春、夏季长江口海域营养盐的时空分布特征及营养结构分析

2009年春季（5月）和夏季（8月）分别对长江口海水中的营养盐（DIN、SiO32--Si、PO43--P）进行调查,分析其时空分布特征,探讨其影响机理,并对富营养化水平进行了评价。结果表明：春、夏季表、底层DIN、SiO32--Si的平面分布有从近岸向离岸逐渐降低的特点,而PO43--P则表现出一种缓冲现象;各营养盐在表、底层的质量浓度春季均小于夏季,且DIN的主要存在形式均为NO3-_N;DIN、SiO32--Si主要来源于径流输入,PO43--P则有多种来源。春、夏季表、底层SiO32--Si/PO43--P、DIN/PO43--P均远大于Redfield值,具有营养盐比例不平衡的特征,且DIN/PO43--P、SiO32--Si/DIN、SiO32--Si/PO43--P在长江口海域的分布不均匀;从浮游植物吸收DIN/PO43--P的配比分析,PO43--P是春、夏季长江口海域潜在性营养限制因子;春、夏季E值均远大于富营养化阀值,该海域富营养化现象严重。     

近25年广西北部湾海域营养盐时空分布特征

营养盐含量和结构的变化可反映海域潜在的生态安全。为广西北部湾经济区实施差别化的分区可持续发展战略提供数据基础,找出广西不同海湾营养盐的时空变化差异特征及影响因素,在全面梳理1990─2014年广西北部湾近岸海域水质监测数据的基础上,采用富营养化指数法对该水域主要海湾的湾内、湾口、湾外的富营养化状态、营养盐及无机氮组成的时空变化特征进行研究。结果表明,广西北部湾近岸海域富营养化状态总体良好,时空分布受入海径流及海域水团的影响,年际随入海径流量波动,营养盐质量浓度呈湾内-湾口-湾外递减趋势,位于沿岸水团的湾内采样点,出现中度/重/严重富营养,富营养化指数范围4.5~17.2,位于混合水团的湾口、湾外采样点,处于贫营养,富营养化指数低于0.5。溶解态无机氮与溶解态无机磷高值区的空间分布与富营养化指数基本一致,以硝态氮为主的无机氮污染比无机磷污染严重。多数点位氮磷比常年大于Redfield比值,处于磷限制状态。钦州湾内、廉州湾内、廉州湾口和大风江口是富营养化最为严重的水域,无机氮磷质量浓度长期劣于四类海水标准限值,而呈磷限制状态,氮磷比分别高达202、132、142、224,容易在磷污染增高时,爆发富营养化,应特别加以监测与控制。     

赤潮多发区深圳湾叶绿素a的时空分布及其影响因素

于2008年2月至2008年11月分四个季度调查了赤潮多发区深圳湾叶绿素a的时空分布,并分析了叶绿素a与主要环境因子之间的关系.结果表明,深圳湾叶绿素a质量浓度范围为3.07～309.94 mg·m~(-3),年平均值为42.29 mg·m~(-3).四季叶绿素a平均质量浓度由高到低排列分别为:春季(108.33 mg·m~(-3))>夏季(35.2 mg·m~(-3))>秋季(16.68 mg·m~(-3))>冬季(8.96 mg·m~(-3)).叶绿素a的质量浓度在冬季和春季呈现由湾内向湾外递减的分布特征,而夏季和秋季呈现由西岸向东岸递减的分布特征,整体则呈现由湾内向湾外递减的分布特征.相关分析显示深圳湾叶绿素a与水温、COD、TOC、PO_4~(3-)-P和浮游植物密度因子显著正相关,与DIN因子极显著正相关,说明叶绿素a与水温、DIN、PO_4~(3-)-P、COD、TOC和浮游植物密度之间有着比其它因子更为密切的关系.以叶绿素a作为富营养化评价标准,发现深圳湾海域富营养化严重,存在随时爆发赤潮的潜在风险.     

桑沟湾海域叶绿素a的时空分布特征及其影响因素研究

2009年4月-2010年2月对山东荣成典型养殖海湾—桑沟湾海域水体中的叶绿素a（Chl-a）进行了6个航次的监测,分析该海区表底层海水中Chl-a的质量现状,探讨Chl-a在桑沟湾海区的时空分布特征,以及与水温和营养盐等主要环境因子的相关性。结果表明,桑沟湾海域表层海水Chl-a质量浓度范围为0.36～9.77μg L-1,平均值为2.17μg L-1;底层海水Chl-a质量浓度范围为0.40～7.46μg L-1,平均值为2.14μg L-1。Chl-a质量浓度的季节性变化呈现一定的模式,夏季〉秋季〉春季〉冬季。Chl-a的质量浓度在春季和冬季呈现由湾内向湾外递减的分布特征,而夏季和秋季则没有明显的分布规律。垂直分布上,夏季表层Chl-a质量浓度高于底层,冬季则是底层高于表层,春秋2季表底层垂直分布比较均匀。相关分析显示桑沟湾Chl-a与水温呈较显著正相关,但与营养盐溶解无机氮（DIN）不具显著意义的相关关系。总体看来,桑沟湾海域Chl-a的时空分布受养殖环境状况、水文环境及陆地径流和外源输入的共同影响,贝藻养殖活动及营养盐的陆源输入是影响Chl-a分布格局的重要因素。     

2000—2010年深圳湾及其邻近海域溶解无机氮的时空分布

依据2000—2010年每月一次的调查资料,简要描述和讨论了深圳湾及邻近水域中溶解无机氮(DIN)质量浓度的时空分布,并结合现场盐度(S)、氨氮(NH3-N)、亚硝酸盐氮(NO2-N)和硝酸盐氮(NO3-N)实测数据探讨DIN的组成和来源.结果表明,深圳湾和伶仃洋东部沿岸多年平均DIN质量浓度分别为(2.445±1.841) mg·L-1和(0.517±0.366) mg·L-1.在深圳湾,DIN质量浓度的年内变化特征为丰水期较低,枯水期较高.在伶仃洋东部沿岸,DIN质量浓度的年内变化呈明显的年周期循环特征,夏季达到最高而冬季最低.11 a研究期间,伶仃洋东部沿岸DIN质量浓度略呈上升趋势;深圳湾DIN质量浓度在2000—2004年呈上升趋势,2005—2010年则呈下降趋势.各形态DIN质量分数的大小顺序从深圳湾内的NH3-N>NO3-N>NO2-N转变至湾外的 NO3-N>NH3-N>NO2-N.DIN 与 S 之间存在着显著的负相关,依二元混合质量平衡模式估算的伶仃洋东部沿岸 DIN的陆源质量分数约为77.9%,而深圳湾的都>92%.     

2014年春季东海大面积甲藻赤潮的生态特征

为准确掌握东海近岸海域赤潮发生情况,深入了解东海海域赤潮发生时和未发生时的生态环境条件,根据浙江省舟山海洋生态环境监测站对东海近岸海域常年的监测结果,选定从杭州湾外侧向南到温州南麂列岛的东海近岸海域为赤潮高发区,开展生态环境研究.2014 年4 月和5 月利用专业海洋调查船,按《海洋监测规范》对东海赤潮高发海域进行了二次综合海洋生态环境调查,结果发现调查海域氮、磷营养盐含量普遍较高,4 月研究海域无机氮均值为0.406 mg·L^-1,活性磷酸盐均值0.013 mg·L^-1;5 月无机氮均值0.244 mg·L^-1,活性磷酸盐均值0.004 mg·L^-1.大多数样品无机氮超一类海水水质标准,尤其是4 月91.7%的样品超-类海水标准,5 月也有35.7%样品超-类海水标准.硝酸盐氮是无机氮的主要存在形式.2014 年5 月调查期间发生了大面积的赤潮,赤潮原因种是东海原甲藻（Prorocentrum donghaiense）,细胞密度平均在107/L 以上.分析赤潮发生前后的水环境变化,5 月调查海域海水温度有较大上升,各海域水温均超过了20 ℃,海域平均温度从4 月的15.9 ℃上升到5 月的21.9 ℃.通过本次研究发现在营养盐浓度普遍较高的调查海域,水温上升是引发赤潮的关键因素.使用专业统计软件SPSS17 发现赤潮藻类的细胞密度与水温、化学需氧量和溶解氧存在着极显著的正相关（P〈0.01）,与活性磷酸盐、硝酸盐氮和无机氮存在着显著负相关（P〈0.05）.另外本次调查还发现,大面积东海原甲藻赤潮暴发后,活性磷酸盐被大量消耗.综合目前有关东海原甲藻赤潮期间对活性磷酸盐的吸收动力学研究,发现今后应进一步加强这方面的调查研究.     

大鹏湾中溶解态总氮和总磷的多年调查结果分析

依据2000—2010年每月1次的调查资料,简要描述和讨论大鹏湾海水中溶解态总氮（DTN）和溶解态总磷（DTP）质量浓度的空间分布和时间变化。结果表明由于受到香港和深圳陆源排放的影响,DTN和DTP质量浓度在吐露港和沙头角附近水域1年4季都较高。DTN和DTP的平均质量浓度分别为0.21和0.03 mg.L-1,比溶解态无机氮（DIN）和溶解态无机磷（DIP）的高1倍以上,表明大鹏湾海水中溶解态有机氮（DON）和溶解态有机磷（DOP）分别是DTN和DTP的主要赋存形态。平均DTN/DTP原子比〉16,反映了大鹏湾海水中磷可能是海洋浮游生物生长繁殖的限制因素。夏季,由于南海北部陆架低温、高盐和高营养盐底层水潜入湾内,底层DTN和DTP质量浓度明显高于其他季节。11年调查期间,DTN质量浓度的年际变化趋势平稳,DTP质量浓度的年际变化呈较明显的下降趋势,而DTN/DTP原子比的年际变化呈较明显的上升趋势。     

三峡工程蓄水后长江口溶解硅酸盐(DSi)、营养盐结构的变化特征及其生态影响分析

根据2004—2009年春季(5月)、夏季(8月)对长江口的监测调查,比较分析了三峡工程蓄水后该海域硅酸盐(DSi)、无机氮(DIN)、无机磷(DIP)浓度变化趋势,营养盐结构变化状况及其影响.结果表明,蓄水后,DSi、DIN的浓度分别呈现出下降、上升的变化趋势,DSi在6年间下降了约63.37%,DIN增加了约3倍多,DIP的浓度则呈微弱波动.蓄水后营养盐结构N∶P值呈上升的趋势,而Si∶P值和Si∶N值则呈下降的趋势,根据化学计量营养盐限制的标准,营养盐结构趋于不平衡,调查水域浮游植物生长限制因子为P,营养盐结构的变化已经导致大型硅藻的减少和浮游植物优势种组成的变化,并可能引起长江口生态系统结构的改变.     

珠江口广州海域COD与DO的分布特征及影响因素

于2003-2007年2月(冬季)、5月(春季)、8月(夏季)、10月(秋季)调查了广州海域16个站位的COD、DO以及其它理化因子的时空分布特征.调查期间,COD质量浓度范围为0.76～9.12 mg·L~(-1),平均值为2.83 mg·L~(-1);溶解氧质量浓度范围为1.98～9.79 mg·L~(-1),平均值为5.27 mg·L~(-1).结果表明,COD与DO的时空分布特征主要受生活污水排放,陆源排污,降雨量以及水动力状况等因素的影响.COD质量浓度在冬季和秋季较高,春季和夏季较低,而DO质量浓度则是冬季和春季高于秋季和夏季.空间分布上,COD质量浓度从湾内向湾外逐步递减,而DO变化趋势则相反,湾内站位在夏季出现缺氧区.相关性分析中,COD质最浓度与氮营养盐及Chl-a显著正相关,而DO则与COD、Chl-a、Ph以及石油烃显著负相关.COD与DO分布特征对于河口地区的赤潮及碳循环研究有一定研究价值.     

珠江口双胞旋沟藻Cochlodinium geminatum赤潮生消过程的环境特征初步分析

为了解2009年珠江口双胞旋沟藻赤潮生消过程,探索其生消机制,对赤潮进行了连续10 d(10月28日─11月6日)的跟踪监测,设置了3条监测断面,共12个站位。通过现场测定和实验室分析,研究赤潮藻密度、叶绿素a、营养盐、温度、盐度、p H和溶解氧的变化规律。赤潮区双胞旋沟藻的密度先升高后降低,最高密度达到2.765×107 cells·L-1,叶绿素a含量呈先升后降的趋势,最大值达到172.76μ·L-1,监测海域无机氮和无机磷均处于富营养化水平,无机氮表现出先增加后减少,在赤潮末期稍有回升的趋势,无机磷总体呈现下降趋势。赤潮区水温变化范围为19.33~27.66℃,盐度的变化范围为9.16~31.5,p H的变化范围为7.45~8.51,溶解氧的变化范围为5.50~11.45 mg·L-1。通过对赤潮期间的环境因子分析,并结合2006年该海域发生的双胞旋沟藻赤潮事件和近几年周边海域发生赤潮的情况,得出以下结论:2009年珠海双胞旋沟藻赤潮规模较大,是中国沿海由双胞旋沟藻引起的最大规模赤潮。10月25日─10月27日为赤潮的起始发展阶段,10月28日─11月1日为赤潮形成维持阶段,11月2日─11月6日为赤潮消亡阶段。赤潮生消过程浮游植物群落结构发生了变化,赤潮持续期双胞旋沟藻占主要优势,赤潮消亡期间硅藻(骨条藻Skeletonema spp.和角毛藻Chaetoceros spp.)数量增加,演替双胞旋沟藻成为优势种。此次赤潮事件中有机氮浓度较高,约占总氮的60%,是赤潮藻大量繁殖代谢所致。研究海域处于严重富营养化水平,这是诱发赤潮发生的基础。同时,长时间处于高温、低盐的环境,使双胞旋沟藻急剧繁殖,诱发赤潮。在赤潮后期,恶劣的气象条件是赤潮消退的主要原因。     

宁波市某人工泻湖浮游生物变化特征及影响因素分析

以宁波市北仑区梅山水道形成的人工泻湖为研究对象,在不同季节进行水质及浮游生物调查,分析其浮游生物时空分布特征与水质的关系。4个采样点共检出浮游植物66种,以硅藻为绝对优势种,检出浮游动物25种,主要为桡足类、少量轮虫及网纹虫;拦坝后水道内浮游生物密度有了数量级增长,各项生物评价指数降低,但各采样点仍处于中污染水平。监测理化参数表明,研究水域在拦坝后盐度下降、悬浮物浓度下降,氮磷含量无明显变化;水域大部分点位处于中度富营养化水平。结合浮游生物分布与理化参数进行分析,发现堤坝合龙后,水道内侧海水淡化、悬浮物含量下降,导致浮游生物密度上升、生物多样性下降、出现淡水优势种群;营养盐含量不是浮游生物生长的限制因子,对浮游生物分布无显著影响。     

Temporal dimension and water quality control in an emission trading scheme based on water environmental functional zone

Emission trading is one of the most effective alternatives to controlling water pollution. Water environmental functional zone (WEFZ) is used to determine the water quality standard and identify the zone boundary for each river or reach. In this study, a new emission trading scheme was addressed based on WEFZ, accounting for both the temporal dimension and water quality control. A temporal factor of emission trading was proposed based on variations in the environmental capacity within a year by dividing the year into three periods, including high, normal, and low periods of environmental capacity. During each period, emission trading was implemented exclusively. A water quality-control scheme was suggested based on the water quality requirement in the water functional zone, in which the water quality at the downstream boundary of the zone was required to meet the water standard following auto-purification in the stream. Two methods of calculating water quality control are addressed for point-source pollution and non-point-source pollution. The calculated temporal dimension and water quality control were located in Dongxi River of the Daning Watershed in the Three Gorges Watershed. The high period was during June, July, and August, the normal period was during April, May, September, and October, and the low period was during January, February, March, November, and December. The results from the water quality calculation demonstrated that the discharge of point-source and non-point-source pollutions led to an excess of common contaminants at the downstream boundary of WEFZ. The temporal and spatial factors above should be incorporated into the emission trading scheme based on WEFZ.     

Patterns of use and distribution of king eiders and black scoters during the annual cycle in northeastern Bristol Bay, Alaska

Northeastern Bristol Bay, Alaska, which includes three large estuaries, is used by multiple sea duck species during the annual cycle. Limited aerial surveys indicate that this area supports tens of thousands of king eiders and black scoters during spring migration and the autumn molt. Existing satellite telemetry data were used to assess the temporal patterns of habitat use and spatial distribution of king eiders and black scoters in northeastern Bristol Bay throughout the annual cycle. King eiders used northeastern Bristol Bay during all months of the annual cycle and black scoters used the area during spring through fall. Both species exhibited a similar seasonal pattern of use that corresponded with the timing of life-cycle stages. Abundance of both species was highest during spring migration and the autumn molting period and lowest during summer. Use by king eiders did not occur during all winter months in every year of the study. King eiders were more broadly distributed than black scoters and were located farther from shore in deeper water. Core use areas had minimal overlap, suggesting a degree of spatial segregation between species and a preference for different habitats in northeastern Bristol Bay. Further study of potential variation in invertebrate community structure that may correlate with the observed interspecific spatial segregation in habitat use is needed to determine preferred forage and describe habitat requirements for each species. Such information is necessary to assess the potential impact that future anthropogenic or environmental changes may have on habitat quality of northeastern Bristol Bay and demography of Pacific sea duck populations that use this area.     

Arctic marine mammal population status,sea ice habitat loss,and conservation recommendations for the 21st century

Arctic marine mammals (AMMs) are icons of climate change, largely because of their close association with sea ice. However, neither a circumpolar assessment of AMM status nor a standardized metric of sea ice habitat change is available. We summarized available data on abundance and trend for each AMM species and recognized subpopulation. We also examined species diversity, the extent of human use, and temporal trends in sea ice habitat for 12 regions of the Arctic by calculating the dates of spring sea ice retreat and fall sea ice advance from satellite data (1979–2013). Estimates of AMM abundance varied greatly in quality, and few studies were long enough for trend analysis. Of the AMM subpopulations, 78% (61 of 78) are legally harvested for subsistence purposes. Changes in sea ice phenology have been profound. In all regions except the Bering Sea, the duration of the summer (i.e., reduced ice) period increased by 5–10 weeks and by >20 weeks in the Barents Sea between 1979 and 2013. In light of generally poor data, the importance of human use, and forecasted environmental changes in the 21st century, we recommend the following for effective AMM conservation: maintain and improve comanagement by local, federal, and international partners; recognize spatial and temporal variability in AMM subpopulation response to climate change; implement monitoring programs with clear goals; mitigate cumulative impacts of increased human activity; and recognize the limits of current protected species legislation.     

洱海流域水质时空变化特征

依据2009年洱海流域62个样点的水质调查数据,应用聚类分析对洱海流域水质时空变化特征进行分析,将样点在空间上分为4组,分别为无干扰的苍山林区源头溪流(A1)、受到一定程度人类干扰的流经农业区和城镇区溪流的中上游段及湖泊(A2)、干扰较严重的流经农业区和城镇区溪流的下游段(A3)以及干扰最为严重的洱海岸边带(A4),判别分析结果表明聚类准确率达95.2%。应用主成分分析方法得到影响洱海流域水质的4个主成分为:第1主成分,Alk、Ca2+、Mg2+、HS;第2主成分,TP;第3主成分,TN和NO3--N;第4主成分,DOC和TOC,这些主成分空间差异明显。在时间尺度上,Alk表现为丰水期高于枯水期;Ca2+表现为枯水期高于丰水期;TP没有表现出明显的季节性变化规律;TN在A1和A3组表现为丰水期高于枯水期。     

Detecting and quantifying male sea urchin spawning with time-integrated fertilization assays

There has been much modeling and experimentation on factors affecting fertilization success in free-spawning marine invertebrates, but for many species spawning has rarely been observed in nature, if at all, and then mostly qualitatively. Understanding the dynamics of spawning and fertilization is especially important for species, such as the green sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis (O.F. Müller), that have been widely depleted by harvesting. Time-integrated fertilization assays provide measures of sperm-availability adjacent to spawning populations for extended periods and with unprecedented temporal resolution. In such assays unfertilized eggs are held in baskets permeable to sperm and suspended in the water column as long as the eggs remain viable. In a consecutive series of 24- to 72-h assays the time course and spatial extent of sperm availability were measured near an aggregation of 250 sea urchins suspended in a cage at a field site in West Boothbay Harbor, Maine, USA. The assays were conducted in March and April, 2000, the spawning season of the green sea urchin. The distribution of embryonic stages within the assays revealed fine-scale temporal information on the timing of fertilization. The time series of multiple assays indicated that over a substantial portion of the spawning season there was an almost continuous low level of male spawning, a pattern consistent with a slow decline in gonad index observed in both male and female urchins. Fertilization rates averaged only 17% for the eggs in the basket nearest the spawning urchins (20 cm away), and the rates declined sharply over a distance of <1 m. Thus, despite the potential benefits of long egg life in integrating sperm supply over several days, the spatial effects on fertilization success were marked. Owing to the urchins' captivity and the lack of site replication, the generality of the observed spawning pattern must be confirmed. Nonetheless, the method lends itself to wider application among natural populations.     

Anthropogenic influence on surface water quality of the Nhue and Day sub-river systems in Vietnam

In order to investigate the temporal and spatial variations of 14 physical and chemical surface water parameters in the Nhue and Day sub-river systems of Vietnam, surface water samples were taken from 43 sampling sites during the dry and rainy seasons in 2007. The results were statistically examined by Mann–Whitney U-test and hierarchical cluster analysis. The results show that water quality of the Day River was significantly improved during the rainy season while this was not the case of the Nhue River. However, the river water did not meet the Vietnamese surface water quality standards for dissolved oxygen (DO), biological oxygen demand (BOD₅), chemical oxygen demand (COD), nutrients, total coliform, and fecal coliform. This implies that the health of local communities using untreated river water for drinking purposes as well as irrigation of vegetables may be at risk. Forty-three sampling sites were grouped into four main clusters on the basis of water quality characteristics with particular reference to geographic location and land use and revealed the contamination levels from anthropogenic sources.     

Particulate Organic Matter Composition in A Semi-Enclosed Marine System

Spatial and temporal changes in the biochemical composition of particulate organic matter in a semi-enclosed marine system (Stagnone di Marsala, Mediterranean Sea) were studied, on a monthly basis, from January to December 1994, in order to assess nutritional value of suspended particles for benthic suspension feeders. According to previous findings, the study site displayed a strong oligotrophy. Chlorophyll-a accounted for a very low fraction of the total suspended matter pool (0.1%), whereas at least 75% of POC was of detrital/heterotrophic origin. POC: PON ratio values indicate that bacterioplankton biomass accounted for a significant fraction of the total POC pool, displaying values comparable to those of the phytoplankton biomass (phytoplankton to bacterial biomass ratio was about (1). Temporal and spatial changes in the biochemical composition of particulate organic matter were rather limited and related to its sources, the main of which is represented by detrital particles released by the Posidonia oceanica (L.) beds. the comparison between our results and those encountered in other coastal lagoons indicates that the low abundance of suspension-feeding organisms observed in the study area is related to the “quality depression” of particles due to the dilution of high quality compounds (i.e., biopolymeric carbon) in a largely inorganic matrix. This result leads us to conclude that, to reach the same amount of high quality particulate food, a suspension feeder mollusc in the Marsala lagoon would need to filter a sea water volume around 3 times higher than in other Mediterranean coastal lagoons.     

Small-scale spatial and temporal genetic structure of the Atlantic sea scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) in the inshore Gulf of Maine revealed using AFLPs

Despite long planktonic durations, many species of broadcast spawning invertebrates exhibit genetic structure at small spatial and temporal scales. Amplified fragment length polymorphisms were used to assess genetic variation in the sea scallop, Placopecten magellanicus, among four inshore and one offshore location in the Gulf of Maine and temporal genetic variation among age classes of sea scallops at one site. Our results indicated that genetic structure for P. magellanicus exists on smaller spatial scales (tens to hundreds of kilometers) than expected given the 40-day planktonic larval period. In addition, genetic differences among age classes may be influenced by inter-annual differences in larval supply or reproductive success. Future genetic studies should sample multiple age classes prior to comparison among locations.     

Particulate Organic Matter Composition in A Semi-Enclosed Marine System

Spatial and temporal changes in the biochemical composition of particulate organic matter in a semi-enclosed marine system (Stagnone di Marsala, Mediterranean Sea) were studied, on a monthly basis, from January to December 1994, in order to assess nutritional value of suspended particles for benthic suspension feeders. According to previous findings, the study site displayed a strong oligotrophy. Chlorophyll-a accounted for a very low fraction of the total suspended matter pool (0.1%), whereas at least 75% of POC was of detrital/heterotrophic origin. POC: PON ratio values indicate that bacterioplankton biomass accounted for a significant fraction of the total POC pool, displaying values comparable to those of the phytoplankton biomass (phytoplankton to bacterial biomass ratio was about (1). Temporal and spatial changes in the biochemical composition of particulate organic matter were rather limited and related to its sources, the main of which is represented by detrital particles released by the Posidonia oceanica (L.) beds. the comparison between our results and those encountered in other coastal lagoons indicates that the low abundance of suspension-feeding organisms observed in the study area is related to the “quality depression” of particles due to the dilution of high quality compounds (i.e., biopolymeric carbon) in a largely inorganic matrix. This result leads us to conclude that, to reach the same amount of high quality particulate food, a suspension feeder mollusc in the Marsala lagoon would need to filter a sea water volume around 3 times higher than in other Mediterranean coastal lagoons.