New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts

---

Morphometrically induced estuarine phytoplankton patchiness in Pelorus Sound, New Zealand

M. M. GIBBS

NTWA Ecosystems
National Institute of Water and
Atmospheric Research Ltd P.O. Box 11-115 Hamilton, New Zealand

Abstract Phytoplankton patchiness in the main channel of Pelorus Sound, New Zealand, is primarily attributed to channel morphometry near the head of the sound. There, a large sidearm retains fresh water from flood events providing sufficient residence time for phytoplankton production to cause a bloom. Subsequent flushing of that elevated biomass, by estuarine circulation and upwelling within the sidearm, displaces parcels of high-biomass water into the main channel on each outgoing tide. Phytoplankton aggregation along tidal fronts was also observed but only when phytoplankton biomass was high in response to a flood event. The time to reach maximum phytoplankton biomass after a flood event was 7-8 days.

Keywords phytoplankton; biomass; chlorophyll; patchiness; residence time

New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 1993: Vol. 27: The Royal Society of New Zealand 1993
Received 29 May 1992; accepted 2 April 1993

PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (934K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)

---

This year's abstracts | Journal home page | All abstracts | Publishing home page