Phytoplankton Community Structure Based on Photopigment Markers in a Mid-Atlantic U.S. Coastal Lagoon: Significance for Hard-Clam Production

Abstract

ABSTRACT Fantasia, R.L.; Bricelj, V.M., and Ren, L., 2017. Phytoplankton community structure based on photopigment markers in a mid-Atlantic U.S. coastal lagoon: Significance for hard-clam production. In: Buchanan, G.A.; Belton, T.J., and Paudel, B. (eds.), A Comprehensive Assessment of Barnegat Bay-Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey. Phytoplankton community structure at four contrasting sites in the Barnegat Bay-Little Egg Harbor (BB-LEH) Estuary was determined microscopically and by photopigment-CHEMTAX analysis. It was related to temperature, salinity, and weekly growth rates of juvenile hard clams, Mercenaria mercenaria, deployed at these sites during the summer in 2012 and 2013, pre- and post-Hurricane Sandy. Results indicated distinct differences in phytoplankton composition among sites, with a greater contribution of chlorophytes and cyanobacteria at the northernmost site, Island Beach State Park (IBSP). Photopigment analysis was useful in improving upon the taxonomic assessment of pico-coccoid (<3 μm) ...