Dominance of a Stressed Marine Phytoplankton Assemblage by a Copper-Tolerant Pennate Diatom +

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Abstract
The accidental addition of 25-40 .mu.g/l of Cu to natural phytoplankton assemblages in experimental ecosystems during summer months led to blooms of Amphiprora paludosa var. hyalina Eulenstein which fluorished virtually as monocultures even after Cu levels decreased. This diatom genus was not common in Vineyard Sound [Massachusetts, USA] or these experimental systems, and was probably able to compete successfully with the usual dominant species only when those species were stressed. Amphiprora was obviously resistant to Cu, since it was able to attain densities in Cu-stressed enclosures much greater than those found in control assemblages.