ABSTRACT 



A survey of the biology and water chemistry of western Long Island Sound 

 was conducted from April -September 1971. Temperature and dissolved oxygen 

 were found to be fairly uniform between stations, and followed predictable 

 seasonal patterns. Nannochloris atomus and red tide dinof lagellates were 

 prominent in the phytoplankton. Acartia sp. dominated the small zooplankton, 

 with a well-defined succession of A. clausii by A. tonsa in July. Larger 

 zooplankters were mostly larval forms, especially zoea and megalopa of 

 brachyuran crabs. Fish eggs often reached high densities in July and August. 

 Larval clupeid, engraulid and labrid fishes were very abundant during this 

 period. Tautoga onitis , Tautogolabrus adspersus and Scophthalmus aquosus were 

 the mature finfish collected in greatest numbers. Benthic infauna were rare 

 in deep-water samples taken in early spring, but were more abundant around 

 Davids Island later in the survey period. Generally, the study area was con- 

 sidered to support large and fairly typical populations of phytoplankton, zoo- 

 plankton and larger fish and crustaceans. The area showed evidence of bacterial 

 pollution, according to coliform data from several agencies. 



