SUMMARY AND 

 CONCLUSIONS 



The main portion of the study was conducted through 

 two time periods in July 1961. Particles greater than 10 

 microns (to a maximum of 2 mm), both animate and inani- 

 mate, were enumerated. The organisms were separated 

 into microorganisms and macroorganisms. The distribu- 

 tion of all entities in time and space was compared to 

 temperature and light transmission and causal relations 

 were established. 



Two different situations, 2 weeks apart, have been 

 discussed. The obvious differences were in light trans- 

 mission, temperature, and distributional patterns of 

 organisms. 



Additional data taken during a red-water bloom 

 July 1964 were included. 



Operation I was conducted during a yellow-water 

 bloom of Gymnodinium flauum. A thermocline was present which 

 correlated with turbidity and the distributional pattern of 

 G. flavum, total microorganisms, and total microconstituents. 

 The concentration of G. flavum represented 6 5 percent of the 

 total particulate count, and it was this high concentration 

 which apparently contributed most to turbidity and produced 

 the correlation between total microorganisms and total 

 microconstituents . 



Other microentities demonstrated additive contri- 

 butions to the turbidity pattern. 



The distribution of G. flavum on the thermocline was 

 thought to result from increased water density or a con- 

 centration of nutrients in the denser water attractive to 

 these organisms. 



Operation II was characterized by a relatively 

 constant temperature gradient, a more general turbid 

 pattern, and a corresponding lack of high correlation be- 

 tween any one microorganism, temperature, and turbidity. 

 Light attenuation was the result of a diffused background 

 concentration of G. flavum and a collective distribution of 

 other particulate matter. Particles less than 10 microns, 

 pigments, and bacteria, not measured here, undoubtedly 

 played an important role in light attenuation. 



65 



