Seasonal Changes in The Phytoplankton During the Year 1951–52 As Indicated by Spectrophotometric Chlorophyll Estimations

Abstract

Chlorophyll from the phytoplankton at station Ei was examined from September 1951 till August 1952, from o to 50 m. The minimum was in June, i-8 mg./m.3, and the maximum 342 in March, both surface samples. The maximum 50 m. sample contained 18-4 mg./m.3 in April. The winter minima were 4-6 and 43, surface and bottom, in November. Converted to water column (70 m.) values, over iog./m.2 is obtained for the wet weight of phytoplankton for September and March, the April maximum and the June minimum being 132 and 015 g./m.2. A comparison with the production obtained from phosphate analyses suggests that the phytoplankton crop each month is rapidly devoured.Exact proportionality was found between concentration and absorption in a chlorophyll band up to 40 mg./l. and a moderate error up to 80 mg./l. The spectral absorption curves have been given for pure cultures of phytoplankton and for cells filtered out of sea water. The chlorophyll in such extracts, made with 80% acetone, is stable when kept in total darkness.The collodion disks containing suspended clay arid the algal cells may show a surprising variation in their colour intensity, from dark grey to a very faint tint, even though obtained from sea water about 20 miles from land and over 70 m. in depth. The surface may be far darker than 5, 10 or 15 m. samples.The botanical composition of the water was studied by allowing the algae to multiply in diffuse light after enriching the water chemically. Eight species of Chlorophyceae, and one species each of the Chrysophyceae and Dinophyceae were recorded. Of the Cryptophyceae one winter sample from 50 m. gave a nearly pure growth of Hemiselmis rufescens Parke. The diatoms Melostra borreri, Nitzschia closterium and Navicula sp. occurred commonly.