Title:

Mid-Atlantic Phytoplankton Abundance Relative to Water Quality

The goal of this paper was to further understand the consequences that ocean acidification and poor water quality management is having on phytoplankton abundances in the Mid-Atlantic region over time. Phytoplankton samples were taken from three different bodies of water in the Mid-Atlantic to account for freshwater, brackish water and saltwater environments. Sampling was accomplished by taking 50 mL samples of surface water from each location every day for a week, then measuring the samples’ abundance utilizing the Guava EasyCyte HT flow cytometer made by Luminex. By understanding the abundances of phytoplankton in distinct environments within the Mid-Atlantic it is possible to separate these values into categories dependent on size, pico-, nanoeukaryotes and cyanobacteria. The significance of knowing the relative size of the plankton being measured allows for the conversion to relative carbon concentration in each of the samples. Obtaining the relative amount of carbon in the Mid-Atlantic dependent on the salinity-based environment will provide a different look at the importance of ensuring good water quality to support phytoplankton abundance.

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