01whole.pdf (26.13 MB)
Download filePhytoplankton and oceanography of the Coffs Harbour region, Eastern Australia
thesis
posted on 2022-03-28, 14:27 authored by Linda Hanna ArmbrechtThe East Australian Current (EAC) is the Western Boundary Current (WBC) of the South Pacific Gyre, transporting warm water from tropical to temperate latitudes along Eastern Australia. Due to climate change, the EAC is warming and strengthening, which is expected to impact on phytoplankton abundance, distribution and composition. This thesis aims at providing the first taxonomic phytoplankton time-series survey (May 2011 - September 2012) in the tropical-temperate transition zone of Eastern Australia (~30°S, Coffs Harbour). An interdisciplinary approach of oceanography, microscopy, phytoplankton pigment analysis through CHEMTAX and statistics was used. By applying this approach, the phytoplankton community was estimated and investigated under contrasting oceanographic conditions, along crossshelf gradients of environmental variables and throughout one annual cycle. The influence of the EAC on the shelf-scale and seasonal phytoplankton variability was examined in detail. Microscopy analysis revealed the abundance of 137 microphytoplankton taxa within 74 genera, including diatoms, dinoflagellates, silicoflagellates and Trichodesmium erythraeum. In addition, CHEMTAX determined the presence of pico- and nanophytoplankton, including cyanobacteria, cryptophytes, euglenophytes, haptophytes, pelagophytes and prasinophytes. Both microscopy and CHEMTAX revealed diatoms as being the most abundant phytoplankton taxon off Coffs Harbour. Shelf-scale phytoplankton abundance, distribution and composition were found to be driven by the highly variable oceanographic environment, and, on a seasonal scale, by the combination of the EAC and intrinsic seasonal cycles. Upwelling triggered two diatom blooms during December 2011 (Pseudo-nitzschia spp.) and September 2012 (Leptocylindrus danicus). This thesis has provided baseline information on interactions between oceanography and phytoplankton dynamics at ~30°S, Eastern Australia. The results from this survey are a key reference for future studies investigating changes in phytoplankton communities along the east Australian coast as a consequence of the strengthening EAC. Furthermore, the findings of this thesis find applicability in globally changing subtropical WBC systems. All of these systems are currently undergoing long-term changes, particularly in tropicalisation evidenced by poleward species shifts.
History
Table of Contents
Chapter 1. General introduction -- Chapter 2. Study, design, instrumentation and methodology -- Chapter 3. A new approach to testing the agreement of two phytoplankton quantification techniques : microscopy and CHEMTAX -- Chapter 4. Phytoplankton composition under contrasting oceanographic conditions : upwelling and downwelling (Eastern Australia) -- Chapter 5. Environmental variables determine cross-shelf phytoplankton community structures : two case studies from the Kimberley and Coffs Harbour regions (Australia) -- Chapter 6. Interactions between seasonality and oceanic forcing drive the phytoplankton variability in the tropical-temperate transition zone (~30°S) of Eastern Australia -- Chapter 7. General discussion and conclusion.Notes
Includes bibliographical references Thesis by publication.Awarding Institution
Macquarie UniversityDegree Type
Thesis PhDDegree
PhD, Macquarie University, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Department of Biological SciencesDepartment, Centre or School
Department of Biological SciencesYear of Award
2014Principal Supervisor
Leanne ArmandAdditional Supervisor 1
Moninya RoughanAdditional Supervisor 2
David RaftosRights
Copyright Linda Hanna Armbrecht 2014. Copyright disclaimer: http://mq.edu.au/library/copyrightLanguage
EnglishJurisdiction
New South WalesExtent
1 online resource (xii, 303 pages) colour illustrationsFormer Identifiers
mq:71379 http://hdl.handle.net/1959.14/1273754Usage metrics
Categories
Keywords
Coastal ecology, Australia, EasternDinoflagellatesContinental ShelfSilicoflagellatesHPLCTropicalisationCHEMTAXMarine phytoplankton -- New South Wales -- Coffs HarbourSynechococcusTrichodesmium erythraeumEast Australian CurrentMarine phytoplanktonMarine phytoplankton -- IdentificationUpwellingProchlorococcusDiatomspigmentsIMOS