Résultats de la mission Hydratlante I du N. O. Jean Charcot (au large des côtes atlantiques françaises). 2. Pigments phytoplanctoniques

Results of Hydratlante I Cruise of R. V. Jean Charcot (off the Atlantic French Coast). 2. Phytoplankton Pignients Measurements of phytoplankton pigments have been made at all levels and stations prospected during Hydratlante I. In neritic as well as oceanic waters, the chlorophyll a content of seston was low: only 0.07–0.08 mg · m−3 at 5 and 20 m; maximum average value at 50 m: 0.14 mg · m−3. The chlorophyll a content of phytoplankton cells averages 6.2 pg but varies greatly with population density. The plant carotenoids, relatively more abundant than chlorophyll, average 0.7 mg · m−3 at 5 m; 0.9 at 20 m and 1.2 at 50 m. Pigment distributions seem to be largely dependent on thermal structure and nutrient concentration. They are also more or less strongly correlated with water transparency, rate of 14C fixation and organic seston content. Comparisons with previous results in the same area reveal a rather good agreement.