Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

PC07 Spatial and Temporal Connections

Date: Wednesday, February 14, 2001

Location: Southwest Hall

Evans, G, L, University of Wales, Bangor, Menai Bridge, United Kingdom, g.l.evans@bangor.ac.uk

Mitchelson-Jacob, E, G, University of Wales, Bangor, Menai Bridge, United Kingdom, e.g.mitchelson-jacob@bangor.ac.uk

Williams, P, J, University of Wales, Bangor, Menai Bridge, United Kingdom, pjlw@bangor.ac.uk

ANALYSIS OF A LONG TERM DATABASE FOR SHIFTS IN NUTRIENT LEVELS

The Menai Strait separates the island of Anglesey from mainland north Wales (UK). Water from the Irish Sea feeds into the Strait in the south and from Liverpool Bay at the northern end. Over the past four decades, biochemical and phytoplankton measurements have been made in the Menai Strait. These data have been compiled into a database that currently holds 18,907 quality audited observations corresponding to 117 parameters. Nutrient data accounts for just over a third of these observations. These data have been used to examine time-dependent changes in nutrients. Most notable is the post-bloom nitrate concentration. This does not appear to be related to phosphate which has remained unchanged throughout the four decades. An increase in phytoplankton abundance may be responsible.

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Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

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