AUTHOR=Wen Yujian , Zhang Guodong , Song Yuyao , Zhang Guicheng , Sun Jun 

TITLE=Seasonal and spatial comparisons of microzooplankton grazing and phytoplankton growth in the Bohai Bay, China

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Marine Science

VOLUME=10

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2023.1190677

DOI=10.3389/fmars.2023.1190677

ISSN=2296-7745

ABSTRACT=<p>The dilution experiment technique was used in two cruises in July-August (summer) and October-November (autumn) 2020, with a total of 14 stations. The grazing impact of microzooplankton on phytoplankton in the interior of Bohai Bay was comprehensively investigated. We compared phytoplankton growth rates (μ<sub>0</sub>) and microzooplankton grazing rates (m) spatially (distance between experimental stations and shore far vs. near) and seasonally (summer vs. autumn). Both m and μ<sub>0</sub> values were significantly higher in summer than in autumn, and the phytoplankton growth rate μ<sub>0</sub> was positively correlated to temperature. Offshore stations showed higher values. There is no significant spatial and seasonal differences in the ratio of microzooplankton grazing rate and phytoplankton growth rate (m/μ<sub>0</sub>) indicating that daily consumption of primary production by microzooplankton was similar in the two seasons. Therefore, our research showed a close coupling between microzooplankton grazing with phytoplankton growth in the Bohai Bay.</p>