Picophytoplankton Distribution at the Ob River Section and in the Western Part of the Kara Sea

Abstract

The spatial distribution of picophytoplankton abundance, biomass, chlorophyll a and the contribution of picoalgae to the total chlorophyll a was studied in the outer Ob River estuary with the adjacent shelf and in the western part of the Kara Sea. In August–September, the picophytoplankton abundance and biomass varied from 0.1 to 17.3 × 10⁶ cell/L and from 0.06 to 9.20 mg С/m³, respectively. Photosynthetic picoeukaryotes dominated in the plankton picofraction; the contribution of cyanobacteria to the total picophytoplankton biomass did not exceed 11%. The highest contribution of picophytoplankton to the total phytoplankton abundance was observed at a lower (<11 mg/m²) euphotic zone integrated chlorophyll a. The spatial heterogeneity of picoforms contribution was determined by the silicon concentration.