Primary production in the Bay of Bengal during August 1977

Abstract

Primary production, chlorophyll @ia@@, phaeophytin, phytoplankton and particulate organic carbon (POC) were studied at 14 stations in the Bay of Bengal during August 1977. Column primary production, chlorophyll @ia@@, and phaeopigments varied from 0.14 to 5.59 g C/m@u2@@/day, 2.1 to 23.6 mg/m@u2@@ and 1.9 to 15.73 mg/m@u2@@ respectively. Column concentration of POC varied from 2.57 to 10.49 g/m@u2@@. A mixed diatom bloom located at station 657 comprised mainly of @iThalassiosira subtilis@@, followed by @iSkeletonema costatum, Thalassiothrix@@ sp., @iNavicula@@ spp. and @iCoscinodiscus@@ spp. The diatom concentrations at surface and 5 m were 3.6 x 10@u5@@ and 4.5 x 10@u5@@ cells/l, where @iT. subtilis@@ contributed 3.3 and 3.6 x 10@u5@@ cells/l