An estimation of the phytoplankton carbon biomass in the Mali Ston and Gruž (the southern Adriatic)

Abstract

      A one year study of the Mali Ston and Gruž bays phytoplankton carbon biomass was performed from July 1984 - June 1985. Nano-, micro- and total phytoplankton carbon biomass were estimated bimonthly from the volume data, at the depth intervals of 1 m. In both bays nano-, micro- and total phytoplankton quantity maxima were recorded in the sur­face layer during a pronounced summer temperature and salinity vertical gradient. If com­pared to the literature data for the Mediterranean, maximum microphytoplankton carbon contents (51.7 µg C l^-1 in the Mali Ston Bay and 316.6 µg C l^-1 in the Gruž Bay) were rela­tively low.