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Summer Vertical Phytoplankton Distribution In The Lower Chesapeake Bay, Mollie Jill Weinstein

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

Autotrophic picoplankton and phytoplankton composite samples were collected from the surface, pycnocline, and bottom water layers at three stations in the lower Chesapeake Bay between June and September 1993. Using light microscopy a total of 170 phytoplankton taxa were identified. Utilizing epifluorescent microscopy, the picoplankton taxa were distinguished by size, representing species with cells less than 2 microns. Diatoms were the dominant taxa during this period, with lesser representation by the other phytoplankton components. Within the picoplankton category, cyanobacteria were dominant. Statistical analyses of the data indicated the vertical composition and abundance of the phytoplankton was not significantly different over …

Vertical Distributions Of Zooplankton At The Mouth Of Chesapeake Bay And Calibration Of Backscatter From An Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler, Arthur Keith Jenkins

Biological Sciences Theses & Dissertations

This study investigated the physical factors influencing the vertical distribution of zooplankton at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay and attempted to derive biological data from acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) backscatter. A single site was occupied in the North Channel at the mouth of Chesapeake Bay (37° 04' N, 75° 58' W) from 17.0–19.7 November 1999. Temperature, salinity, fluorescence, light transmission, current velocity and backscatter were measured throughout the sampling period. Plankton samples were collected every hour from 3.5, 7.5, and 11.5 m.

We found little association between ADCP backscatter and plankton concentrations, but stronger correlations between backscatter and …