Phytoplankton Time Series From Two Coastal Lagoons Of Baja California.

Abstract

Phytoplankton gross taxonomic groups (diatoms, dinoflagellates and microflagellates) abundance time series, generated at the mouths of San Quintin Bay and Estero de Punta Banda, are presented and discussed. Diatoms were the most abundant group at San Quintin, while microflagellates had the lowest concentration. At Estero de Punta Banda the situation was the opposite. In both places dinoflagellates presented intermediate concentrations. Possibly, the difference between the two coastal lagoons is due to incidence of upwelling events at the mouth of San Quintin Bay. The total phytoplankton abundance time series variance spectrum of San Quintin does not show a clear dominance of variance at characteristic frequencies of phenomena such as tides, solar radiation cycles, upwelling events, etc. This is due to the patchy distribution of phytoplankton. In San Quintin, phytoplankton abundance was greater at the mouth than at the two heads of the lagoon. At San Quintinmouth, diatoms were the most abundant; but at the heads the most abundant were dinoflagellates.