The Phytoplankton of the Menai Straits

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Abstract
The phytoplankton of the Menai Straits has been sampled quantitatively at twice weekly intervals over a period of thirty months in the years 1961–63. Synoptic physical measurements (salinity, temperature and secchi disc readings) and chlorophyll determinations were also made. The variation in species composition of the standing crop of phytoplankton in these waters throughout the period and the dynamics of the main bloom of diatoms are analysed. The phytoplankton in these waters usually exhibit only one major multi-species bloom in April or May but individual species sometimes produce secondary blooms later in the year. The quantitative records and the chlorophyll results show that large standing crops of phytoplankton do not usually occur in these waters which are, none the less, markedly enriched in nutrients by land drainage. During the main spring bloom, various species of Rhizosolenia are usually dominant but the growth of Phaeocystis which usually succeeds the spring diatom bloom dominates the phytoplankton for extended periods in the early summer. At these times virtually all the phytoplankton in the water are small flagellates. Even during the bloom of the larger centric diatoms, the nanoplankton species form the greater proportion (by volume) of the phytoplankton standing crop in these waters

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