Size-fractionated phytoplankton biomass in autumn of the Changjiang (Yangtze) River Estuary and its adjacent waters after the Three Gorges Dam construction

Abstract

A cruise was undertaken from 3rd to 8th November 2004 in Changjiang (Yangtze) River Estuary and its adjacent waters to investigate the spatial biomass distribution and size composition of phytoplankton. Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentration ranged 0.42–1.17 μg L−1 and 0.41–10.43 μg L−1 inside and outside the river mouth, with the mean value 0.73 μg L−1 and 1.86 μg L−1, respectively. Compared with the Chl-a concentration in summer of 2004, the mean value was much lower inside, and a little higher outside the river mouth. The maximal Chl-a was 10.43 μg L-1 at station 18 (122.67°E, 31.25°N), and the region of high Chl-a concentration was observed in the central survey area between 122.5°E and 123.0°E. In the stations located east of 122.5°E, Chl-a concentration was generally high in the upper layers above 5 m due to water stratification. In the survey area, the average Chl-a in sizes of >20 μm and <20 μm was 0.28 μg L−1 and 1.40 μg L−1, respectively. High Chl-a concentration of <20 μm size-fraction indicated that the nanophytoplankton and picophytoplankton contributed the most to the biomass of phytoplankton. Skeletonema costatum, Prorocentrum micans and Scrippsiella trochoidea were the dominant species in surface water. The spatial distribution of cell abundance of phytoplankton was patchy and did not agree well with that of Chl-a, as the cell abundance could not distinguish the differences in shape and size of phytoplankton cells. Nitrate and silicate behaved conservatively, but the former could probably be the limitation factor to algal biomass at offshore stations. The distribution of phosphate scattered considerably, and its relation to the phytoplankton biomass was complicated.