Abstract
The vertical distributions of chlorophyll a and ATP within the uppermost 12 cm of sand were highly correlated (r = 0.97–0.99). The contents of Chl a and ATP decreased only slightly within the uppermost 2–4 cm, while decreasing more rapidly below. There were no differences between the Chl a or ATP contents of samples (0–5 cm) from ridges and depressions of ripple marks. The coefficients of variations of Chl a and ATP for 9 samples taken 1 m apart were about 10 %. These results are interpreted as reflecting a well-mixed upper layer of sand. The average ATP/Chl a ratio for the uppermost 5 cm was 0.6, which is comparable to ratios found for other shallow-water sediments. Due to limited knowledge about the cellular Chl a and ATP levels of sediment biota, it is not possible at present to use Chl a and ATP measurements to distinguish between auto- and heterotrophic biomass components.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
