Abstract
MARINE biologists have been slow to recognize that the smaller phytoplankton elements which will pass through the finest nets are of great importance in the productivity of the oceans. In order to get some quantitative data on this subject for eastern Australia (lat. 33–34° S.), we have recently conducted experiments in which 44 gallons of sea-water were pumped into a drum and filtered through a phytoplankton net having 170 meshes per inch. The filtrate was collected and the particulate matter was spun out of 2-litre aliquots using a continuous centrifuge running at 13,000 rev./min. and having a slightly coned cup of maximum internal diameter 4.5 cm. and height 3.8 cm.
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References
Atkins, W. R. G., Nature, 156, 446 (1945).
Harvey, H. W., “Recent Advances in the Chemistry and Biology of Sea Water”, 14 (Camb. Univ. Press, 1945).
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WOOD, E., DAVIS, P. Importance of Smaller Phytoplankton Elements. Nature 177, 438 (1956). https://doi.org/10.1038/177438a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/177438a0
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