Seasonal phytoplankton composition in the lower Chesapeake Bay and old plantation Creek,Cape Charles,Virginia

During a 14-month phytoplankton study in the lower Chesapeake Bay, there was a bi-modal pattern of population peaks with fall and spring maxima. The phytoplankton was dominated bySkeletonema costatum and other diatoms similar to major dominants found on the continental shelf. The composition in an inlet adjacent to the Bay was similar throughout most of the period, but differed from Bay populations during the summer months when larger concentrations and diversity of phytoflagellates and small sized diatoms occurred. Seasonal phytoplankton assemblages characteristic for the lower and entire Chesapeake Bay are given with the seasonal appearances noted for 219 phytoplankters. The importance of nanophytoplankters, both diatoms and the phytoflagellates, to the total phytoplankton composition is also emphasized.