mangroves in some Florida Bay localities. Excessive amounts and unnatural timing of 
freshwater delivery can also adversely affect biota. A sudden release of greatly 
elevated volumes of fresh water from the C-111 canal resulted in the mortality of 
many estuarine organisms in Manatee Bay when salinities dropped from near marine to 
zero in a few hours and remained low for an 8-day period. These observations provide 
powerful evidence that productivity of Florida Bay is declining under current 
management practices. 
1994 0 
Philips, E. J., and S. Badylak (1994) Spatial and temporal variability in phytoplankton 
standing crop and composition in Florida Bay, Florida, USA. Abs., ASLO/PSA Joint Mtg., 
Miami, FL. a-57. 
[ABSTRACT ONLY. DATE OF SAMPLING UNKNOWN OR NOT APPLICABLE.] Spatial and 
temporal patterns of phytoplankton standing crop and composition in Florida Bay were 
studied at thirteen sampling stations. Significant spatial differences were observed 
supporting the hypothesis that the Bay is composed of a number of ecologically distinct 
regions. The highest standing crops of planktonic algae and cyanobacteria were found in 
the central-interior region of the bay, where the cyanobacteria Synechococcus 
dominated the planktonic assemblage. Chlorophyll-a concentrations up to 40 mg rrr 3 
were observed in this region, and Synechococcus comprised over 90% of total 
phytoplankton biovolume. In other regions of the Bay, total chlorophyll a concentrations 
were significantly lower and diatoms and dinoflagellates were the dominant taxa in 
terms of biovolume. However, nutrient enrichment bioassays indicated the possibility 
of P, N and/or N-P co-limitation during certain periods of time. 
1994 0 
Reese, C. J., and L. L. Richardson (1994) Pigment and spectral analysis of seagrass and 
algal blooms in Florida Bay. Bull. Mar. Sci. . 54(3): 1082. 
[ABSTRACT ONLY. DATE OF SAMPLING UNKNOWN OR NOT APPLICABLE.] The 
relationship between pigments and reflectance spectra of seagrasses and phytoplankton 
from numerous basins in Florida Bay is being studied. Both filtered and concentrated 
samples have been collected for organism identification, enumeration, and chlorophyll 
fluorescence. Measurement of total absorbance, chlorophylls, carotenoids and phaeo- 
pigments from whole cell extractions are made on a Shimadzu spectrophotometer. 
Separation and identification of specific pigments are performed with a Hewlett 
Packard 1090 HPLC run in reverse phase. Surface reflectance (368 to 1160 nm in 2 nm 
increments) is measured with a Spectron Model SE590 spectroradiometer. Second and 
fourth derivative spectra of the total absorbancy from the extracted pigment samples 
have been compared with derivatives of surface reflectance spectra of the sampled 
basin. Although total absorbancy and reflectance spectra derivatives are similar for 
the predominant seagrass Thalassia testudinum, and a vast (11 km dia.) algal bloom 
composed principally of planktonic diatoms, the data suggest regions of the visible 
spectrum which may be useful in satellite interpretation of Florida Bay algal and 
seagrass dynamics. 
1994 0 
Rudnick, D. T. (1994) Interactions of salinity and nutrient cycling in Florida Bay. Abs., 
ASLO/PSA Joint Mtg., Miami, FL. a-64. 
[ABSTRACT ONLY. DATE OF SAMPLING UNKNOWN OR NOT APPLICABLE.] Recent 
environmental problems in Florida Bay, including seagrass dieback, persistent 
phytoplankton blooms, and declining fisheries yields, have been attributed to both 
increased salinity and nutrient enrichment. Increased salinity is the result of water 
management practices that have decreased freshwater flow into the Bay. Nutrient 
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