Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

CS28 Phytoplankton: Distributions in Space and Time

Date: Thursday, February 15, 2001, Time: 11:45:00 AM

Location: Dona Ana

Jiao, G, N, Univ. Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, USA, Nianzhi@hotmail.com ; Jiao@ims.uaf.edu

Yang, Y, , Institute of oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China,

Button, D, K, Univ. Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, USA, dkbutton@ims.uaf.edu

PICOPLANKTON IN THE WEST PACIFIC MARGINAL SEAS - PATTERNS AND MECHANISMS

Prcochlorococcus, Synechococcus, pico-eukaryotes and heterotrophic bacteria in the West Pacific marginal seas along Chinese coast (5-35oN) were investigated by flow cytometry in 1997-1999. Prcochlorococcus was the most abundant autothroph in the subtropical waters, with a decreasing gradient toward the north and the coasts. The horizontal gradient of pico-eukaryotes was opposite to Prcochlorococcus. Synechococcus was ubiquitous with a high phycoerythrin strain dominant in the oceanic waters and low phycoerythrin strain in the coastal waters. Bacteria followed patterns close to pico-eukaryotes and Synechococcus. There was a significant inverse correlation between Prcochlorococcus and bacteria along the Kuroshio Current, consistent with filling of the niche of Prochlorococcus by bacterira. Bioassay with N, P, Si, Co, Mo, Cu, Fe enrichment showed diverse responses from these microorganisms. Prcochlorococcus was most sensitive to these disturbances as well as temperature. Results from the incubations of oceanic water with addition of coastal water as a comprehensive disturbing factor conformed the cute sensitivity of Prochlorococcus to the environmental changes. Mechanisms controlling the distribution of Prochlorococcus seemed to be complex.

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Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

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