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JPR Advance Access published online on September 6, 2005
Journal of Plankton Research, doi:10.1093/plankt/fbi061
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© The Author 2005. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oupjournals.org
Received April 5, 2005
Accepted August 30, 2005

Article

Phytoplankton seasonal dynamics in a Mediterranean coastal lagoon: emphasis on the picoeukaryote community

Béatrice Bec 1*, Julie Husseini-Ratrema 1, Yves Collos 1, Philippe Souchu 2, and André Vaquer 1

1 Laboratoire Ecosystèmes Lagunaires, UMR-CNRS 5119 case 093 Université Montpellier II, Place Eugène Bataillon 34095 Montpellier cedex 5, France
2 Laboratoire côtier DEL, IFREMER BP 171, avenue Jean Monnet 34203 Sète, cedex, France Present address: CREMA BP 5, 17137 l’Houmeau, France

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
Béatrice Bec, E-mail: bbec{at}univ-montp2.fr


  Abstract

The dynamics of the phytoplankton community were investigated in a marine coastal lagoon (Thau, NW Mediterranean) from February 1999 to January 2000. Dilution experiments, chlorophyll a (Chl a) size-fractionation and primary production measurements were conducted monthly. Maximum growth and microzooplankton grazing rates were estimated from Chl a biomass fractions to separate pico- from nano- and micro-phytoplankton, and by flow cytometry to distinguish between picoeukaryotes and picocyanobacteria. In spring, the phytoplankton community was dominated by Chaetoceros sp. and Skeletonema costatum, which represented most of biomass (B) and primary production (P). Nano- and micro-phytoplankton growth was controlled by nutrient availability and exceeded losses due to microzooplankton grazing (g). Picoeukaryote and cyanobacteria growth was positively correlated with water temperature and/or irradiance, reaching maximum values in the summer (2.38 and 1.44 d-1 for picoeukaryotes and cyanobacteria, respectively). Picophytoplankton accounted for 57% of the biomass-specific primary productivity (P/B). Picophytoplankton was strongly controlled by protist grazers (g = 0.09 to 1.66 d-1 for picoeukaryotes, g = 0.25 to 1.17 d-1 for cyanobacteria), and microzooplankton consumption removed 71% of the daily picoplanktonic growth. Picoeukaryotes, which numerically dominate the picoplankton community, are an important source of organic carbon for the protistan community and contribute to the carbon flow to higher trophic levels.

Communicating Editor: KJ Flynn
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