Plankton Systematics and Distribution

Abstract

This paper uses published and unpublished data collected over the past 75 years to describe the distributions of phytoplankton and zooplankton species in New York Bight. Phytoplankton and zooplankton densities were found to decrease with distance from the Raritan-Hudson River estuary. Phytoplankton populations were dominated by diatoms (cold months) and chlorophytes (warm months) in the estuary and apex and by diatoms in the outer Bight. Zooplankton populations were dominated by copepods and meroplankton (summer only) in the estuary and by copepods in the Bight.