Abstract
The distribution pattern of photosynthetically incorporated C was followed during a phytoplankton bloom occurring in a controlled experimental ecosystem (≈ 70 m 2) in Patricia Bay, Saanich Inlet, British Columbia, Canada. Rapid increase of the phytoplankton population dominated by Chaetocerous spp. and small nanoflagellates was observed after the addition of nutrients. Protein was the most abundant product during the rapid increase in nutrient-rich conditions, and accounted for > 50% of total organic C production in the surface zone, whereas the percentage share of carbohydrate increased as nitrate plus nitrite was exhausted. The 13C-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of photosynthetic products revealed that high production of carbohydrate under nutrient-depleted condition was mainly due to high production of glucose (glucan). These results showed that photosynthetic products were greatly affected by availability of inorganic N, which agreed with the trend of the compositional change in phytoplankton cells in culture. Specific production rates of carbohydrate and protein indicated that “balanced” production occurred during the nutrient-rich condition, but an exhaustion of the inorganic N resulted in upsetting “balanced” production.
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