Skip to main content
Publications | Persons | Institutes | Projects
[ report an error in this record ]basket (0): add | show Print this page

Continuous plankton records: changes in the composition and abundance of the phytoplankton of the northeastern Atlantic Ocean and North Sea, 1958-1974
Reid, P.C. (1977). Continuous plankton records: changes in the composition and abundance of the phytoplankton of the northeastern Atlantic Ocean and North Sea, 1958-1974. Mar. Biol. (Berl.) 40(4): 337-339
In: Marine Biology: International Journal on Life in Oceans and Coastal Waters. Springer: Heidelberg; Berlin. ISSN 0025-3162; e-ISSN 1432-1793, more
Peer reviewed article  

Available in  Author 

Keywords
    Abundance
    Aquatic communities > Plankton > Phytoplankton
    Climate > Weather
    Distribution > Geographical distribution
    Environmental effects
    Population characteristics > Population number
    Temporal variations > Long-term changes
    Temporal variations > Periodic variations > Seasonal variations
    Bacillariophyceae [WoRMS]; Ceratium F.Schrank, 1793 [WoRMS]
    Atlantic North East [Marine Regions]
    Marine/Coastal

Author  Top 

Abstract
    In most areas of the north-eastern Atlantic Ocean, diatoms have declined drastically in abundance in the last decade. Additionally, in areas to the north of 59°N Ceratium spp and an index of total phytoplankton have also declined. South of 59°N the phytoplankton index has increased, diatoms have declined and Ceratium spp have remained at a constant level of abundance . a possible explanation of the increase in the phytoplankton index at a time when the diatoms were declining south of 59°N is the development of unidentified phytoplankton organisms such as microflagellates. As many of the variables influencing phytoplankton standing crop are governed in turn by the prevailing weather, the phytoplankton changes may well be a consequence of the general deterioration, since 1940, of North Atlantic weather. Changes in phytoplankton which may be attributed to an amelioration of climate since 1971 are evident as yet only in the southern North Sea.

All data in the Integrated Marine Information System (IMIS) is subject to the VLIZ privacy policy Top | Author