Pattern of chlorophyll in a gradient of nutrient concentration in sediment
García, C.M.; Niell, F.X. (1989). Pattern of chlorophyll in a gradient of nutrient concentration in sediment, in: Ros, J.D. (Ed.) Topics in Marine Biology: Proceedings of the 22nd European Marine Biology Symposium, Barcelona, Spain, August 1987. Scientia Marina (Barcelona), 53(2-3): pp. 491-495 In: Ros, J.D. (Ed.) (1989). Topics in marine biology: Proceedings of the 22nd European Marine Biology Symposium, Barcelona, Spain, August 1987. European Marine Biology Symposia, 22. Scientia Marina (Barcelona), 53(2-3). 145-754 pp., more In: European Marine Biology Symposia., more |
| Abstract | Relationships between the appearance of chlorophyll patches and a nitrogen concentration gradient were studied in the laboratory using sediment from an eutrophic mouth river environment (Guadalhorce, SE Spain). An agar-ammonium nitrate block was inserted at one of the sides of a tray filled with this sediment. The tray was placed in a chamber with light and temperature constant. Eight samples which were placed along a line ranging from 1.5 to 22.5 cm from the nutrient source were taken periodically. Nitrate concentration measures, as well as an estimation of the total chiorophyll a concentration, were made to obtain a space/time distribution of these variables. Spatial cross-correlation and autocorrelation analyses were carried out, helping to show the maintenance of a pattern consisting of regularly spaced patches of chlorophyll. The tendency for a nutrient concentration gradient to be established in an environment with low terms of phytobenthos diffusivity, as well as a possible interrelation between space and microsuccessional stages with a preferred direction of development of the photosynthetic populations on are as where the resources have not been recently utilized, could be responsibie for the maintenance of the observed instabilities. |
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