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Physical Determinants of Phytoplankton Succession

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Plankton Ecology

Part of the book series: Brock/Springer Series in Contemporary Bioscience ((BROCK/SPRINGER))

Abstract

Just as the composition of phytoplankton assemblages depends upon the presence and relative abundances of populations of individual species, so temporal changes in their composition are brought about by differences in the relative rates of augmentation and attrition of each population. These rates respond to a complex of interactions among various physical, chemical, and biotic environmental factors, operating at a variety of intensities and frequencies. This chapter addresses the impact of essentially physical variables on the population dynamics of individual species and it seeks to establish the particular properties of the organisms for which each selects. Factual information relating the performances of algae to quantifiable aspects of the physical environment is drawn largely from observations made in controlled laboratory experiments. Realistic potential combinations of the relevant physical factors are suggested in order to simulate the likely responses of specific populations in natural waters. The outcomes of such simulations are then compared with the PEG-model of phytoplankton succession (see Section 1.2) propounded by Sommer et al. (1986), which was originally elaborated to explain the pattern of seasonal change in species dominance, as regularly observed in Lake Constance (the Bodensee). A concluding section assesses the role of physical factors in regulating seasonal succession of phytoplankton generally. At the end of the chapter, beginning on page 52, there are three appendices. The first one, Appendix 2.1, defines the units used in this chapter. The second, Appendix 2.2, identifies the symbols used, and Appendix 2.3 explains the abbreviations used for algal names.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Windermere Laboratory, Freshwater Biological Association, Ambleside Cumbria, UK

    Colin S. Reynolds

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  1. Colin S. Reynolds
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Ulrich Sommer

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© 1989 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg New York London Paris Tokyo

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Reynolds, C.S. (1989). Physical Determinants of Phytoplankton Succession. In: Sommer, U. (eds) Plankton Ecology. Brock/Springer Series in Contemporary Bioscience. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-74890-5_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-74890-5_2

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-74892-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-74890-5

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