Phytoplankton abundance and distribution on the Yucatan shelf (June 1979 and April 1983)

Sergio Licea, Ruth Luna, Yuri B. Okolodkov, Roberto Cortés-Altamirano

DOI: https://doi.org/10.31111/nsnr/2017.51.121

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Abstract

Chlorophyll-a concentration and phytoplankton abundance data obtained during two cruises (April 1983 and June 1979) were used to study phytoplankton horizontal and vertical distributions in the waters of the Yucatan shelf. Waterbottle samples were taken to 200 m depth at 60 stations. The maximum mean (fr om different depths per station) phytoplankton abundance (734000 cells/l in April and 632900 cells/l in June) and chlorophyll concentration (1.63 mg/m³ in April and 0.60 mg/m³ in June) occurred near the region of Cape Catoche (approximately at 22°152N and 87°452W), wh ere upwelling occurs regularly. Along the vertical profile, in April chlorophyll ranged between 0.05 and 1.73 mg/m³; in general, the highest values were observed at the 2 m depth (1.73 mg/m³) to the 25 m depth (up to 1.50 mg/m³). On the basis of the chlorophyll content, phytoplankton abundance and species composition distribution, three regions were distinguished on the Yucatan shelf: 1) the upwelling region located to the north of Cape Catoche; 2) the region of possible upwellings, with one area located along the coast between Rнo Lagartos and Progreso and with another located at the central edge zone of the shelf; 3) and the transitional zone that includes most of the central and western parts of the study area. The conclusions of this study support those based on the Soviet-Cuban plankton surveys of the 1960s–1980s.

Keywords: abundance, chlorophyll, distribution, Gulf of Mexico, microalgae, phytoplankton, species composition, upwelling, Yucatan

Section: Algae

How to cite

Licea Sergio, Luna Ruth, Okolodkov Yuri B., Cortés-Altamirano Roberto. 2017. Phytoplankton abundance and distribution on the Yucatan shelf (June 1979 and April 1983). Novosti Sist. Nizsh. Rast. 51: 121–144. https://doi.org/10.31111/nsnr/2017.51.121

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