Spatial and temporal variability of picocyanobacteria Synechococcus sp. in San Francisco Bay

Limnology and Oceanography
By: , and 

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Abstract

We collected samples monthly, from April to August 1998, to measure the abundance of autotrophic picoplankton in San Francisco Bay. Samples taken along a 160-km transect showed that picocyanobacteria (Synechococcus sp.) was a persistent component of the San Francisco Bay phytoplankton in all the estuarine habitats, from freshwater to seawater and during all months of the spring-summer transition. Abundance ranged from 4.6 X 106 to 5.2 X 108 cells L-1, with peak abundance during the spring bloom (April and May) and during July with a persistent spatial pattern of smallest abundance near the coastal ocean and highest abundance in the landward domains of the estuary. The picocyanobacterial component (as estimated percentage of chlorophyll a concentration) was, on average, 15% of total phytoplankton biomass during the summer-autumn nonbloom periods and only 2% of chlorophyll biomass during the spring bloom. This result is consistent with the emerging concept of a gradient of increasing importance of picocyanobacteria along the gradient of decreasing nutrient concentrations from estuaries to the open ocean.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Spatial and temporal variability of picocyanobacteria Synechococcus sp. in San Francisco Bay
Series title Limnology and Oceanography
DOI 10.4319/lo.2000.45.3.0695
Volume 45
Issue 3
Year Published 2000
Language English
Publisher Wiley
Contributing office(s) California Water Science Center, San Francisco Bay-Delta, Toxic Substances Hydrology Program, Pacific Regional Director's Office
Description 8 p.
First page 695
Last page 702
Online Only (Y/N) N
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
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