The Growth of Arctic Marine Phytoplankton in Frobisher Bay

Аннотация

During the summers of 1977 and 1978, populations of phytoplankton collected in Frobisher Bay at depths of 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 m were enclosed in dialysis bags and incubated in situ at the depths from which they were collected. The greatest growth rate of the populations occurred at 10 m in July-August 1977 and at 5 m in late August-early September 1978. Exponential growth rates and generation times of dominant species of phytoplankton are tabulated. Growth rates ranged from 0.06 to 1.12 division/day and generation times varied from 21.4 to 404.7 hr/division. Light appears to be the major limiting factor for phytoplankton growth in this area; nutrients, temperature and salinity were not limiting in this experiment.

Key words: growth rates, generation times, arctic marine phytoplankton, limiting factors