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Spatio-Temporal Fluxes in Particulate Organic Carbon in a Tropical Coastal Lagoon

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Abstract

Temporal and spatial variations in particulate organic carbon (POC) in relation to primary production, chlorophyll a, phaeophytin, plankton abundance, secondary production and suspended particulate matter (SPM) were studied monthly for 1 year from April 1996 to March 1997 in a shallow tropical coastal lagoon on the southwest coast of India. Though temporal variations in all components were significant, spatial variabilities were not statistically significant. POC values range from 200 to 5690 mg C m3 h−1, while primary production, chlorophyll a, and phaeophytin varied between 0.02 and 14.53 mg C m−3 h−1, 0.87 and 23.11 mg m−3 and 3.02 and 30.581 mg m−3, respectively. Phytoplankton and zooplankton abundance varied from 0.01 to 655.5×105 no m−3 and negligible to 7.08×105 no m−3 respectively; secondary production from 10 to 490 mg C m−3 and SPM between 0.38 and 74.43×104 mg m−3 during this study. Temporally, postmonsoon months were observed to have the highest concentrations of POC in the lagoon waters. The bulk of the POC pool in the lagoon was composed of secondary producers (72%), followed by chlorophyll a (21%), phaeophytin (7%) and suspended particulate matter of inorganic origin (< 0.1%).

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  1. S. Nayar

    Present address: Henley Beach, SA, 5022, Australia

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  1. South Australian Research and Development Institute – Aquatic Sciences, West Beach, SA, 5024, Australia

    S. Nayar

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Nayar, S. Spatio-Temporal Fluxes in Particulate Organic Carbon in a Tropical Coastal Lagoon. Environ Monit Assess 112, 53–68 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-006-0310-7

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