Comparison of sinking and sedimentation rate measurements in a diatom winter/spring bloom

摘要: Sinking and sedimentation rates of a natural phytoplankton community were simultaneously measured during the course diatom winterkpring bloom in 13m3 experimental mesocosm. rate was determined directly settling columns calculated from sediment trap catches. The 2 methods yielded significantly different results. Whole-community as well speciesspecific sinking varied over time. These variations related to changes environmental conditions. Over 26d study period, total 7.5g c m ' collected traps. Viable cells primary component sedimented matter while zooplankton fecal pellets contributed on average less than 10 %. Assuming Redfield atomic ratio for material, amount carbon which could be predicted pre-bloom nutrient concentrations. daily considerably time displayed characterisbc pattern. This pattern is ev~dently function both suspended phytoplailkton biomass temporal variation whole-community rate.