Effect of monsoonal fluctuations on micro-phytoplankton and chlorophyll- relationship in reefs ecosystems of South China Sea

Khyril Syahrizan Husain, . and Zainudin Bachok, . Effect of monsoonal fluctuations on micro-phytoplankton and chlorophyll- relationship in reefs ecosystems of South China Sea. pp. 191-201. ISSN 1823-8556

Phytoplankton are a key primary producer in aquatic ecosystems and mediate energy transfer between various organisms. Herein we correlated chlorophyll- contents with spatial and temporal fluctuations of micro-phytoplankton in a tropical coral reef ecosystem of the Bidong Archipelago during southwest and northeast monsoon seasons and made comparisons of pre-season and post-season primary production. Micro-sized phytoplankton were sampled using a slow vertical hauling technique with a shallow length of 20-micron mesh net which allows meso-sized zooplankton to escape. Chlorophyll- samples were collected from surface and bottom water layers using a Niskin water sampler. Micro-phytoplankton densities and chlorophyll- concentrations onset bloom was from pre-southwest monsoon peaked during the post-southwest monsoon and fluctuated significantly through the monsoon season. Mean of chlorophyll- contents from surface and bottom water layers were positively correlated with micro-phytoplankton densities at Stations 1 7 9 and 10. Station 7 was located at a mariculture farm and the fluctuation of primary producers differed little between sampling seasons reflecting environmental interference but showed the strongest correlation (r0.98) between each other. Whereas chlorophyll-a contents were correlated with micro-phytoplankton contents in water columns they were not exclusively dependent on micro-phytoplankton abundance as spatial and monsoonal factor play roles. The data suggested chlorophyll- contents were indication of micro-phytoplankton distributions and relevant to determine micro-phytoplankton biomass and nutrient status of the study area.

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Abstract

Phytoplankton are a key primary producer in aquatic ecosystems and mediate energy transfer between various organisms. Herein we correlated chlorophyll- contents with spatial and temporal fluctuations of micro-phytoplankton in a tropical coral reef ecosystem of the Bidong Archipelago during southwest and northeast monsoon seasons and made comparisons of pre-season and post-season primary production. Micro-sized phytoplankton were sampled using a slow vertical hauling technique with a shallow length of 20-micron mesh net which allows meso-sized zooplankton to escape. Chlorophyll- samples were collected from surface and bottom water layers using a Niskin water sampler. Micro-phytoplankton densities and chlorophyll- concentrations onset bloom was from pre-southwest monsoon peaked during the post-southwest monsoon and fluctuated significantly through the monsoon season. Mean of chlorophyll- contents from surface and bottom water layers were positively correlated with micro-phytoplankton densities at Stations 1 7 9 and 10. Station 7 was located at a mariculture farm and the fluctuation of primary producers differed little between sampling seasons reflecting environmental interference but showed the strongest correlation (r0.98) between each other. Whereas chlorophyll-a contents were correlated with micro-phytoplankton contents in water columns they were not exclusively dependent on micro-phytoplankton abundance as spatial and monsoonal factor play roles. The data suggested chlorophyll- contents were indication of micro-phytoplankton distributions and relevant to determine micro-phytoplankton biomass and nutrient status of the study area.

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Item Type:	Article
AGROVOC Term:	Phytoplankton
AGROVOC Term:	Chlorophylls
AGROVOC Term:	Coral reefs
AGROVOC Term:	Sampling
AGROVOC Term:	Biological analysis
AGROVOC Term:	Monsoon climate
AGROVOC Term:	Seasonal variation
AGROVOC Term:	Population density
AGROVOC Term:	Biomass
AGROVOC Term:	Nutrient status
Depositing User:	Ms. Suzila Mohamad Kasim
Last Modified:	24 Apr 2025 06:29
URI:	http://webagris.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/25003

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