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Seasonal and year-to-year changes in the phytoplankton from the Plymouth area, 1963–1986

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 May 2009

Linda Maddock
Affiliation:
Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, PL1 2PB
D. S. Harbour
Affiliation:
Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, PL1 2PB
G. T. Boalch
Affiliation:
Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, PL1 2PB

Extract

Samples of phytoplankton from nets towed in the surface waters off Plymouth over a period of 24 years were subjected to a correspondence analysis. There was a high species diversity throughout the year, and a strong seasonal cycle. A total of 104 species was divided into eight groups showing different seasonal and year-to-year occurrence. Over the 24 years the seasonal pattern of species changed in a fairly systematic way and there were two periods (1968–70 and 1983–85) when the changes were most marked. These patterns could be related to changes in the weather patterns, and were similar to those found by other workers in other groups of organisms and in other areas.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 1989

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