Original paper
The Phytoplankton of Block Island Sound: 1970-73
Staker, Robert D.; Bruno, Stephen F.; Nuzzi, Robert
Nova Hedwigia Band 30 Heft 1-4 (1979), p. 697 - 724
27 references
published: Feb 1, 1979
DOI: 10.1127/nova.hedwigia/30/1979/697
ArtNo. ESP050003000013, Price: 29.00 €
Abstract
The phytoplankton of Block Island Sound were sampled from three transects between 30 September 1970 and 18 June 1973. All together 580 water samples were analyzed with the main emphasis on transect H, which crossed BIS from Montauk Point, N.Y., to Watch Hill, R.I. A total of 176 species of phytoplankton was enumerated with the Bacillariophyta contributing 132 species, the Pyrrophyta 41 species, and the Chrysophyta, 3 species. The highest cell count observed was 4.41 ⨯ 106 cells l-1 and the average standing crop was 1.99 ⨯ 105 cells l-1. The most important phytoplankton in decreasing order of importance were: Skeletonema costatum, Thalassionema nitzschioides, Thalassiosira nordenskioeldii, Paralia sulcata, Chaetoceros sp., Coscinodiscus lineatus, Cerataulina hergonii, Thalassiothrix frauenfeldii, Thalassiosira decipiens, Melosira sp. Shannon species diversity indices were calculated for all samples. The present flora is compared to those found in neighboring bodies of water from Cape Cod to Chesapeake Bay and differences are noted.
Keywords
water samples • flora • cells • Cape Cod • Chesapeake Bay • Montauk Point • Block Island Sound