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Y.H. CHEUNG, K.Y. TAI, S.W. TSAO AND L.B. THROWER
As measured by chlorophyll content of the water, the population of phytoplankton was highest between early July and September, and representatives of 12 genera of diatoms were recorded, namely Achnanthes sp., Amphora sp., Biddulphia pulchella, Cocconeis sp., Diploneis fusca, Eucampia sp., Grammatiphora sp., Melosira sp., Navicula sp., Nitzschia sp., Pleurosigma sp., Thalassionema sp. The population of periphyton was also high between July and September; the rapid growth of periphyton in mid-summer emphasized the importance of fringing vegetation (mangrove roots and stems, Phragmites and grasses growing out into the water) as a substrate for periphyton and thus as a contributor to primary production.
Date Air temperature °C Water temp. °C pH Diss. oxygen p.p.m. Salinity p.p.L. Chlorophyll ug/l Periphyton chlorophyll ug/slide 27/03/78 8.6 9.0 5.6 15.5 21/04 38 06/05 34.0 20.0 03/06 36.0 20.0 30.0 31.4 8.8 13.7 7.9 01/07 35.5 23.0 31.5 31.8 8.8 8.9 5.5 31/07 36.0 23.0 28.0 25.6 6.4 5.9 2.5 26/08 33.5 24.0 29.0 30.5 6.2 6.0 7.3 30/09 28.5 23.5 24.0 26.0 6.4 9.7 8.3 21/10 39.5 18.0 25.5 26.5 8.4 8.2 8.5 24/11 36.0 9.0 23.5 22.5 6.8 10.0 16.5 23/12 20/01/79 29.6 17/02 22.0 7.0 20.0 5.5 28.0 7.0 18.5 8.4 7.0 28.1 17.0 14.6 8.2 8.4 15.3 2188 8588 178 1.4 30.8 0.5 14.2 3.4 4.3 2.2 38.3 5.7 16.9 7.9 32.1 0.4 0.6 2.1 2.3 1.4 25.5 17.2 7.2 8.2 21.2b) Production and Decomposition of Plant Litter
A cross-section of a bund to show the distribution of higher plants is given as Fig. 1. The annual growth phases of Kandelia are shown in Fig. 2 and the estimated litter-fall in Table 2.
1978 1979 A M J J A S O N D F M Leaves 45.1 49.2 66.7 152.0 182.6 129.5 113.8 76.4 49.6 Droppers 151.3 133.9 12.9 Total 71.0 440 60.7 31.3 1040.6 24.0 166.7 520.1