Microbial food web interactions in two Long Island embayments

Phytoplankton mortality (herbivory) and bacterivory were examined experimentally in West Neck Bay and Coecles Harbor, Long Island, NY from April through September, 1998. Small algae (<5 [tm diameter) dominated phytoplankton communities in both ecosystems throughout the summer, and zooplankton were also small (mostly <40 tm). Generally, plankton abundances were indicative of eutrophic ecosystems. Oscillations in standing stocks and mortality of prey indicated tight coupling of growth and grazing mortality in both bays. Phytoplankton mortality rates accounted for the removal of 14% to 65% of total phytoplankton standing stocks daily, while bacterivory accounted for the removal of 14% to 88% of total bacterial standing stocks daily. Estimates of carbon consumption revealed high energy flux through the nano- and microzooplankton assemblages of these estuarine environments.

Department dc:contributor.department

Joint Program in Biological Oceanography.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

1999

Author dc:creator

• Boissonneault, Katie Rose, 1973-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• David A. Caron.

• Joint Program in Biological Oceanography.
• Biology.
• Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Identifier URI

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/85281

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/85281