Phytoplankton Community Structure in the North Water Polynya: Causes and Consequences

将于1998年夏季研究北水Polynya的浮游植物群落结构。 北水是位于巴芬湾北方的一个可预测的、经常性的开放水域，从3月开始不结冰。 在过去的几十年里，巴芬湾的硅藻和鞭毛虫的分类学已经被研究过了，20世纪70年代，在北水南部地区的几个站测量了初级生产力。 除了这些研究和1991年5月进行的一项48小时研究外，人们对这一地区的生物海洋学知之甚少，因为这一地区的海洋哺乳动物和鸟类非常丰富。拟议的项目将使用落射荧光显微镜，从单个分类群的细胞浓度和生物量（以碳计）的角度，对属于不同群体的藻类种群进行量化，例如硅藻、自养甲藻和其他自养鞭毛虫。 该项目将是国际北水Polynya研究的一部分，该研究包括对该地区的物理、化学和生物研究，并将结合加拿大的初级生产研究收集样本。 研究浮游植物群落结构与物理、化学和生物参数之间的关系。 将得出的结论是，哪些环境条件导致碳去除的底栖生物，并导致碳留在上层。与其他研究人员合作，将探讨北方水未来可能变暖的后果，特别是现有食物链的影响。

The structure of the phytoplankton community in the North Water Polynya will be studied during the summer of 1998. The North Water is a predictable, recurrent area of open water situated in northern Baffin Bay, which is ice-free beginning in March. The taxonomy of diatoms and flagellates from Baffin Bay has been studied in previous decades, and primary production was measured at a few stations in the southern area of the North Water in the 1970's. Other than these studies and a 48 hour study in May 1991, little is known of the biological oceanography of this area which is very rich in marine mammals and birds. The proposed project will quantify, using epifluorescence microscopy, the algal populations belonging to various groups, such as diatoms, autotrophic dinoflagellates and other autotrophic flagellates in terms of cell concentration and biomass (as carbon) of individual taxa. The project will be part of the International North Water Polynya Study comprising physical, chemical and biological studies of the area, and samples will be collected in conjunction with the Canadian study of primary production. The relation between phytoplankton community structure and physical, chemical and biological parameters will be examined. Conclusions will be drawn as to which environmental conditions lead to removal of carbon to the benthos, and which lead to carbon remaining in the upper layers. In collaboration with other investigators, the consequences of a possible future warming of the North Water will be explored, especially the effects of existing food chains.