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Picoplankton Abundance and Biomass at Terra Nova Bay (Ross Sea, Antarctica) During the 1989–1990 Austral Summer

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Ross Sea Ecology

Abstract

Temporal, depth abundance and biomass of the picoplankton (cells ranging between 0.2 and 2µm, which includes heterotrophic and autotrophic bacteria, coccoid Cyanobacteria and small eukaryotic algae) were investigated at two stations in Terra Nova Bay (Antarctica) during the 1989–90 austral summer. The picophytoplankton was considered separately, and prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells distinguished. Biomass was calculated from biovolumes obtained on the basis of cell counts and measurements carried out by scanning electron microscopy and laser scanning microscopy, using appropriate conversion factors. Picoplankton densities ranged from 7.2 x 107 to 2.9 x 1010 cells |-1 and biomass from 3.9 to 1584 µg C |-1, increasing from the middle of January onwards. Picophytoplankton was not recorded below the 100-m depth and was on average only 0.4% of the whole picoplanktonic community. The Cyanobacteria represented only a small part of the phototrophic picoplankton. The neritic station (MER) had highest numbers and biomass. Total picoplankton abundance and chlorophyll a concentrations were uncoupled at both stations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Biologia Animale ed Ecologia Marina, Salita Sperone 31, I - 98166, S. Agata Messina, Italy

    V. Bruni

Authors
  1. M. L. C. Acosta Pomar
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  2. T. L. Maugeri
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  3. V. Bruni
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto di Scienze Ambientali Marine, Università di Genova, Viale Benedetto XV 5, I-16132, Genova, Italia

    Francesco Maria Faranda

  2. Dipartimento di Biologia ed Ecologia Marina, Università di Messina, Salita Sperone 31, I-98166, Messina-S. Agata, Italia

    Letterio Guglielmo

  3. Stazione Zoologica “Anton Dohrn”, Villa Comunale, I-80121, Napoli, Italia

    Adrianna Ianora

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© 2000 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Pomar, M.L.C.A., Maugeri, T.L., Bruni, V. (2000). Picoplankton Abundance and Biomass at Terra Nova Bay (Ross Sea, Antarctica) During the 1989–1990 Austral Summer. In: Faranda, F.M., Guglielmo, L., Ianora, A. (eds) Ross Sea Ecology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-59607-0_16

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-59607-0_16

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-64048-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-59607-0

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