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Buoyancy of natural populations of marine phytoplankton

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Abstract

Buoyancy of natural populations of marine phytoplankton was studied in a fjord in western Norway during the diatom bloom and in autumn. The study was carried out under approximate in situ conditions by means of an apparatus described in the paper. During the spring bloom, positive buoyancy was observed only once. Sinking rates of individual fractions ranged from 0 to more than 9 m day-1, and the mean sinking rates of the total chlorophyll content from 0 to at least 2. 2 m day-1. The highest rates occurred in the post-bloom period, while sinking appeared negligible from the onset of the bloom up to its culmination. In autumn, the population was dominated by small, flagellated cells. Positive buoyancy, or upward migration, was then observed in two out of three experiments.

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Author notes

  1. C. Lännergren

    Present address: Tjärnö Marine Biological Laboratory, Pl. 2781, S-452 OO, Strömstad, Sweden

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Marine Biology, University of Bergen, N-5065, Bergen, Norway

    C. Lännergren

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  1. C. Lännergren
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Communicated by O. Kinne, Hamburg

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Lännergren, C. Buoyancy of natural populations of marine phytoplankton. Mar. Biol. 54, 1–10 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00387045

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00387045

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