Vertical and temporal aspectos of the variability of phytoplankton primary production and biomass at a fixed station in São Sebastião (SP) coastal region.

A mistura vertical de águas profundas, ricas em nutrientes e de baixas temperaturas, características da Água Central do Atlântico Sul (ACAS), com águas de baixa d;sponibilidade nutricional, baixa biomassa fitoplanctônica e de temperaturas mais elevadas, características da Água Costeira (AC), da região de Ubatuba, foi simulada através da realização de bioensaios. As águas foram incubadas com as populações fitoplanctônicas naturais, sem enriquecimentos nutricionais, sob diferentes níveis de atenuação radiação solar incidente total (100, 30 e 10% de IL) e temperatura igual a da água do mar de superfície. o potencial quimico e biológico dos dois tipos de água (ACAS e AC) e de uma mistura equitativa de ambas, foi avaliado através do monitoramento diário de aspectos quali- quantitativos do fitoplâncton (Clorofila-a, contagem e identificação das células e taxas de produção primária) e do teor de nutrientes dissolvidos no meio, durante o período de incubação. Foram realizadas três etapas experimentais: em Jul/88, Jan/89 e Jul/89 com durações de 8, 15 e 14 dias, respectivamente. A mistura da ACAS com AC apresentou os melhores rendimentos máximos de Clorofila-a e produção primária, sob os níveis de 100 e 30 % de IL. A 10% de IL, a ACAS mostrou- se mais produtiva do que quando misturada à AC e, em termos de Cl-a integral, teve rendimento superior inclusive ao obtido pela Mistura a 100% de IL. A AC apresentou um rendimento menor que as outras duas águas sob os três niveis de luz utilizados. Sob intensidades luminosas mais altas os nutrientes foram rapidamente assimilados causando uma floração de espécies oportunistas (diatomáceas) logo no inicio do periodo de incubação, o que não foi observado sob intensidades luminosas menores. Os resultados ainda indicam que os \"lag-time\" observados no inverno foram significativamente maiores que os do verão. Foi também possivel observar a existência de uma estratificação fisiológica das populações fitoplanctônicas presentes em uma mesma massa d\' água, em função da profundidade, no inverno. Esta estratificação provavelmente deveu-se à diferentes suprimentos nutricionais de origem orgânica que estariam disponiveis apenas para as populações da água de fundo, possivelmente devido a interação da água com o sedimento. Estes resultados demostram a grande importância da água da ACAS como agente fertilizador para as águas oligotróficas da região, permitindo a ocorrência de produção nova.The vertical mixing of the rich, low temperature, deep South Atlantic Central Water (SACW), with the low nutrient, low phytoplanktonic biomass and hiSh temperature Coastal Water (CW), irom Ubatuba region, was simulated erforming bioassays. The waters were incubated with the authoctonous phytoplankton without any nutrient addition, under ifferent attenuation levels (100, 30 and 10% ) of the total incident solar radiation and at the same temperature as the urface sea water. The chemical and biological potential of each water (SACW and CW), and of an equivalent mixture of them, wa evaluated by means of a daily monitoring of quali and quantitative phytoplankton aspects (Chl-a, cell counting and photosynthetic rates) and of the dissolved nutrient concentrations durins the incubation period. Three series of experiments were performed: Jul/88, Jan/89 and Jul/89, lasting 8, 15 and 14 days espectively. The mixing of SACW and CW presented the best maximum yield oi chlorophyll and photosyntetic rates under 100 and 30% solar radiation. Under 10% SACW alone waa more productive than mixed with CW and, considering integral chlorophyll-a during the whole period. it preaented a higher yield than the one obtained with Mixed Water under 100% oí solar radiation. CW preaented the lowest yield under the experimental light leveI used. Under high light intensi ties nutrients were quickly assimilated inducing a bloom of opportunist species (diatoms) at the begining of the incubation period, which was not observed under low light intensities.(diatoms) at the begining of the incubation period, which was not observed under low light intensities. Results also indicate that the Ias times observed during winter were ignificantIy higher than those during summer. It was possible to observe the existence of a Physiological atratification among phytoplank.tonic populations from the same water mass, as a function of depht, durins winter. This phenomenon was probably due to diatinct nutricional aupply of orsanic origen that would be avaiIabIe to deep populations only, possibly as a consequence of ater/sediment interactiona. These results demonstrate the great importance of SACW as a fertilizer agent to the oligothrophic waters of the region, allowing the occurrence of new production

Vertical and temporal aspectos of the variability of phytoplankton primary production and biomass at a fixed station in São Sebastião (SP) coastal region.

A mistura vertical de águas profundas, ricas em nutrientes e de baixas temperaturas, características da Água Central do Atlântico Sul (ACAS), com águas de baixa d;sponibilidade nutricional, baixa biomassa fitoplanctônica e de temperaturas mais elevadas, características da Água Costeira (AC), da região de Ubatuba, foi simulada através da realização de bioensaios. As águas foram incubadas com as populações fitoplanctônicas naturais, sem enriquecimentos nutricionais, sob diferentes níveis de atenuação radiação solar incidente total (100, 30 e 10% de IL) e temperatura igual a da água do mar de superfície. o potencial quimico e biológico dos dois tipos de água (ACAS e AC) e de uma mistura equitativa de ambas, foi avaliado através do monitoramento diário de aspectos quali- quantitativos do fitoplâncton (Clorofila-a, contagem e identificação das células e taxas de produção primária) e do teor de nutrientes dissolvidos no meio, durante o período de incubação. Foram realizadas três etapas experimentais: em Jul/88, Jan/89 e Jul/89 com durações de 8, 15 e 14 dias, respectivamente. A mistura da ACAS com AC apresentou os melhores rendimentos máximos de Clorofila-a e produção primária, sob os níveis de 100 e 30 % de IL. A 10% de IL, a ACAS mostrou- se mais produtiva do que quando misturada à AC e, em termos de Cl-a integral, teve rendimento superior inclusive ao obtido pela Mistura a 100% de IL. A AC apresentou um rendimento menor que as outras duas águas sob os três niveis de luz utilizados. Sob intensidades luminosas mais altas os nutrientes foram rapidamente assimilados causando uma floração de espécies oportunistas (diatomáceas) logo no inicio do periodo de incubação, o que não foi observado sob intensidades luminosas menores. Os resultados ainda indicam que os \"lag-time\" observados no inverno foram significativamente maiores que os do verão. Foi também possivel observar a existência de uma estratificação fisiológica das populações fitoplanctônicas presentes em uma mesma massa d\' água, em função da profundidade, no inverno. Esta estratificação provavelmente deveu-se à diferentes suprimentos nutricionais de origem orgânica que estariam disponiveis apenas para as populações da água de fundo, possivelmente devido a interação da água com o sedimento. Estes resultados demostram a grande importância da água da ACAS como agente fertilizador para as águas oligotróficas da região, permitindo a ocorrência de produção nova.The vertical mixing of the rich, low temperature, deep South Atlantic Central Water (SACW), with the low nutrient, low phytoplanktonic biomass and hiSh temperature Coastal Water (CW), irom Ubatuba region, was simulated erforming bioassays. The waters were incubated with the authoctonous phytoplankton without any nutrient addition, under ifferent attenuation levels (100, 30 and 10% ) of the total incident solar radiation and at the same temperature as the urface sea water. The chemical and biological potential of each water (SACW and CW), and of an equivalent mixture of them, wa evaluated by means of a daily monitoring of quali and quantitative phytoplankton aspects (Chl-a, cell counting and photosynthetic rates) and of the dissolved nutrient concentrations durins the incubation period. Three series of experiments were performed: Jul/88, Jan/89 and Jul/89, lasting 8, 15 and 14 days espectively. The mixing of SACW and CW presented the best maximum yield oi chlorophyll and photosyntetic rates under 100 and 30% solar radiation. Under 10% SACW alone waa more productive than mixed with CW and, considering integral chlorophyll-a during the whole period. it preaented a higher yield than the one obtained with Mixed Water under 100% oí solar radiation. CW preaented the lowest yield under the experimental light leveI used. Under high light intensi ties nutrients were quickly assimilated inducing a bloom of opportunist species (diatoms) at the begining of the incubation period, which was not observed under low light intensities.(diatoms) at the begining of the incubation period, which was not observed under low light intensities. Results also indicate that the Ias times observed during winter were ignificantIy higher than those during summer. It was possible to observe the existence of a Physiological atratification among phytoplank.tonic populations from the same water mass, as a function of depht, durins winter. This phenomenon was probably due to diatinct nutricional aupply of orsanic origen that would be avaiIabIe to deep populations only, possibly as a consequence of ater/sediment interactiona. These results demonstrate the great importance of SACW as a fertilizer agent to the oligothrophic waters of the region, allowing the occurrence of new production

Bacterial and phytoplankton dynamics in a sub-tropical estuary

Heterotrophic bacterial and biomass, production, specific growth rates and growth efficiencies were studied in July 2001 and January 2002 during both spring and neap tides, along a tidal cycle, at three sites in a subtropical estuary. Major freshwater inputs located in the Northern region led to differences in both and bacterioplankton biomass and activity along the estuary. While in the Northern region is light-limited, with mean production (PP) between 1.1 and 1.9 mu g C l(-1) h(-1) and mean specific growth rates (PSG) between 0.14 and 0.16 d(-1), the Southern region registered values as high as 24.7 mu g C l(-1) h(-1) for PP and 2.45 d(-1) (mean PP between 3.4 and 7.3 mu g C l(-1) h(-1); mean PSG between 0.28 and 0.57 d(-1)). On the other hand, maximum bacterial production (BP: 63.8 mu g C l(-1) h(-1)) and specific growth rate (BSG: 32.26 d(-1)) were observed in the Northern region (mean BP between 3.4 and 12.8 mu g C l(-1) h(-1); mean BSG between 1.98 and 6.67 day(-1)). These bacterial activity rates are among the highest recorded rates in estuarine and coastal waters, indicating that this system can be highly heterotrophic, due to high loads of allochthonous carbon (mainly derived from mangrove forest). Our results also showed that, despite that BP rates usually exceeded PP, in the Southern region BP may be partially supported (similar to 45%) by PP, since a significant regression was observed between BP and PP (r = 0.455, P < 0.001)

Influence of allochthonous organic matter on bacterioplankton biomass and activity in a eutrophic, sub-tropical estuary

Heterotrophic bacterial and phytoplankton biomass, production, specific growth rates, and growth efficiencies were studied in the Northern region of the Cananeia-Iguape estuarine system, which has recently experienced an intense eutrophication due to anthropogenic causes. Two surveys were carried out during spring and neap tide periods of the dry season of 2005 and the rainy season of 2006. This region receives large freshwater inputs with organic seston and phosphate concentrations that reach as high as 1.0 mg l(-1) and 20.0 mu M, respectively. Strong decreasing gradients of seston and dissolved inorganic nutrients were observed from the river/estuary boundary to the estuary/coastal interface. Gradients were also observed in phytoplankton and bacterial production rates. The production rates of phytoplankton were 5.6-fold higher (mean 8.5 mu g Cl(-1) h(-1)) during the dry season. Primary production rates (PP) positively correlated with salinity and euphoric depth, indicating that phytoplankton productivity was light-limited. On the other hand, bacterial biomass (BB) and production rates (BP) were 1.9- and 3.7-fold higher, respectively, during the rainy season, with mean values of up to 40.4 mu g Cl(-1) and 7.9 mu g Cl(-1) h-1, respectively. Despite such a high BP, bacterial abundance remained <2 x 106 cells ml(-1), indicating that bacterial production and removal were coupled. Mean specific growth rates ranged between 0.9 and 5.5 d(-1). BP was inversely correlated with salinity and positively correlated with temperature, organic matter, exopolymer particles, and particulate-attached bacteria; this last accounted for as much as 89.6% of the total abundance. During the rainy season, BP was generally much higher than PP, and values of BP/PP > 20 were registered during high freshwater input, suggesting that under these conditions, bacterial activity was predominantly supported by allochthonous inputs of organic carbon. In addition, BB probably represented the main pathway for the synthesis of high-quality (low C:N) biomass that may have been available to the heterotrophic components of the plankton food web, particularly nanoheterotrophs. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved