Phytoplankton cell flux under fast ice near Syowa Station, Antarctica, in austral summer 1991/1992

Abstract

Settling particles were collected using sediment traps, which were deployed beneath fast ice near Syowa Station, Antarctica, from January 7 to February 6 1992. Fluxes of phytoplankton cell number (PN) and carbon (PC) were estimated based on microscopic observation and determination of cell volume. During the present study period, PN flux was low in the early half of January and reached a maximum at the end of January or the beginning of February. Although patterns of temporal change of PN flux were consistent with a previous study, the values were several times lower in the present study than in the previous report. Interannual variation of phytoplankton biomass in the surface layer seems to result in differences in phytoplankton flux. The temporal variation of PC flux was similar to that of the PN flux. Comparing PC flux and chlorophyll a (Chl a) flux, which was reported in a previous study, a PC : Chl a ratio of about 17 was estimated. This value is slightly lower than literature PC : Chl a ratios.