Abstract
In order to assess the relative importance of the pico- and nanoplankton fractions, the composition of entire phytoplankton communities at Weathership Station P (50°N; 145°W) and at 53°N; 145°W were studied in May and August, 1984, using epifluorescence, scanning electron, and inverted light microscopy. The biomass of major taxa within five size classes was estimated from cell volume and cell concentration. For both months, approximately twothirds of the total phytoplankton carbon were contributed by cells<5 μm. In May, 16% of plant biomass was contributed by cells<2 μm, and in August 39%. (In both months 90% of plant carbon<2 μm was contributed by the bluegreen coccoid Synechococcus spp.) Cells 2 to 5 μm contributed about 39% to total plant carbon; they were mostly flagellates in May and nonmotile coccoids in August. The remaining one-third of algal carbon was composed of dinoflagellates, cryptomonads, other flagellates and diatoms, all >5 μm. Very little difference between taxa was observed with respect to vertical stratification. Small taxonomic changes were observed in the community between May and August, and within each month.
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Communicated by P. C. Schroeder, Pullman
Contribution No. 1694 of the School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
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Booth, B.C. Size classes and major taxonomic groups of phytoplankton at two locations in the subarctic pacific ocean in May and August, 1984. Mar. Biol. 97, 275–286 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00391313
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00391313