Date of Award

Fall 1999

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Biological Sciences

Program/Concentration

Biology

Committee Director

Harold G. Marshall

Committee Member

Kneeland K. Nesius

Committee Member

G. Richard Whittecar

Call Number for Print

Special Collections LD4331.B47 W65

Abstract

The phytoplankton and autotrophic picoplankton populations of Hoffler Lake, a brackish-water lake in Portsmouth, Virginia, were monitored from May 1997 through May 1998, Analyses of the phytoplankton community using the Utennohl method showed a dominance of Chlorophytes (61-88% of the total abundance) throughout the year, including a winter bloom of Chlamydomonas snowii (maximum concentration of 2.5 x 101 cells/L). Subdominants were Cyanobacteria (10-33% of the total abundance) whose composition included several species of Anabaena, Lyngbya, and a fall bloom of Microcoleus sp. Diatoms, dinoflagellates, and cryptophytes played a secondary role in the phytoplankton community of Hoffler Lake. Autotrophic picoplankton were analyzed using epifluorescent microscopy. The picoplankton were divided into 2 groups, solitary cells (Synechococuss spp.) and a colonial form (Microcystts incerta). Average picoplankton concentrations were 1.3 x 108 cells/L throughout the year. A peak in cell numbers occurred in the summer with a total concentration for both groups of 3.5 x 108 cells/L. A comparison of the phytoplankton community analyses with temperature and salinity data indicated phytoplankton responded more to changes in temperature than salinity, but salinity did influence the species composition in Hoffler Lake.

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DOI

10.25777/s48m-6575

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