Seasonal distribution of phytoplankton assemblages and nutrient-enriched bioassays as indicators of nutrient limitation of phytoplankton growth in Gwangyang Bay, Korea

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To assess the effect of nutrient limitation on phytoplankton growth, and its influence on seasonal variation in phytoplankton community structure, we investigated abiotic and biotic factors in surface and bottom waters at 20 stations in inner and offshore areas of Gwangyang Bay, Korea. Algal bioassay experiments were also conducted using surface water, to assess the effects of nutrient addition on the phytoplankton assemblages. The fate of major nutrients in the bay was strongly dependent on the discharge of freshwater from the Seomjin River. River flow during the rainy season provides a high nitrogen (N) influx, pushing the system toward stoichiometric phosphorus (P) limitation. However, at some times during the rainy season there was insufficient N to maintain phytoplankton growth because it was rapidly consumed through nutrient uptake by phytoplankton under stratified environmental conditions. Diatoms made a relatively large contribution to total phytoplankton biomass. The dominant diatoms, particularly in winter and summer, were Skeletonema marinoi-dohrnii complex and Skeletonema tropicum, respectively, while Eucampia zodiacus and the cryptophyte Cryptomonas spp. dominated in spring and autumn, respectively, comprising more than 75% of the community at most stations. In the bioassay experiments the phytoplankton biomass increased by 30–600% in the +N (added nitrogen) and +NP (added nitrogen and phosphorus) treatments relative to the control and the +P (added phosphorus) treatments, indicating that phytoplankton growth can respond rapidly to pulsed nitrate loading events. Based on the algal bioassay and the field survey, the abrupt input of high nutrient levels following rainfall stimulated the growth of diatom assemblages including the Skeletonema genus. Our results demonstrate that the growth of centric diatoms was enhanced by inputs of N and Si, and that the concentrations of these nutrients may be among the most important factors controlling phytoplankton growth in Gwangyang Bay.