Microphytobenthos in the Elbe Estuary: Biomass, Species Composition and Primary Production Measurements with Oxygen Microelectrodes

Gätje, Christiane; Kies, Ludwig

doi:10.1007/978-3-642-75413-5_59

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“…Nowadays, detailed information exists about seasonal changes of several abiotic and biotic parameters for the Elbe estuary (BROCKMANN and PFEIFFER, 1990;FANGER et aL, 1986;GATJE and KIES, 1990;PEITSCH, 1992). Data on tidal variations, when taking into account several biological groups, are scarce.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tidal variation in bacteria, phytoplankton, zooplankton, mysids, fish and suspended particulate matter in the turbidity zone of the Elbe estuary; Interrelationships and causes

Bernát

Köpcke

Yasseri

et al. 1994

Netherlands Journal of Aquatic Ecology

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In June 1992, an extensive investigation programme was carried out in the turbidity zone of the Elbe river. Special attention was paid to salinity and suspended particulate matter (SPM) and their influence on bacteria, phytoplankton, zooplankton, mysids and fish. SPM was separated into three fractions of different settling velocities. Mean settling velocity (Ws) was 0.05 cm s -1. The major part of SPM belonged to the slow settling fraction (w s <0.02 cm s-l).Bacterial exoenzymatic activity showed a positive correlation with SPM and chlorophyll-a content, and also to total dissolved free amino acids.Phytoplankton biomass reached maximum values of 5.7 pg chlorophyll-a 1-1 at ebb tide. Chlorophyll-a correlated negatively with salinity, indicating riverine input of phytoplankton. A positive correlation was found between chlorophyll-a and dissolved oxygen.Abundance of zooplankton species and their developmental stages varied over the tidal cycles; abundance of cirriped larvae and copepodite stages of the dominant species Eurytemora affinis (Copepoda, Crustacea) was positively correlated with salinity. Individual filtering rates (IFR) of Eurytemora affinis were negatively affected by the SPM content of the water. Maximum IFR for adults was 7.2 ml h -1. Community grazing reached maximum rates of 30.3 ml 1-1 h -1 (Le. 72.7% d-l).The dominant mysid Neomysis integer showed maximum abundance at night, possibly resulting from diel vertical migration. Abundance of N. integerwas positively correlated with SPM content.The fish community, consisting of 17 fish species, was characterised by high densities of smelt (Osmerus eperlanus). A positive correlation was found between salinity and abundance of typical marine fish species, such as sprat (Sprattus sprattus). Similar temporal variation of abundance of smelt, sprat, and Eurytemora copepodites indicates processes of habitat preference of these planktivorous fish in relation to optimal food supply.SPM was the factor controlling both distribution of organisms and the turnover of nutrients. Salinity only was important for the distribution of organisms.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%