Environmental controls of phytoplankton bloom dynamics in the Neuse River Estuary, North Carolina, U.S.A

• Published in: Canadian journal of fisheries and aquatic sciences 1997-11, Vol.54 (11), p.2491-2501
• Main Authors: PINCKNEY, J. L, MILLIE, D. F, VINYARD, B. T, PAERL, H. W
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Algae; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Brackish; Brackish water ecosystems; Estuaries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Marine; Phytoplankton; Plankton; R&D; Research & development; Synecology; Water quality management
• ISSN: 0706-652X; 1205-7533
• DOI: 10.1139/f97-165

Spatial and temporal patterns of phytoplankton growth, biomass, primary productivity, and community composition were linked to environmental variables to identify key factors promoting algal blooms in the moderately eutrophic Neuse Estuary. Diagnostic photopigments, used to examine phytoplankton community structure, explained 83.3% of the variation in phytoplankton biomass. Principle factor analysis identified hydrological forcing variables that explained 71% of total variability associated with phytoplankton biomass. Phytoplankton carbon-specific growth rates measured using chlorophyll a super(14)C-labeling, ranged from 0.01 to 0.83.day super(-1) and decreased downstream. A regression model, derived from 25 months of biweekly sampling of 13 environmental variables, was used to predict mu sub(Chl) and construct spatiotemporal contour plots of phytoplankton growth. Enhanced growth occurs in the upper riverine portion of the estuary, biomass accumulates in the central portion, and productivity, overall, tracks phytoplankton abundance. Management strategies for stemming eutrophication should target processes and conditions associated with bloom initiation in the riverine rather than the estuarine portion of the system.