Planktonic copepods of Boston Harbor,Massachusetts Bay and Cape Cod Bay, 1992

Zooplankton were collected by vertical tows with 102 µm mesh at ten stations in Boston Harbor, Massachusetts Bay and Cape Cod Bay in February, March, April, June, August, and October, 1992. This study was part of a larger monitoring program to assess the effects of a major sewage abatement project, and sampling periods were designed around periods of major phytoplankton events such as the winter-spring diatom bloom, the stratified summer flagellate period, and the autumn transition from stratified to mixed waters. There was considerable seasonal variation in total zooplankton abundance, with minimal values in April (1929–11631 animals m^–3) during a massive bloom of Phaeocystis pouchetii, and maximum values (67 316–261075 animals m^–3) in August. There were no consistent trends of total abundance where any particular station had greater or lesser abundance than others over the entire year. Zooplankton abundance was dominated by copepods (adults + copepodites) and copepod nauplii (30.4–100.0% of total zooplankton, mean= 83.2%). Despite the large seasonal variation in zooplankton and copepod abundance, the copepod assemblage was dominated throughout the entire year by the small copepod Oithona similis, followed by Paracalanus parvus. Other less-abundant copepods present year-round were Pseudocalanus newmani, Temora longicornis, Centropages hamatus, C. typicus, and Calanus finmarchicus. Two species of Acartia were present, primarily in low-salinity waters of Boston Harbor: A. hudsonica during cold periods, and A. tonsa in warm ones. Eurytemora herdmani was also a subdominant in Boston Harbor in October. The potential role of zooplankton grazing in phytoplankton dynamics and bloom cycles in these waters must be considered in view of the overwhelming numerical dominance of the zooplankton by Oithona similis which may feed primarily as a carnivore. Furthermore, it seems unlikely that eutrophication-induced alteration of phytoplankton assemblages could cause significant trophic domino effects, reducing abundances of Calanus finmarchicus that are forage of endangered right whales seasonally utilizing Cape Cod Bay because C. finmarchicus has long been known to be a relatively unselective grazer, and most importantly, it is a trivial component of total zooplankton or total copepod abundance in these waters.     

Phytoplankton dynamics in a deep, tropical, hyposaline lake

The annual variation of the phytoplankton assemblage of deep (64.6 m), hyposaline (8.5 g l^–1) Lake Alchichica, central Mexico (19 ° N, 97° W), was analyzed in relation to thermal regime, and nutrients concentrations. Lake Alchichica is warm monomictic with a 3-month circulation period during the dry, cold season. During the stratified period in the warm, wet season, the hypolimnion became anoxic. N–NH₃ ranged between non detectable (n.d.) and 0.98 mg l^–1, N–NO₂ between n.d. and 0.007 mg l^–1, N–NO₃ from 0.1 to 1.0 mg l^–1 and P–PO₄ from n.d. to 0.54 mg l^–1. Highest nutrient concentrations were found in the circulation period. Chlorophyll a varied from <1 to 19.8 g l^–1 but most values were <5 g l^–1. The euphotic zone (>1% PAR) usually comprised the top 15–20 m. Nineteen algae species were identified, most of them are typical inhabitants of salt lakes. Diatoms showed the highest species number (10) but the small chlorophyte Monoraphidium minutum, the single-cell cyanobacteria, Synechocystis aquatilis, and the colonial chlorophyte, Oocystis parva, were the numerical dominant species over the annual cycle. Chlorophytes, small cyanobacteria and diatoms dominated in the circulation period producing a bloom comparable to the spring bloom in temperate lakes. At the end of the circulation and at the beginning of stratification periods, the presence of a bloom of the nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria, N. spumigena, indicated nitrogen-deficit conditions. The well-stratified season was characterized by low epilimnetic nutrients levels and the dominance of small single-cell cyanobacteria and colonial chlorophytes. Phytoplankton dynamics in tropical Lake Alchichica is similar to the pattern observed in some deep, hyposaline, North American temperate lakes.     

Use of a real-time remote monitoring network (RTRM) and shipborne sampling to characterize a dinoflagellate bloom in the Neuse Estuary, North Carolina, USA

The spatial-temporal distribution of a dinoflagellate bloom dominated or co-dominated by Prorocentrum minimum was examined during autumn through early spring in a warm temperate, eutrophic estuary. The developing bloom was first detected from a web-based alert provided by a network of real-time remote monitoring (RTRM) platforms indicating elevated dissolved oxygen and pH levels in upper reaches of the estuary. RTRM data were used to augment shipboard sampling, allowing for an in-depth characterization of bloom initiation, development, movement, and dissipation. Prolonged drought conditions leading to elevated salinities, and relatively high nutrient concentrations from upstream inputs and other sources, likely pre-disposed the upper estuary for bloom development. Over a 7-month period (October 2001–April 2002), the bloom moved toward the northern shore of the mesohaline estuary, intensified under favorable conditions, and finally dissipated after a major storm. Bloom location and transport were influenced by prevailing wind structure and periods of elevated rainfall. Chlorophyll a within bloom areas averaged 106 ± 13 μg L⁻¹ (mean ± 1 S.E.; maximum, 803 μg L⁻¹), in comparison to 20 ± 1 μg L⁻¹ outside the bloom. There were significant positive relationships between dinoflagellate abundance and TN and TP. Ammonium, NO₃⁻, and SRP concentrations did not decrease within the main bloom, suggesting that upstream inputs and other sources provided nutrient-replete conditions. In addition, PAM fluorometric measurements (09:00–13:00 h) of maximal PSII quantum yield (F_v/F_m) were consistently 0.6–0.8 within the bloom until late March, providing little evidence of photo-physiological stress as would have been expected under nutrient-limiting conditions. Nitrogen uptake kinetics were estimated for P. minimum during the period when that species was dominant (October–December 2001), based on literature values for N uptake by an earlier P. minimum bloom (winter 1999) in the Neuse Estuary. The analysis suggests that NH₄⁺ was the major N species that supported the bloom. Considering the chlorophyll a concentrations during October and December and the estimated N uptake rates, phytoplankton biomass was estimated to have doubled once per day. Bloom displacement (January–February) coincided with higher diversity of heterotrophic dinoflagellate species as P. minimum abundance decreased. This research shows the value of RTRM in bloom detection and tracking, and advances understanding of dinoflagellate bloom dynamics in eutrophic estuaries.     

Ecological studies of phytoplankton in Tai Tam Bay,Hong Kong

Of the 141 phytoplankton species found during the sampling period, the Bacillariophyceae was the most important group and included 70% of the total number of species; the Dinophyceae comprised a smaller percentage (28%) of the taxa; and only 3 chrysophyte species occurred throughout the study period. In terms of numbers of individuals, the Bacillariophyceae remained as the dominant group and contained 97% of the total numbers whereas the Dinophyceae represented only 3% of the total phytoplankton population.The most dominant diatom species was Thalassiosira allenii Takano which constituted 35% of the Bacillariophyceae group whereas the most abundant dinoflagellate was Prorocentrum gracile Schutt which represented 40% of the total Dinophyceae numbers.Chlorophyll a levels varied from 0.40 to 32.31 mg m^–3 at the surface and from 0.33 to 33.91 mg m^–3 at the bottom.Seasonal trends of phytoplankton abundance and chlorophyll a concentration were observed in the survey area with generally high peaks in summer and low values during winter months. Such variations can be attributed to the interactions between, and changes of, various environmental parameters, such as temperature, salinity and nutrient availability (particularly silicate).     

Short and long-term movement and site fidelity of juvenile Haemulidae in back-reef habitats of a Caribbean embayment

In the context of a main project that aims to recover modern data on diatom distribution applicable to paleosalinity reconstructions in coastal areas of Southern South America, the composition and distribution of dead diatom assemblages in the littoral zone of the Quequén Salado estuary (Argentina) were studied. Diatom zones were defined along the estuarine gradient by cluster analysis and related to the salinity range and sediment composition by Canonical Correspondence Analysis. Four diatom zones were identified. A mixture of marine, brackish and freshwater diatoms, probably allochthonous, characterized the inlet (zone I). Marine/brackish taxa, represented mainly by Paralia sulcata dominated zone II, characterized by polyhaline conditions and sandy sediments. Zone III was characterized by mesohaline conditions, muddy sediments and the dominance of the estuarine diatom Amphora helenensis. Brackish/freshwater and freshwater diatoms dominated the headwaters (zone IV), where salinity was always below 5‰. The comparison of Quequén Salado diatom assemblages with previous results from the Quequén Grande estuary showed a similar taxonomic composition between both estuaries. However, differences in the salinity ranges of the estuaries (related to differences in the degree of human impact and tidal range) lead to a displacement in their spatial distribution along the longitudinal estuarine axis. This paper contributes to the knowledge of the ecological requirements of South American estuarine diatoms and provides useful data for paleosalinity reconstructions in the region. Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at and is accessible for authorized users Handling editor: J. Padisak     

Spring zooplankton distribution and production of the copepod Euterpina acutifrons in Marennes-Oléron Bay (France)

Short term variations of zooplankton populations were studied during an algal spring bloom in two characteristic areas of the Marennes-Oléron Bay (France). The sampling sites were chosen in the north of the bay, one close to the neritic zone, the other close to the estuarine zone. Five distinct zooplanktonic communities were observed: two typical neritic and estuarine assemblages, two eurytopic groups (linked to neritic or estuarine water masses) and an autochtonous community, widely distributed in the north of the bay. The copepod Euterpina acutifrons dominated the zooplankton community during this period of the year in terms of abundance (up to 83% of the zooplankton community). Its production differed between water masses: the highest production occurred at the estuarine station (3.48 ± 0.65 mg C m^–3 d^–1), where nauplii accounted for a large part of these high values. Its P/B ratio was similar at the two stations (0.196 and 0.209 d^–1).     

Seasonal Dynamics of the Diatoms of the Genus Chaetoceros Ehrenberg in Amursky Bay (Sea of Japan)

The qualitative and quantitative composition of the Chaetoceros Ehr. species was studied in Amursky Bay (Sea of Japan) from January 1996 until May 1998. In all, 30 species, 1 variety, and 1 form of this genus were registered. The species Chaetoceros occurred in plankton throughout the year at a water temperature of –1.8–25°C and a salinity of 11–35. The numbers of Chaetoceros species varied between 100 and 1071000 cells/l, and the biomass varied between 0.9 × 10^–3 and 3.3 g/m³. The numbers were maximum in summer and minimum in the beginning of spring. The Chaetoceros species comprised 45–70 and 5–18% (winter), 68–98 and 65–95% (spring), 50% (summer), and 20% (autumn) of the total phytoplankton numbers and biomass. Six dominant species and 1 variety of Chaetoceros were found. Seasonal complexes formed by the Chaetoceros species were identified and described.     

Ecophysiological characterization of carnivorous plant roots: Oxygen fluxes,respiration, and water exudation

Various ecophysiological investigations on carnivorous plants in wet soils are presented. Radial oxygen loss from roots of Droseraceae to an anoxic medium was relatively low 0.02 – 0.07 mol(O₂) m^{– 2} s^–1 in the apical zone, while values of about one order of magnitude greater were found in both Sarracenia rubra roots and Genlisea violacea traps. Aerobic respiration rates were in the range of 1.6 – 5.6 mol kg^–1 (f.m.) s^–1 for apical root segments of seven carnivorous plant species and 0.4 – 1.1 mol kg^–1 (f.m.) s^–1 for Genlisea traps. The rate of anaerobic fermentation in roots of two Drosera species was only 5 – 14 % of the aerobic respiration. Neither 0.2 mM NaN₃ nor 0.5 mM KCN influenced respiration rate of roots and traps. In all species, the proportion of cyanide-resistant respiration was high and amounted to 65 – 89 % of the total value. Mean rates of water exudation from excised roots of 12 species ranged between 0.4 – 336 mm 3 kg^–1 (f.m.) s^–1 with the highest values being found in the Droseraceae. Exudation from roots was insensitive to respiration inhibitors. No significant difference was found between exudation rates from roots growing in situ in anoxic soil and those kept in an aerated aquatic medium. Carnivorous plant roots appear to be physiologically very active and well adapted to endure permanent soil anoxia.     

Phytoplankton spring bloom in the Tagus coastal waters: hydrological and chemical conditions

Spatial variability of phytoplankton as well as hydrological and chemical conditions in the Tagus coastal waters were studied during the spring of 1994. The highly patchy distribution of phytoplankton and the community structure were related to the specific abiotic conditions prevailing in the area. Two main water masses were distinguished: a tidally mixed one alongshore Lisbon-cape Espichel and a stratified region strongly related to the Tagus plume river. The latter seems to control, to some extent, the spatial phytoplankton variability and the timing and size of the spring bloom. The highest surficial levels of nutrients, specifically PO₄ ^3–=1.00 M, NO₃ ^–=16.0 M and Si(OH)₄=14.6 M, were clearly associated with Tagus river discharges, while the lowest levels were attained offshore in the zone of maximum chlorophyll a concentrations (30 mg m^–3) reflecting the occurrence of high nutrient consumption. Furthermore, the near depletion of PO₄ ^3– indicates P limitation for phytoplankton growth. The diatom Detonula pumila (0.1×10⁶ cells l^–1) was the dominant species of phytoplankton communities in the mixed zone, alongshore Lisbon-cape Espichel, whereas, the small diatom Thalassiosira sp. (3×10⁶ cells l^–1) was blooming offshore, associated with the stratified region.     

First occurrence of Cochlodinium blooms in Sabah, Malaysia

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) resulting in red discoloration of coastal waters in Sepanggar Bay, off Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, East Malaysia, were first observed in January 2005. The species responsible for the bloom, which was identified as Cochlodinium polykrikoides, coincided with fish mortalities in cage-cultures. Determinations of cell density between January 2005 and June 2006 showed two peaks that occurred in March–June 2005 and June 2006. Cell abundance reached a maximum value of 6 × 10⁶ cells L⁻¹ at the fish cage sampling station where the water quality was characterized by high NO₃–N and PO₄–P concentrations. These blooms persisted into August 2005, were not detected during the north–east monsoon season and occurred again in May 2006. Favorable temperature, salinity and nutrient concentrations, which were similar to those associated with other C. polykrikoides blooms in the Asia Pacific region, likely promoted the growth of this species. Identification of C. polykrikoides as the causative organism was based on light and scanning microscopy, and confirmed by partial 18S ribosomal DNA sequences of two strains isolated during the bloom event (GenBank accession numbers DQ915169 and DQ915170).     

Quantified distribution of diatoms during the stratified [2pt] period of Boadella reservoir

We collected data and samples, from June to November of 1999 and 2000, to in situ quantify the abundance of phytoplankton in Boadella reservoir. Samples were taken at different stations along the reservoir and diatoms were persistent in the epilimnion and were the main phytoplankton component, with a peak of abundance up to 5 10⁵ particles ml^–1. The diatom growth during the initiation of the summer bloom was high in the reservoir upstream concurrent with maximum Chlorophyll a concentrations. A delay in the onset of the diatom bloom, together with lower values of the volume concentration, was found in 1999 compared to the results in 2000 and was attributed to the different stratification of the reservoir as a result of meteorological conditions. The diatom population sank from the epilimnion by sedimentation and formed aggregates that accumulated at the bottom of the epilimnion. Sedimentation to the hypolimnion occurred at the end of the bloom, where peaks of Chlorophyll a were found.     

Contribution of Ciliated Microprotozoans and Dinoflagellates to the diet of three Copepod species in the Bay of Biscay

Predation of three calanoid copepods (Calanus helgolandicus, Temora longicornis and Centropages chierchiae) on phytoplankton, dinoflagellates and ciliates was estimated in the Gironde estuarine plume (Bay of Biscay) during winter by means of in situ incubations. Both phytoplankton and ciliates were part of the diet of those three species, while only Centropages chierchiae also included a significant portion of dinoflagellates in its diet. The clearance rates of Calanus helgolandicus for ciliates and phytoplankton reached 2.8 and 4.0 ml copepod^–1 h^–1, respectively, those of Temora longicornis were 3.2 and 1.8 ml copepod^–1 h^–1, and those of Centropages chierchiae were 4.3 and 0.8 ml copepod^–1 h^–1.Neither Calanus helgolandicus nor Temora longicornis selected dinoflagellates, given the low clearance rates measured for this prey category (0.05 and 0.03 ml copepod^–1 h^–1, respectively). By contrast, Centropages chierchiae included dinoflagellates in its diet, with a clearance rate of 4.9 ml copepod^–1 h^–1. Within a given prey category (ciliates or dinoflagellates), all three copepods selected larger prey types (>40 m) over smaller ones (40 m). This implies a better detection and capture of larger motile prey compared to small ones. The results are discussed with regard to the omnivorous feeding behavior of these copepods observed here, during a late winter phytoplankton bloom.     

Seasonal and environmental influences on antioxidative protection inPeridinium gatunense in Lake Kinneret

As the only freshwater lake in Israel, Lake Kinneret serves a number of important functions which directly rely upon the viability of the water. The annual outbreak of a dinoflagellate bloom strictly governs the nature of the macro and micro food web and ultimately determines water quality.The freshwater dinoflagellatePeridinium gatunense is subject to a wide range of environmental stresses throughout the spring bloom period. It was confirmed that SOD played an important antioxidative maintainance role throughout the bloom, especially during periods of relatively high photosynthetic activity (820 mg C m^–2 day^–1), when activity reached 500 Units SOD mg protein^–1. In addition, high light stress (>300 mol photons m^–2 s^–1) induced SOD activity, despite the low dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) concentrations at the end of the bloom (1.3 mM). Catalase activity was only significant at the end of the bloom, peaking at 120 mol O₂ mg protein^–1 min^–1, when induced by photorespiratory activity.A series of experiments withPeridinium cultures showed that 2 × 10^–4 M ascorbate inhibited catalase activity >50% within 15 min incubation, bothin vivo andin vitro. It is suggested that the high concentrations of ascorbate, found previously inPeridinium during early and mid-bloom (0.2–1.6 mM), not only eliminate H₂O₂ build-up, but also prevent (directly or indirectly) the induction of catalase.     

Zooplankton research in the North Sea

Summary Water types of the North Sea with different plankton are the thermally stratified northern and central regions with a relatively nutrient rich inflow of Atlantic water, a mixed region in the southern North Sea with a poor inflow of Channel water, and turbid narrow coastal zones with inflow of nutrient rich river water. Plankton studies reveal that the primary production starts early, in February, in the southern region, but is delayed in the coastal zones by turbidity. In stratified areas the algal spring bloom is delayed by mixing towards the greater depth and usually starts with the onset of thermal stratification. The spring bloom soon declines and the algae remain on a low density level in summer, presumably due to depletion of nutrients in the euphotic zone. The coastal zones and the frontal zones between mixed and stratified water have a relatively high summer primary production.The herbivores (mainly planktonic copepodes and the tunicateOikopleura dioica) grow and increase in number when the temperature rises and food is available. There is a considerable mismatch with the algal spring bloom, which comes too early and is too short in most regions. The best coincidence occurs in the coastal zones and maybe the frontal zones. Carnivores build high biomasses in late summer and fall in the coastal regions and compete with fish larvae for food and also kill many fish larvae. The large scyphomedusae are most important in this respect.The overall yearly primary production of the North Sea is estimated to be about 100 mg C.m^–2. The estimates for herbivores and fish are 20 and 1 mg C.m^–2. Considering a growth efficiency of 20%, the herbivores must consume all algae produced. The indication of a low consumption due to bad phenological coincidence in most regions leads to the assumption, that either primary production is underestimated or there is a considerable influx of organic matter from the Atlantic Ocean. During June–July 1979 the carnivore consumption was estimated in the coastal zone of the Southern Bight to be 39 mg C.m^–2.d^–1 at a copepod production of 20 mg C.m^–2.d^–1. Consumption by fish larvae and large jellyfish (Cyanea lamarckii) was 15% and 74%, respectively.It seems clear that the productivity of the North Sea depends highly on coastal and frontal zones, where herbivores find sufficient food at optimal growth conditions. Most organic matter will at the end be consumed by invertebrate carnivores, which urge fish populations to reproduce early in spring or to recruit at remote places.     

Photolithotrophy,photoheterotrophy and chemoheterotrophy during spring phytoplankton development (Lake Pavin)

In order to determine the relative importance of autotrophic and heterotrophic activities in both bacterial and phytoplanktonic communities in an oligomesotrophic lake, the size fractionation by differential filtration and the use of a bacterial inhibitor (gentamycin) were combined. The study was carried out at Lake Pavin during the spring planktonic bloom. Photosynthetic and photo- and chemoheterotrophic activities were measured from the assimilation of NaH¹⁴CO₃ and glucose-³H, using a double labeling technique. The bacterial community was at low cell concentration (0.6 to 7 × 10⁵ cells ml^–) and represented very low biomass values (0.9 to 11.5 gC liter^–1). The abundance of the phytoplankton varied between 0.5 and 1.8 × 10⁶ cells liter^–1, and biomass values ranged between 19 and 118 gC liter^–1. The diatom Melosira italica sp. subarctica (O. Mueller) was the largely dominant species in the meta- and hypolimnion. Inorganic fixation by photolithotrophy (mean value: 1.66 mg C m^–3 hour^–1) largely predominates over assimilation by photoheterotrophy (mean value: 0.93 g C m^–3 hour^–1) or chemoheterotrophy (mean value: 2.42 g C m^–3 hour^–1). However, because of the considerable underestimation of heterotrophic assimilation due to the experimental methods used, and because of the spatial and temporal separation of photolithotrophic and photo- and chemoheterotrophic activities, it is likely that the fixation of organic carbon by microalgae plays an important role in the survival of species and/or in competitive interactions, as the results with Monoraphidium contortum (Pasch. et Korschik.), the prevailing species in the epilimnion, would suggest. Send offprint requests to: C. Amblard.     

Blooms of Single Bacterial Species in a Coastal Lagoon of the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean

We investigated seasonal differences in community structure and activity (leucine incorporation) of the planktonic bacterial assemblage in the freshwater and brackish-water zones of a shallow coastal lagoon of the southwestern Atlantic Ocean. Alphaproteobacteria formed the dominant microbial group in both zones throughout the sampling period. After an intrusion of marine water, members of the SAR11 lineage became abundant in the brackish-water zone. These bacteria were apparently distributed over the lagoon during the following months until they constituted almost 30% of all prokaryotic cells at both sampling sites. At the first sampling date (March 2003) a single alphaproteobacterial species unrelated to SAR11, Sphingomonas echinoides, dominated the microbial assemblages in both zones of the lagoon concomitantly with a bloom of filamentous cyanobacteria. Pronounced maxima of leucine incorporation were observed once in each zone of the lagoon. In the freshwater zone, this highly active microbial assemblage was a mix of the typical bacteria lineages expected in aquatic systems. By contrast, a single bacterial genotype with >99% similarity to the facultative pathogen gammaproteobacterial species Stenotrophomonas maltophilia formed >90% of the bacterial assemblage (>10⁷ cell ml⁻¹) in the brackish-water zone at the time point of highest bacterial leucine incorporation. Moreover, these bacteria were equally dominant, albeit less active, in the freshwater zone. Thus, the pelagic zone of the studied lagoon harbored repeated short-term blooms of single bacterial species. This finding may have consequences for environmental protection.     

Biofiltering efficiency in removal of dissolved nutrients by three species of estuarine macroalgae cultivated with sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) waste waters 1. Phosphate

The potential of three estuarine macroalgae (Ulvarotundata, Enteromorpa intestinalis andGracilaria gracilis) as biofilters for phosphate ineffluents of a sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) cultivationtank was studied. These seaweeds thrive in Cádiz Bay and were alsoselected because of their economic potential, so that environmental andeconomicadvantages may be achieved by future integrated aquaculture practices in thelocal fish farms. The study was designed to investigate the functioning of Pnutrition of the selected species. Maximum velocity of phosphate uptake (2.86mol PO₄ g^–1 dry wth^–1) was found in U. rotundata.This species also showed the highest affinity for this nutrient. At low flowrates (< 2 volumes d^–1), the three species efficientlyfiltered the phosphate dissolved in the waste water, with a minimum efficiencyof 60.7% in U. rotundata. Net phosphate uptake rate wassignificantly affected by the water flow, being greatest at the highest rateassayed (2 volumes d^–1). The marked decrease in tissue P shownby the three species during a flow-through experiment suggested that growth wasP limited. However, due to the increase in biomass, total P biomass increasedinthe cultures. A significant correlation was found between growth rates and thenet P biomass gained in the cultures. A three-stage design under low water flow(0.5 volumes d^–1) showed that the highest growth rates (up to0.14 d^–1) and integrated phosphate uptake rates(up to 5.8 mol PO₄ ^3– g^–1dry wt d^–1) were found in E.intestinalis in the first stage, with decreasing rates in thefollowing ones. As a result, phosphate become limiting and low increments oreven losses of total P biomass in these stages were found suggesting thatphosphate was excreted from the algae. The results show the potential abilityofthe three species to reduce substantially, at low water flow, the phosphateconcentration in waste waters from a D. labrax cultivationtank, and thus the quality of effluents from intensive aquaculture practices.     

Seasonal cycle of the microbial plankton in Crooked Lake,Antarctica

Summary Changes in the abundance of the components of the microbial plankton between July 1990 and March 1991 in Crooked Lake, one of the largest and deepest freshwater lakes in Antarctica, are described. Chlorophyll a concentration is low (0.2–0.4g·1^–1) and there is no discernable spring increase. The phytoplankton is largely dominated by flagellates. Bacterioplankton exhibits a seasonal pattern of abundance ranging from 1.0 × 10⁸·1^–1 in July to 3.25 × 10⁸·1^–1 in September. Changes in bacterial abundance probably relate to temperature and grazing by heterotrophic and mixotrophic flagellates. Total flagellated protozoan concentrations ranged between 25–136 × 10²·l^–1. Autotrophic and heterotrophic flagellate abundances were coupled and peaks in their abundance oscillated with peaks in bacterioplankton concentration. Four species of ciliated protozoa, dominated by oligotrichs, particularly the plastidic Strombidium, inhabit the lake. The plankton is characterised by the presence of floes which act as loci for bacteria, flagellates and amoebae and feeding sites for the ciliates and the two sparce metazoan components of the plankton. Crooked Lake is extremely oligotrophic but nonetheless supports a plankton community with a low species diversity and simple trophodynamics.     

High density culture of the freshwater rotifer,Brachionus calyciflorus

The freshwater rotifer, Brachionus calyciflorus is one of the live food organisms used for the mass production of larval fish. In this study possibility of obtaining high density cultures of the freshwater rotifer B. calyciflorus were investigated. The two culture systems used differed in their air and dissolved oxygen supplies using three temperatures in each case: 24, 28 and 32 °C. Rotifers were batch-cultured using 5 l-vessels and fed with the freshwater Chlorella. The growth rate of rotifers significantly increased with an increase in temperature. The maximum density of the rotifers with air-supply at 24 °C, 6500 ind. ml^–1, was significantly lower than those cultured at 28 and 32 °C, i.e. 8600 and 8100 ind. ml^–1, respectively. Dissolved oxygen levels decreased with time and ranged from 0.8 to 1.4 mg l^–1 when the density of freshwater rotifer was the highest at each temperature. The highest density (19200 ind. ml^–1) of freshwater rotifer was obtained in cultures with a supply of oxygen at 28 °C. Densities of 13500 and 17200 ind. ml^–1 were found at 24 and 32 °C, respectively. Levels of NH₃-N increased with time and a dramatic increase of NH₃-N was observed at high temperatures. Levels of NH₃-N at 24, 28 and 32 °C were 13.2, 18.5 and 24.5 mg l^–1, respectively. These levels coincided with the highest rotifer density at each of the three temperatures. When rotifers were cultured with an oxygen-supply and pH was adjusted to 7, the maximum density of rotifer reached 33500 ind. ml^–1 at 32 °C . These results suggested that high density culture of freshwater rotifer, B. calyciflorus could be achieved under optimal conditions with DO value of exceeding 5 mg l^–1 and NH₃-N values of lower than 12.0 mg l^–1.     

Are copepods important grazers of the spring phytoplankton bloom in the western Irish Sea?

The spring phytoplankton bloom and copepod grazing were studied at a coastal and offshore station in the western Irish Sea during 1997. Maximum chlorophyll standing stocks of 132.8 mg m^-2 inshore and 199.4 mg m^-2 offshore were measured in late April. At that time, mean water column temperatures were 10 and 8C at the coastal and offshore station, respectively. Spring bloom production at the coastal station was estimated as 31.2 g C m^-2 and was dominated by the diatom Guinardia delicatula. Offshore, production was 28.2 g C m^-2 and the bloom was composed of small (10 m) phytoflagellates and the silicoflagellate Dictyocha speculum. Maximum copepod abundance (189 and 544 x 10³ individuals m^-2, inshore and offshore, respectively) coincided with the spring bloom. Pseudocalanus and Temora ingestion rates were derived from measurements of gut pigment fluorescence, and were found to vary during the course of the spring bloom as a result of changes in gut content. Grazing by late copepodite and adult Pseudocalanus and Temora was variable inshore, but overall accounted for 17% of bloom production. Offshore, 22% of bloom production was grazed with maximum grazing (76% of daily production) occurring at the end of the bloom. Large copepod species were not major grazers of the spring bloom. Greater utilization of spring bloom production by copepods in the western Irish Sea compared to regions of the North Sea is attributed to differences in population size at the time of the bloom.