Carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and chlorophyll a content of the large diatom, Coscinodiscus wailesii and its abundance in the Seto Inland Sea, Japan

Abstract

The carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and chlorophyll a (Chl a) content of Coscinodiscus wailesii was determined for a natural population in late winter. The Chl a content of C. wailesii ranged from 3.7 to 6.6 ng/cell. The carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus content was 244, 41.1, and 7.49 ng/cell, respectively. The atomic C:N:P ratio was 106:15:1.3 which is similar to the Redfield ratio of 106:16:1. The C/Chl a ratio of 37 and low pheo-pigment content of 0.23 ng/cell indicated that C. wailesii was healthy and actively growing. Furthermore, it was estimated that C. wailesii could account for 0 to 67% of the Chl a standing stock in the water column. Therefore, C. wailesii can occasionally contribute significantly to the seasonal variations of phytoplankton biomass in the Harima-Nada, the Seto Inland Sea, Japan. Especially in late winter, it suggested that C. wailesii is a very important component of the phytoplankton biomass in this area.