Rhizosolenia mats1

• Published in: Limnology and Oceanography
• Main Authors: Harbison, G. Richard, Madin, Laurence P., Swanberg, Neil R., Biggs, Douglas C., Hulburt, Edward M., McAlister, Vicki L., McCarthy, James J.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 1977
• Subjects: Aquatic Science; Oceanography; North Atlantic; Copepods
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.4319/lo.1977.22.4.0739; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.4319%2Flo.1977.22.4.0739; https://aslopubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.4319/lo.1977.22.4.0739

Two species of diatoms, Rhizoso lenia castracanei and Rhizosolenia shrubsolei , coexist by living together in relatively large mats (4 cm diam). The relative proportion of the two species is variable. In the North Atlantic Ocean, Rhizosolenia mats appear to be limited in distribution to the central and southern Sargasso Sea. Mats are probably of little significance in the overall primary productivity of the ocean. Since euphausiids and copepods have been observed clinging to the mats and eating them, the mats may be of ecological significance to certain species of zooplankton.