4-4 



The following sections summarize phytoplankton, zooplankton 

 and ichthyoplankton monitoring studies conducted as part of the New 

 Haven Harbor Station Ecological Program for The United Illuminating 

 Company from May 1971 through October 1977. Descriptions of methods are 

 followed by discussions of the components of the New Haven Harbor plank- 

 ton community and by an assessment of generating station operational 

 impacts . 



METHODS AND MATERIALS 



Phytoplankton 



Surface daytime whole-water samples were collected monthly for 



chlorophyll a determinations (May 1971 through October 1977) and phyto- 



* 

 plankton taxonomic analysis (May 1972 through October 1977 ) during both 



flood and ebb tides at Stations 3, 6, 8, 18 and 20. Stations 2 and 11 

 were added to this sampling scheme in January 1974 and May 1975, respect- 

 ively (Figure 4-1) . Although primary productivity determinations util- 

 izing the dissolved oxygen technique (Strickland, 1960; Strickland and 

 Parsons, 1968) were conducted periodically from May 1971 through Decem- 

 ber 1974, these data are not considered herein due to anomalous results 

 (including negative estimates of gross photosynthesis) . 



Each chlorophyll a sample was prefiltered through a 333ym mesh 

 filter to remove debris and larger organisms , treated with approximately 

 2 ml of saturated MgCO solution to retard degradation, and filtered 

 through a glass fiber filter (.45ym pore size). Filters were kept 

 frozen pending extraction. Chlorophyll a was extracted by macerating 

 each filter in 90% aqueous acetone and centrifuging. Prior to July 

 1976, samples were analyzed by the spec tropho tome trie method (Strickland 

 and Parsons, 1972). From July 1976 through October 1977, fluorescence 

 was determined using a Turner fluorometer that had been calibrated 



From May 1971 through April 1972, phytoplankton were analyzed from 

 12.5 cm diameter, 76um mesh Clarke-Bumpus net tows. 



