Picophytoplankton distribution along Khatanga Bay-shelf-continental slope environment gradients in the western Laptev Sea

Abstract

The spatial variations of photosynthetic picoplankton abundance and biomass and the picoplankton's contribution to chlorophyll a concentration along the transect from Khatanga Bay to the continental slope in the western part of the Laptev Sea were studied in September 2017. Picoeukaryotes dominated in the picophytoplankton communities. Picophytoplankton in Khatanga Bay showed more variability than those over the Laptev shelf and continental slope: abundance and biomass were the highest in the southern part of the bay and markedly decreased with increasing salinity in its northern part. Picocyanobacteria were found over the shelf and slope at temperatures of +2.4 to -1.6°С and salinity from 22 to 34. Picophytoplankton contribution to total chlorophyll a on the shelf was higher than in Khatanga Bay. The study of picophytoplankton of Khatanga Bay and in the western Laptev Sea can serve as a baseline for future assessment of the Laptev Sea ecosystem response to interannual and climate changes.

Picocyanobacteria in Estuaries of Three Siberian Rivers and Adjacent Shelves of Russian Arctic Seas: Genetic Diversity and Distribution

“…PC were absence at stations 5606 and 5607 located near the ice edge. The spatial distribution of total picophytoplankton, including PC and picoeukaryotes, was described in detail for the Khatanga Bay and western part of the Laptev Sea in our previous study, but the phylogenetic diversity of PC has not been examined [52]. We consider it necessary to note some important points in the present study.…”