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Spatial heterogeneity of phytoplankton populations in estuarine surface microlayers

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Abstract

Phytoplankton populations are concentrated in surface microlayer waters of the York River and Mobjack Bay, Virginia, USA. The degree of vertical heterogeneity was variable and seemed most dependent on weather conditions (vertical mixing) and total phytoplankton cell densities. Vertical stratification also exhibited some taxocoenotic dependency. Structurally, the phytoplankton communities of the surface microlayer were less diverse than subsurface communities. In general, values of informational diversity (H'), evenness (J), and richness (S and r) are lowest in the surface microlayer and increase with depth (to 3.0 m). Mechanisms which structure and maintain vertical heterogeneity are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. South Carolina Wildlife and Marine Resources Department, Marine Resources Research Institute, Charleston, South Carolina, USA

    J. J. Manzi

  2. Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Gloucester Point, Virginia, USA

    P. E. Stofan & J. L. Dupuy

Authors
  1. J. J. Manzi
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  2. P. E. Stofan
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  3. J. L. Dupuy
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Additional information

Communicated by M.R. Tripp, Newark

This work was supported in part by funds from the National Science Foundation Research Applied to National Needs Program grants to the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and the Chesapeake Research Consortium.

Contribution No. 791 of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, and Contribution No. 62 of the South Carolina Marine Resources Center.

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Manzi, J.J., Stofan, P.E. & Dupuy, J.L. Spatial heterogeneity of phytoplankton populations in estuarine surface microlayers. Marine Biology 41, 29–38 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00390578

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