Floración primaveral del fitoplancton en la región sureste del golfo de Bizkaia

Abstract

SPRING PHYTOPLANKTON BLOOM IN THE SOUTH EASTERN BAY OF BISCAY. The relationships between the distribution pattems of phytoplankton biomass and the hydrography of south eastern Bay of Biscay in May 1991 were determined using the Undulating Oceanographic Recorder (UOR). UOR transects revealed the presence of an eastward stratification gradient, and the retention of a large pool of river-influenced water(> 27 Km diameter; 35.0-35.3%0) in the innermost region of the study area. Both hydrographic processes determined the progression of phytoplankton biomass from winter levels (1 mg Chlor/m') to the spring bloom (> 7 mg Clor/m3 ) in a reduced area (-120 Km). The results show a strong coupling between the development of phytoplankton spring bloom, and the hydrographic evolution in the south eastem Bay of Biscay.