Variations of phytoplankton productivity and biomass over an annual cycle in Saanich Inlet, a British Columbia fjord

摘要: Abstract Saanich Inlet is a highly productive temperate fjord with the capability to record inter-annual patterns of water-column primary production in undisturbed laminated sediments. We investigated spatial and temporal variations productivity, total size-fractionated phytoplankton chl a, dissolved nutrients, temperature salinity at head mouth from May 2005 November 2006. New productivity was also measured October During growing season (spring, summer fall), 1.5 times higher than and, averaged across stations, 460 g C m−2 y−1. Average new 53% 58% inlet, respectively, during micro-phytoplankton (>20 μm; mainly diatoms) most abundant size-class phytoplankton. These rates are as high or those other fjords, possibly because tidally-driven fortnightly gravity exchange that supplies nutrients surface waters enhance biological when would otherwise be limiting. This delivers least far inland station, while associated an eddy near may cause even there. discuss impact these nutrient sources on records paleoproduction generated two Ocean Drilling Program cores extracted this fjord, suggest buffers supply occurring sub-decadal decadal scales.