Skip to main content
Log in

Effects of bottle size in determinations of primary productivity by phytoplankton

  • Published:
Hydrobiologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Determinations of primary productivity were made by the radiocarbon method at regular intervals over a year in samples, taken from the eutrophic waters of the Menai Strait, North Wales, and contained in bottles of capacities from 135 ml up to 2290 ml. Fixation per unit volume in particulate matter retained by 0 · 45 μm pore size membrane filters was independent of bottle size over most of the year. There was a consistent divergence, however, during the period of rapid phytoplankton growth in the spring, when small bottles gave up to three times higher values than large ones. Possible effects of bottle size on primary productivity determinations are discussed but the cause of this particular result is not apparent.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Al-Hasan, R. H., S. J. Coughlan, A. Pant & G. E. Fogg, 1975. Seasonal variations in phytoplankton and glycollate concentrations in the Menai Straits, Anglesey. J. mar. biol. Ass. UK 55: 557–565.

    Google Scholar 

  • Azam, F. & J. W. Ammerman, 1984. The cycling of organic matter by bacterioplankton in pelagic marine ecosystems: microenvironmental considerations. In M. J. R. Fasham (ed.), Flows of Energy and Materials in Marine Ecosystems. Plenum Press, New York & London: 345–360.

    Google Scholar 

  • ElHag, A. G. D. & G. E. Fogg, 1986. The distribution of coccoid blue-green algae (Cyanobacteria) in the Menai Straits and the Irish Sea. Br. Phycol. J. 21: 45–54.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fogg, G. E. & B. Thake, 1987. Algal Cultures and Phytoplankton Ecology. University of Wisconsin Press.

  • Fuhrman, J., 1987. Close coupling between release and uptake of dissolved free amino acids in seawater studied by an isotope dilution approach. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 37: 45–52.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gieskes, W. W. C., G. W. Kraay & M. A. Baars, 1979. Current 14C methods for measuring primary production: gross underestimates in oceanic waters. Netherl. J. Sea Res. 13: 58–78.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harris, G. P., 1986. Phytoplankton Ecology: Structure, Function and Fluctuation. Chapman & Hall, London & New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kassab, J. Y., C. J. Whitaker & G. D. Floodgate, 1985. Biological studies in the vicinity of a shallow-sea tidal mixing front. VI. A general statistical study. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. London B 310: 521–555.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marshall, K. C., R. Stout & R. Mitchell, 1971. Mechanism of the initial events in the sorption of marine bacteria to surfaces. J. gen. Microbiol. 68: 337–348.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parsons, T. R., Y. Maita & C. M. Lalli, 1984. A Manual of Chemical and Biological Methods for Seawater Analysis. Pergamon Press, Oxford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Qasim, S. Z., P. M. A. Bhattathiri & V. P. Devassy, 1973. Some problems related to the measurements of primary production using radiocarbon technique. Int. Rev. ges. Hydrobiol. 57: 535–549.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sieburth, J. McN., 1982. Status and perspectives of marine pelagic protozoology: a synthesis of the workshop at Ville-franche-sur-Mer, France, 1981. Ann. Inst. océanogr., Paris 58 (S): 243–248.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, R. E. H., R. J. Geider & T. Platt, 1984. Microplankton productivity in the oligotrophic ocean. Nature, Lond. 311: 252–254.

    Google Scholar 

  • Strickland, J. D. H. & T. R. Parsons, 1960. A manual of seawater analysis. Bull. Fish. Res. Bd Canada 125: 1–185.

    Google Scholar 

  • Venrick, E. L., J. R. Beers & J. F. Heinbokel, 1977. Possible consequences of containing microplankton for physiological rate measurements. J. exp. mar. Biol. Ecol. 26: 55–76.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Verduin, J., 1960. Phytoplankton communities of western Lake Erie and the CO2 and O2 changes associated with them. Limnol. Oceanogr. 5: 372–380.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vollenweider, R. A. & A. Nauwerck, 1961. Some observations on the 14C method for measuring primary production. Verh. int. Ver. Limnol. 14: 134–139.

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams, P. leB., K. R. Heinemann, J. Marra & D. A. Purdie, 1983. Comparison of 14C and O2 measurements of phytoplankton production in oligotrophic waters. Nature, Lond. 305: 49–50.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Fogg, G.E., Calvario-Martinez, O. Effects of bottle size in determinations of primary productivity by phytoplankton. Hydrobiologia 173, 89–94 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00015518

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00015518

Key words

Navigation