Hydrography and biochemical indicators of microplankton biomass in the Bransfield Strait (Antarctica) during January 1994

• Published in: Polar Biology
• Main Authors: Berdalet, Elisa, Vaqué, Dolors, Arin, Laura, Estrada, Marta, Alcaraz, Miquel, Fernández, José A.
• Other Authors: Comisión Interministerial de Ciencia y Tecnología, CICYT (España), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (España), Instituto de Cooperación Iberoamericana (España)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: Springer 1997
• Subjects: Anguita; Antarctic; Bellingshausen Sea; Bransfield Strait; Elephant Island; Weddell; Weddell Sea; Antarc*; Antarctica; Polar Biology
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10261/256132; https://doi.org/10.1007/s003000050102; https://doi.org/10.13039/501100007273; https://doi.org/10.13039/501100003339

The relationships between hydrography and spatial distribution of several biochemical indicators of microplankton biomass (chlorophyll, protein and ATP) were studied in an area covering the eastern part of the Bransfield Strait and the northern part of the Weddell Sea, during Antarctic summer (January 1994). Four hydrographic zones were identified: (a) the northern part of the Bransfield Strait, covered by waters of Bellingshausen Sea origin; (b) a Weddell Sea water mass that affected most of the study area; (c) the Weddell-Scotia Confluence waters, observed north of Elephant Island; and (d) waters influenced by ice melting, found towards the southeastern part of the sampled area. The highest values of biomass indicators (chlorophyll a, ATP and protein) were found in the zones affected by ice-melting processes and in waters from the Bellingshausen Sea. The lowest values of all biochemical parameters were found in the Weddell Sea and in the Weddell- Scotia Confluence waters. A high variability in the hydrographic structure and the distribution of biochemical indicators was observed. The degree of stabilization of the water column, the depth of the upper mixed layer and the grazing pressure of herbivorous zooplankton played a major role in the development, accumulation and spatial variability of microplankton biomass This research was supported by grant ANT93- 0997 from the Spanish National Research Program on Antarctica, CICYT. E.B. has a contract from the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. L.A. was funded by the Instituto de Cooperación Iberoamericana del Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores de España. We are very grateful to three anonymous referees who provided interesting comments. Nu´ ria Guixa contributed to the ATP analyses. Technical assistance was obtained from J.M. Anguita and A. Cruz