Relative rates of photosynthesis and standing stock of the net phytoplankton and nannoplankton

Abstract

Some experiments on C-14 uptake and cell numbers were made with the purpose of comparing nannoplankton and net phytoplankton from surface sea-water samples collected at six stations in Equatorial waters (Fig. 1). The results of these experiments showed a pronounced difference between nanno and net phytoplankton in photosynthesis and in cell numbers (Table I). The net phytoplankton represents an average of as little as 9.93% of total photosynthesis and 22.20% in numbers of organisms of total phytoplankton. The results obtained in coastal and in oceanic waters show that the effect of the proximity of land on standing stock and upon primary production is well marked (Table II). The results obtained are discussed and compared with data of earlier papers.

Numerical contribution of phytoplanktonic cells, heterotrophic particles and bacteria to size fractionated POC in the Cananéia estuary (25ºS 48ºW), Brazil

“…The present results agree with many reports on the numerical dominance of the smallest size particles over the largest ones in marine environments (Teixeira, 1963;Hobson, 1967;Beers & Stewart, 1969;Gordon, 1970a;Malone, 1971;Zeitzschel, 1970;Lenz, 1972;Beers, Reid & Stewart, 1975). Mullin (1965) has shown the preponderance of smallest size POC in surface waters of the Indian Oceano The results of Gordon (1970b), on POC size classes in the North Atlantic Ocean were inconclusive.…”

“…Studies comprising differentia1 fi1tration of suspended particu1ate organic matter into different sizes is a way to contribute for the understanding of the re1ative importance of parts of a p1anktonic community. In the Cananeia estuary water samp1e fractionation have been carried out in previous studies, most of them concerned to phytop1ankton and primary production (Teixeira, 1963;Teixeira, Tundisi & Santoro Ycaza, 1967;Tundisi & Texeira, 1968;Tundisi, 1969Tundisi, , 1971). The present report constitutes the first investigation undertaken in this environrnent, concerning to POC, heterotrophic parti-c1es and bacteria size fractionation, and is an integrant part of an investigation into the re1ationships between POC and some biotic environmenta1 varia-b1és.…”

Contribution of picoplankton to primary production in estuarine, coastal and equatorial waters of Brazil

“…In Brazilian waters, many studies have been carried out on nanoplankton (Teixeira, 1963 ;Teixeira et al, 1967, and others), including the ultraplankton with size range of 0.45 to 5.0 pm (Teixeira et al, 1967). On picoplankton (< 1.0 pm), however, there is no information.…”

Size Fractionation of Particulate Organic Carbon in the Surface Waters of the Western Indian Ocean1

“…The availability of organic carbon as food for any particular species depends partly upon the size of the particles in which it occurs. 1Vood and Davis ( 1956), Yentsch and Ryther ( 1959)) and Teixeira ( 1963) have determined the contributio,ns of net phytoplankton and nannoplankton to the total chlorophyll content, cell numbers, and 14C productivity of seawater, while Holmes and Anderson (1963) and Saijol (1964) performed more co'mplete size fractionations of 14C-labeled primary pro'ducers. Since carbon is the basic metabo'lic substrate and since many zooplankters may feed on detritus or microlzooplankton as well as living phytoplankton, the size distribution of particulate organic carbon is perhaps of more importance than is that of chlorophyll in determining the availability of food.…”