Date of Award

Fall 1981

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Biological Sciences

Program/Concentration

Biology

Committee Director

Frank P. Day, Jr.

Committee Member

Gerald F. Levy

Committee Member

Harold G. Marshall

Call Number for Print

Special Collections LD4331.B46 A725

Abstract

The dynamics of epiphytic algae and phytoplankton were studied at a cypress stand in the Great Dismal Swamp, Virginia. Mean epiphytic algal biomass was 19.9 g m-2 and mean planktonic biomass was 3.4 g m-2.Nutrient concentrations in the epiphytic algae and the litter were determined. The algae had mean concentrations of 1.67% and 0.18%. They were found to immobilize as much as 0.5 g N m-2 and 0.06 g P m-2. This suggests that the algae are important as nutrient conservers. The phytoplankton were composed primarily of Bacillariophyceae. They exhibited a more or less steady increase in numbers throughout the study period. Several distinct assemblages of populations were observed at different times during the study. Investigations of N2 fixation and quantification of bacterial numbers were also made.

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DOI

10.25777/nzs7-y203

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