A phytoplankton bloom dominated by the pennate diatom Nitzschia
curta (Van Heurck) Hasle was observed during January-February 1983 at
a receding ice-edge in the Western Ross Sea, Antarctica. The core of
the bloom was found between 100-150 Km from the ice-edge. Nitzschia
curta cell densities up to 22 x 10⁶ cells/1 were observed. The nanoplankton
contributed to 18% (average) of the total biomass. The contribution
of another pennate diatom, Nitzschia closterium (Ehrenberg)
W. Smith, was significant in two offshore stations (22% and 90%).
Other diatom species, dinoflagellates and other phytoplankton groups
were very few in number. A wind-driven upwelling event occurred along
the ice-edge. The presence of off-shore species (e.g. Nitzschia
kerguelensis) close to the ice suggests the existence of an eddy
circulation.
Results of elemental composition experiments with 10 Antarctic
diatoms showed that the C:Si:N ratio for Antarctic diatoms, when compared
to the Redfield-Richards ratio for diatoms of other environments,
have less carbon and more silicon per unit nitrogen. Comparison of
laboratory results with the field data confirms the anomalous elemental
composition of the major bloom species observed in the Ross Sea.
Blooms like the one observed in this study seem to be restricted
to the Western part of the Ross Sea and appear to be produced in inshore
waters late in the austral summer. / Graduation date: 1985
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/29519 |
| Date | 09 April 1985 |
| Creators | Carbonell, Maria Consuelo |
| Contributors | Nelson, David M. |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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