Phytoplankton diversity and chlorophyll-A in a polluted estuary

Abstract

The quantity of phytoplankton in Newark Bay, New Jersey as indicated by chlorophyll- a content of the water, is low in the winter and early spring, and fluctuates greatly during the spring and summer. Chlorophyll- a concentrations are generally less than 20 μg/l until April. Between April and August, three phytoplankton blooms were indicated by chlorophyll- a concentrations as high as 81.4 μg/l. Net phytoplankton diversity values indicated generally eutrophic conditions; however, there was no significant correlation between diversity and chlorophyll- a concentrations. A role of nannoplankton in blooms is indicated.