen outlet and oxygen is low (35–80% saturation). Nitrate is ∼100 μM, silicate ∼140 μM; and phosphate is relatively low at ∼0.5 μM, yielding an N:P ratio up to ∼200:1 in summer. Nutrients decrease in the lower estuary and primary productivity may become potentially P-limited. Eutrophication is not as severe as one would expect from the nutrient inputs from the Pearl River and from Hong Kong's sewage discharge. This estuary shows a remarkable capacity to cope with excessive nutrients. Physical processes such as river discharge, tidal flushing, turbulent dispersion, wind-induced mixing, and estuarine circulation play an important role in controlling the production and accumulation of algal blooms and the potential occurrence of hypoxia. Superimposed on the physical processes of the estuary are the chemical and biological processes involved in the production of the bloom. For example, the 100N:1P ratio indicates that P potentially limits the amount of algal biomass (and potential biological oxygen demand) in summer. While extended periods of hypoxia are rare in Hong Kong waters, episodic events have been reported to occur during late summer due to factors such as low wind, high rainfall and river discharge which result in strong density stratification that significantly dampens vertical mixing processes. Nutrient loads are likely to change over the next several decades and monitoring programs are essential to detect the response of the ecosystem due to the future changes in nutrient loading and the ratio of nutrients.     

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.     

Long-term plankton studies at the lower Rhine/Germany

The river Rhine has lain under considerable anthropogenic stress of its water quality for 100 years. As early as 1905 the first results of studies of the plankton in the Rhine were published. Due to the long residence time of the water a real potamoplankton can develop and at the end of the Lower Rhine it reaches its highest density. The paper consists of two parts. At first an overview is given about the history of plankton studies in the Rhine. The second part is the presentation of results from a monitoring at the Lower Rhine from 1979 to 2004.First systematic studies started at the beginning of the 20th century at the beginning of pollution. Our studies started during a phase of recreation from extreme pollution and eutrophication. Samples were taken at four stations: Bad Honnef, km 640, entrance to North Rhine-Westphalia, Düsseldorf, km 732, Duisburg, km 792 downstream large industrial effluents and big cities, Kleve-Bimmen, km 865 at the border to the Netherlands.In the 1970s nutrients were high, especially phosphate 0.65 mg PO₄-P L⁻¹ in 1979. After 1980 phosphate dropped to 0.11 mg PO₄-P L⁻¹ in 2004 (mean values of the growing season). Ammonia was reduced from about 0.52 (1979) to 0.02 (2004) mg NH₄-N L⁻¹. Nitrate remained between 3.72 (1989) and 2.26 (2004) mg NO₃-N L⁻¹ at a relatively high level. Oxygen concentrations were very low during the 1960s and 1970s, sometimes only 4 mg L⁻¹ O₂. During our studies the oxygen increased up to 9 mg L⁻¹ O₂ with a tendency to 11 mg L⁻¹ O₂ in the last years. Chlorophyll a was estimated to be between 59 (1979) and 31μg L⁻¹ (1986) with short peaks up to 170 μg L⁻¹ (1989). Since 1992 the mean values have varied between 30 (1993) and 21 μg L⁻¹ (2004).The floristic phytoplankton composition is characterised by the dominance of the centric diatom Stephanodiscus hantzschii. Other diatoms like Skeletonema subsalsum, Skeletonema potamos and Asterionella formosa were regularly present in smaller quantities. The second dominant group was coccale green algae. During the 1980s they formed up to 35% of the biomass. Since the 1990s their contribution to the phytoplankton became much smaller. This change corresponds with the increase of wastewater treatment and the diminution of nutrients. All the other groups of algae were present in minor quantities. During the time of higher trophy in the 1970s and 1980s the phytoplankton formed two peaks, in recent years only one peak has developed, depending on different flow conditions during the growing season and lower trophic state in the upstream parts of the river.Excellent correspondence exists between cell number, biovolume and chlorophyll a content and the results of delayed fluorescence (DF) measurement. The trophic status in the Lower Rhine may be estimated as (moderate) eutrophic. The ecological status of the phytoplankton is good based on the requirements of the European Water Framework Directive (WFD).The zooplankton consists mainly of rotatoria and larvs of Dreissena polymorpha. Grazing on phytoplankton seems to be mainly due to the large quantities of benthic Dreissena and the newly introduced mussel Corbicula.     

Oceanographical patterns during a summer upwelling–downwelling event in the Northern Galician Rias: Comparison with the whole Ria system (NW of Iberian Peninsula)

Summer upwelling and downwelling processes were characterized in the Northern Galician Rias during July and August 2008 by means of sampling carried out onboard R/V Mytilus (CSIC) and R/V Lura (IEO). Thermohaline variables, dissolved oxygen, nutrients, chlorophyll, phytoplankton, ciliates and zooplankton abundances were measured at sections located in the Rias of Viveiro, Barqueiro and Ortigueira and their adjacent shelves. Ekman transport was calculated from QuikSCAT satellite, upwelling intensity estimated with upwelling index from the average daily geostrophic winds, and SST maps obtained from NASA GHRSST satellite. Ekman transport and SST behaviour showed two different patterns: (i) offshore and upwelling favourable conditions on 13–22nd of July; (ii) onshore and downwelling favourable conditions from 23rd July to 19th August. During upwelling, TS diagram showed an intrusion of Eastern North Atlantic Central Water affecting the continental shelf but not the rias. Nutrient salt concentrations increased with depth, reaching their maximum values near the mouth of Ortigueira Ria. During downwelling, coastal water increased its temperature (18.5–19.8 °C) and was retained inside rias; nutrients were nearly depleted, except for the innermost ria (estuarine zone) due to fluvial nutrient inputs. In this inner area, the maximum of chlorophyll-a (Barqueiro Ria) was observed. Low phytoplankton abundances were measured in both cases, even though a short increase in the plankton biomass was observed inside rias during upwelling, while under downwelling a small red tide of Lingulodinium polyedrum was detected. During the upwelling period Northern Rias tend to be mesotrophic systems as revealed by nutrient concentrations, chlorophyll levels and plankton abundances. On the contrary, in similar situations, the Western Rias behaves as eutrophics.     

Seasonal variations in phytoplankton biomass and primary production in the Ethiopian Rift Valley lakes Ziway, Awassa and Chamo – The basis for fish production

Seasonal variations in the biomass (Chl a) and primary production (¹⁴C-method) of phytoplankton were studied during 12 months of 2005 in the three Ethiopian Rift Valley Lakes (ERVL) Ziway, Awassa and Chamo. Chl a showed an average value of 40, 20, and 30 mg m⁻³ for the three lakes, respectively. Integrated areal primary production for the total phytoplankton (g C m⁻² d⁻¹) varied 2-fold in the three lakes but on different levels, from 0.67–1.8 in L. Ziway, 1.8–4.6 in L. Awassa, and 1.0–2.6 in L. Chamo. The overall photosynthetic efficiency of utilizing photosynthetically active radiation by the phytoplankton on molar basis (mmol C mol of photons⁻¹) resulted in an average value of 1.4 for L. Ziway, 3.5 for L. Awassa and 1.6 for L. Chamo. Among the different factors regulating phytoplankton primary productivity, light penetration and nutrients were the most important in the three lakes. The seasonal variations of incident radiation (most values between 5 and 7 E m⁻² h⁻¹) and water temperature (most values between 22 and 24 °C) were small and unlikely to result in the marked differences in phytoplankton primary production. Although relative increase in nutrient concentrations occurred following the rainy periods, the major algal nutrients were either consistently low (nitrate and/or silicate) or high (phosphate and/or ammonium) and remained within a narrow range for most of the study period in all the three lakes. Consequently, phytoplankton biomass and primary production seem to be maintained more by nutrient regeneration or turnover (facilitated by high temperature) than by allochthonous nutrient input. This would be coupled with wind-induced mixing that would play an important role in determining hydrographic characteristics (water column structure) and the associated redistribution of nutrients and phytoplankton, the availability of light and subsequently the spatial (vertical) and temporal patterns of phytoplankton production in these three ERVL. Phytoplankton production (PP) is regarded as a good predictor of fish yield in lakes and seasonal measurements of PP is a prerequisite for good such estimates.     

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.     

Evaluation of spatial and temporal variations of inorganic nutrient species in the eastern Aegean Sea waters

In this study, the state of the five stations’ quality was assessed on the basis of determination of temporal and spatial variability of nutrients with physicochemical variables. Besides this, organic matter of sediment, secchi disc depth and suspended solids were also determined. The samples were collected seasonally from different areas such as harbor and important touristic marinas along the eastern Aegean during June 2008–2009. As a result, the nutrients ranged between NH₄: 0.10–25.6, NO₂: 0.01–1.5, NO₃: 0.19–7.0, o.PO₄: 0.17–6.8, TPO₄: 0.32–9.6 and Si: 0.30–13.8 μM, respectively. Precipitation leads to large changes in temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen and nutrients. The highest nutrient values in this study were observed during the rainy season except o.PO₄-P and TPO₄-P. However, the physico-chemical variables have exhibited considerable temporal variations while nutrients showed spatial differences. The relatively high nutrient increase in the sampling stations coupled with surface runoff events during rainy period and pollution arising from both point and non-point sources.     

Variations of phytoplankton productivity and biomass over an annual cycle in Saanich Inlet,a British Columbia fjord

Saanich Inlet is a highly productive temperate fjord with the capability to record inter-annual patterns of water-column primary production in undisturbed laminated sediments. We investigated spatial and temporal variations in primary productivity, total and size-fractionated phytoplankton chl a, dissolved nutrients, temperature and salinity at the head and mouth of Saanich Inlet from May 2005 to November 2006. New primary productivity was also measured from May to October 2006. During the growing season (spring, summer and fall), primary productivity was 1.5 times higher at the mouth than at the head of Saanich Inlet and, averaged across stations, total productivity was 460 g C m⁻² y⁻¹. Average new productivity was 53% and 58% of total primary productivity at the head and mouth of the inlet, respectively, and during the growing season micro-phytoplankton (>20 μm; mainly diatoms) was the most abundant size-class of phytoplankton. These rates of primary production are as high as or higher than those measured in other fjords, possibly because of a tidally-driven fortnightly gravity exchange that supplies nutrients to surface waters that enhance biological production when nutrients would otherwise be limiting. This exchange delivers nutrients at least as far inland as the head station, while nutrients associated with an eddy near the mouth may be the cause of even higher productivity there. We discuss the impact of these nutrient sources to Saanich Inlet on the records of paleoproduction generated from two Ocean Drilling Program cores extracted from this fjord, and suggest that the fortnightly exchange buffers variations in nutrient supply occurring on sub-decadal or decadal scales.     

Phytoplankton dynamics in and near the highly eutrophic Pearl River Estuary,South China Sea

The dynamics of size-fractionated phytoplankton along the salinity gradient in the Pearl River Estuary and the adjacent near-shore oceanic water was investigated using microscopic, flow cytometric, and chlorophyll analyses in the early spring (March) and early autumn (September) of 2005. In the inner part of the estuary where salinity was less than 30, the phytoplankton community was dominated by micro- and nano-sized (3–200 μm) cells, particularly the diatom Skeletonema costatum, both in early spring and early autumn. In areas where salinity >30, including the mixing zone and nearshore oceanic water, micro- and nano-sized cell populations dominated the phytoplankton assemblage during early spring when influence of river discharge was minimal, whereas pico-sized (≤3 μm) cell populations were dominant during early autumn as a result of strong river discharge in the summer, with Synechococcus and pico-eukaryotes being predominant. Picophytoplankton were two orders of magnitude more abundant in early autumn (10⁶ cells mL⁻¹) than in early spring in the nearshore oceanic water. Nutrients delivered by freshwater input to the estuary were pushed toward high salinity (>30) areas as a result of short residence time, exerting a strong influence on phytoplankton abundance, especially picophytoplankton in the nearshore, otherwise oligotrophic, water. Influenced by high abundance of DIN and limitation in phosphorus, picophytoplankton in the adjacent nearshore oceanic water rose to prominence seasonally. Our results indicate that eutrophication in the Pearl River Estuary not only stimulates the growth of S. costatum in the nutrient-rich areas of the estuary but also appears to promote the growth of Synechococcus and pico-eukaryotes in the adjacent usually oligotrophic oceanic water at least during our autumn cruise.     

Seasonal and spatial dynamics of nutrients and phytoplankton biomass in Victoria Harbour and its vicinity before and after sewage abatement

This study investigated the seasonal and spatial dynamics of nutrients and phytoplankton biomass at 12 stations in Hong Kong (HK) waters during a three year period from 2004 to 2006 after upgraded sewage treatment and compared these results to observations before sewage treatment. Pearl River estuary (PRE) discharge significantly increased NO(3) and SiO(4) concentrations, particularly in western and southern waters when rainfall and river discharge was maximal in summer. Continuous year round discharge of sewage effluent resulted in high NH(4) and PO(4) in Victoria Harbour (VH) and its vicinity. In winter, spring and fall, the water column at all stations was moderately mixed by winds and tidal currents, and phytoplankton biomass was relatively low compared to summer. In summer, the mean surface phytoplankton chl biomass was generally > 9 microL(-1) in most areas as a result of thermohaline stratification, and high nutrients, light, and water temperature. In summer, the potential limiting nutrient is PO(4) in the most productive southern waters and it seldom decreased to limiting levels ( approximately 0.1 microM), suggesting that phytoplankton growth may be only episodically limiting. The mean bottom dissolved oxygen (DO) remained > 3.5 mg L(-1) at most stations, indicating that the eutrophication impact in HK waters was not as severe as expected for such a eutrophic area. After the implementation of chemically enhanced primary sewage treatment in 2001, water quality in VH improved as indicated by a significant decrease in NH(4) and PO(4) and an increase in bottom DO. In contrast, there were an increase in chl a and NO(3), and a significant decrease in bottom DO in southern waters in summer, suggesting that hypoxic events are most likely to occur in this region if phytoplankton biomass and oxygen consumption keep increasing and exceed the buffering capacity of HK waters maintained by monsoon winds, tidal mixing and zooplankton grazing. Therefore, future studies on the long-term changes in nutrient loading from PRE and HK sewage discharge will be crucial for developing future strategies of sewage management in HK waters.     

Variability of phytoplankton biomass in a lowland river: Response to climate conditions

The results are presented of an intensive study of phytoplankton assemblage carried out in the Berounka River above its confluence with the Vltava River (Czech Republic) in the period 2002–2007. The annual and interannual changes of phytoplankton development (based on high frequency of sampling) and their relation to hydrological conditions and concentrations of main nutrients are analysed. A marked decline of nutrient concentrations was observed during the period 1996–2007. The annual mean values of total P decreased from 0.43 mg L⁻¹ to 0.16 mg L⁻¹, those of N-NO₃ from 4.6 mg L⁻¹ to 1.5 mg L⁻¹ and N-NH₄ from 1.9 mg L⁻¹ to 0.04 mg L⁻¹. Despite this, the phytoplankton biomass remained at a high level. The seasonal mean values of chlorophyll-a ranged from 51.0 μg L⁻¹ to 116.8 μg L⁻¹ in the same time period. An obviously stronger relationship was found of the phytoplankton biomass and pattern of its development to the variation of flow rates than to the existing level of nutrient concentrations. A significantly decreasing relationship (R² = 0.384, P < 0.001) of chlorophyll-a to flow rates and a significantly increasing relationship (R² = 0.359, P < 0.001) of chlorophyll-a to water temperatures were found, based on monthly mean values for the seasonal period 2002–2007. The results obtained indicate a remarkable increase of phytoplankton biomass and its prolongated occurrence in watercourses, which can be expected due to the consequences of the predicted climate change (i.e. higher occurrence of summer droughts and low precipitation amounts accompanied by a substantial drop of flow rates, increase of air and water temperatures), as described in the respective scenarios for the territory of the Czech Republic. Simulations by the regional climate models HIRHAM and RCAO and emission scenario SRES indicated the increase of air temperature by 2.5–5 °C, decrease of precipitation amount by 6–25% and decline of flows by 14–43% in the Berounka River for the scenario period 2071–2100.     

Relationship of photosynthetic carbon fixation with environmental changes in the Jiulong River estuary of the South China Sea, with special reference to the effects of solar UV radiation

Phytoplankton cells in estuary waters usually experience drastic changes in chemical and physical environments due to mixing of fresh and seawaters. In order to see their photosynthetic performance in such dynamic waters, we measured the photosynthetic carbon fixation by natural phytoplankton assemblages in the Jiulong River estuary of the South China Sea during April 24-26 and July 24-26 of 2008, and investigated its relationship with environmental changes in the presence or the absence of UV radiation. Phytoplankton biomass (Chl a) decreased sharply from the river-mouth to seawards (17.3-2.1 μg L⁻¹), with the dominant species changed from chlorophytes to diatoms. The photosynthetic rate based on Chl a at noon time under PAR-alone increased from 1.9 μg C (μg Chl a)⁻¹ L⁻¹ in low salinity zone (SSS < 10) to 12.4 μg C (μg Chl a)⁻¹ L⁻¹ in turbidity front (SSS within 10-20), and then decreased to 2.1 μg C (μg Chl a)⁻¹ L⁻¹ in mixohaline zone (SSS > 20); accordingly, the carbon fixation per volume of seawater increased from 12.8 to 149 μg C L⁻¹ h⁻¹, and decreased to 14.3 μg C L⁻¹ h⁻¹. Solar UVR caused the inhibition of carbon fixation in surface water of all the investigated zones, by 39% in turbidity area and 7-10% in freshwater or mixohaline zones. In the turbidity zone, higher availability of CO₂ could have enhanced the photosynthetic performance; while osmotic stress might be responsible for the higher sensitivity of phytoplankton assemblages to solar UV radiation.     

Recent carbon and nitrogen uptake rates of phytoplankton in Bering Strait and the Chukchi Sea

Cruises to Bering Strait and the Chukchi Sea in US waters from late June in 2002 to early September in 2004 and the Russian–American Long-term Census of the Arctic (RUSALCA) research cruise in 2004 covered all major water masses and contributed to a better understanding of the regional physics, nutrient dynamics, and biological systems. The integrated concentration of the high nitrate pool in the central Chukchi Sea was greater in this study than in previous studies, although the highest nitrate concentration (∼22 μM) in the Anadyr Water mass passing through the western side of Bering Strait was consistent with prior observations. The chlorophyll-a concentrations near the western side of the Diomede Islands ranged from 200 to 400 mg chl-a m⁻² and the range in the central Chukchi Sea was 200–500 mg chl-a m⁻² for the 2002–2004 Alpha Helix (HX) cruises. Chlorophyll-a concentrations for the 2004 RUSALCA cruise were lower than those from previous studies. The mean annual primary production of phytoplankton from this study, using a ¹³C–¹⁵N dual-isotope technique, was 55 g C m⁻² for the whole Chukchi Sea and 145 g C m⁻² for the plume of Anadyr–Bering Shelf Water in the central Chukchi Sea. In contrast, the averages of annual total nitrogen production were 13.9 g N m⁻² (S.D.=±16.2 g N m⁻²) and 33.8 g N m⁻² (S.D.=±14.1 g N m⁻²) for the Chukchi Sea and the plume, respectively. These carbon and nitrogen production rates of phytoplankton were consistently two-or three-fold lower than those from previous studies. We suggest that the lower rates in this study, and consequently more unused nitrate in the water column, were caused by lower phytoplankton biomass in the Bering Strait and the Chukchi Sea. However, we do not know if the lower rate of production from this study is a general decreasing trend or simply temporal variations in the Chukchi Sea, since temporal and geographical variations are substantially large and presently unpredictable.     

Variability of chlorophyll-a from ocean color images in the La Plata continental shelf region

Satellite-derived chlorophyll-a fields have been used to investigate temporal and spatial variability of chlorophyll-a concentration over the continental shelf zone (25–40°S and 60–45°W) close to the La Plata River estuary. Ocean color data used in this study were obtained by the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) and consisted of 368 weekly averaged Standard Mapped Images (SMI), from October 1997 to September 2005. Fourier harmonic and EOF analyses were used to study the variability of log-transformed chlorophyll-a concentration in the region. The harmonic analysis has shown that the annual cycle was the most dominant signal followed by the semi- and quadri-annual cycles, in certain areas. The strong annual cycle is mainly present in latitudes lower than 34°S where relatively high amplitudes (∼1.9 mg m⁻³) in pigment variation are seen over the southern Brazilian continental shelf. The semi-annual cycle is mainly associated with the Brazil–Malvinas frontal zone oscillation while the 4-year signal is related to positive La Plata discharge anomalies influenced by El Niño events. After removing the annual signal from the log-transformed chlorophyll anomalies, the EOF results showed that the first three modes captured 85.1% of the variability associated with the regional mean phytoplankton chlorophyll pattern in our smoothed data set. The first three modes explained, respectively, 63.4%, 14.1% and 7.6%. The EOF results showed that the long-term chlorophyll time/space patterns are associated with both La Plata discharge anomaly (mode 1) and alongshore wind stress (mode 2). A reconstruction of the chlorophyll anomaly fields has been made using the two leading EOF modes over two periods of high La Plata River discharge, during ENSO events. In the first event, the spatial patterns of high chlorophyll anomaly were confined to the southern portion of the region, associated with NE winds, which push the plume near the estuary mouth. The second period revealed an elongated tongue of positive chlorophyll anomalies over the Uruguayan and Brazilian middle continental shelves, associated with favorable SW winds. The analyses performed in this study allowed identification of the main modes of variability in SeaWiFS-derived chlorophyll in the region, which were consistent with modulations of important regional environmental forcing mechanisms.