Full description
This study correlated temporal and depth differences in phytoplankton species distribution with various physical and chemical parameters in the upper Swan River Estuary between November 1995 and May 1999, with the aim of identifying environmental or physiological factors that may enhance one species' competitive advantage over others.Lineage
Maintenance and Update Frequency: notPlanned
Statement: Opportunistic sampling of specific blooms was made at various sites in the upper Swan River Estuary as they occured. These included Success Hill, Sanringham and Ron Courtney Island. A monthly monitoring programme was undertaken at the Ron Courtney Island site, a deeper site (6 m depth) typical of deeper pockets found in upper regions of the Swan River.
Chlorophyte- (spring, November 1995 and 1997), mixed dinophyte- (summer, January 1996) and cryptophyte- (autumn, May 1996) dominated bloom event were targeted at Ron Courtney Island (RCI, ~5 m), a site representative of the deeper pockets of the upper Swan River estuary. Three depths (surface - 0.25 m, mid - 2.5 m and bottom - 4.5 m) were sampled. During the spring and summer periods, samples were taken at three times (approximately 0900 h - am, 1400 h - pm and 2400 h - night) over a diurnal period. During autumn there were two sampling times (1200 h - noon and 0300 - 0400 h - night) over a diurnal period. Triplicate water samples were collected at each sampling period using a purpose-built 6-litre horizontal water sampler designed to collect from a narrow (15 cm) depth range.
During 1998-1999 monthly surface and bottom samples were collected at noon and night for species enumeration and identification using a peristaltic pump and wide-bore tygon tubing as described in Chapter of the thesis. Physical profiles (surface and 1 m - depth increments) for temperature, salinity, oxygen, light (noon) and chlorophyll a (Chla), were also made at this time, at the Ron Courtney Island site and sites approximately 1 km above and below this. This was to verify that trends seen were consistent within this region of the river and not merely artefacts of patchiness or advection. In addition, samples for nutrient analyses were also collected in the same manner (see Chapter 2 of thesis) from the Ron Courtney Island site.
Statement: - Laboratory work -
Species identification and enumeration were made from Lugols-preserved samples. It is generally desirable to have an uncertainty of <=10%, which can be achieved by counting a minimum of 400 cells. Uncertainty (error margin) is indirectly proportional to teh number of cells counted and is calculated by 2/square root of n x 100% where n is the total number of cells counted. Species abundance (no. cells ml-1) was calculated. To minimise uncertainty, 20 fields of view or 500 individuals (at 380x or 240x magnification) were counted, using the Utermohl (1958) technique and a Leitz Inverted microscope. Photomicrographs were taken for identification purposes.
Size fractionation of chlorophyll was determined from the initial GF/C filtered (nominal pore size 1.2 um), 20 um and 300um screened samples used in the grazing experiments (see Chapter 7 of thesis) with chlorophyll analyses performed as described (see Chapter 2 of thesis).
Created: 27 08 2007
Data time period: 1995-11 to 1999-05
text: westlimit=115.93; southlimit=-31.94; eastlimit=115.96; northlimit=-31.91
text: uplimit=6; downlimit=0.5
Subjects
BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION |
Chlorophyll |
COASTAL PROCESSES |
Conductivity |
EARTH SCIENCE |
Estuaries |
Light Transmission |
OCEANS |
Oxygen |
Phytoplankton |
PLANKTON |
PROTISTS |
TERRESTRIAL HYDROSPHERE |
WATER QUALITY/WATER CHEMISTRY |
Water Temperature |
oceans |
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Other Information
(PhD thesis)
url :
http://adt.curtin.edu.au/theses/available/adt-WCU20051213.114126/
global : 8cff8db0-511a-11dc-a105-00188b4c0af8
Identifiers
- global : 376a3a90-5439-11dc-8619-00188b4c0af8
