Response of size-fractionated phytoplankton to environmental factors near the Changjiang Estuary

Size-basedpartitioningofphytoplanktonisausefultoolformonitoringkeyphytoplanktontraits,anditprovidesabetterunderstandingofphytoplanktondynamics.Ouraimistodeterminethevariationinthedifferentsizeclassesofphytoplanktontothetotalphytoplanktonbiomassduringthespringandautumnof2010andexaminetherelationshipbetweenphytoplanktonsizestructureandenvironmentalvariablesandzooplanktoncommunitystructureneartheChangjiangEstuary.Inthespring,phytoplanktonpopulationswerepredominantlyconsistedofnanophytoplanktonthroughoutthestudyregion.Intheautumn,picophytoplanktonandnanophytoplanktoncollectivelydominatedthephytoplanktoncommunity.APearsoncorrelationanalysishighlightedtheroleoftemperatureandtrophicconditionsonthecontributionsofnanophytoplanktonandpicophytoplankton.Thegrazingpressureexertedbymesozooplanktoncouldhaveplayedanimportantroleindeterminingthemicrophytoplanktoncommunitystructure.