Abstract
The content and distribution of chlorophyll a (chl-a) and phaeopigments (pha-a) in the sediment of East China Sea was investigated in August and September, 2002. The results showed that chlorophyll a and phaeopigments had the same resource. Both chlorophyll a and phaeopigments decreased significantly with increasing depth, and would be stable to a certain depth. There are several observed leaps in the vertical distribution of chlorophyll a and phaeopigments, which might reflect the effects of bioturbation. The chlorophyll a and phaeopigments concentration on the surface of sediment varied from 0.14 to 1.17 μg·g-1 and 0.83 to 5.58 μg·g-1, respectively, and the mean concentrations in the top centimeter of sediment (0-0.5cm) were 0.54μg·g-1 for chlorophyll a and 2. 45μg·g-1 for phaeopigments. The spatial distribution of benthic chlorophyll a and phaeopigments were affected by the combination of several factors such as depth (and therefore light), temperature, salinity and water content. As the main degradation product of chlorophyll a, phaeopigments became the main type of chlorophyll while increased to certain extent, and acounting for 80-90% of total chlorophyll. Due to the water temperature, the surface chlorophyll a and phaeopigments concentration varied significantly with the season. Total chlorophyll a in the sediment accounted for 31% of total chlorophyll a in the water column.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1102-1106 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology |
| Volume | 14 |
| Issue number | 7 |
| State | Published - Jul 2003 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Chlorophyll a
- Phaeopigments
- Sediment