DISTRIBUTION OF CHLOROPHYLL A IN WATERS ADJACENT TO THE ISLANDS OF OLD PROVIDENCE AND SANTA CATALINA COLOMBIAN CARIBBEAN

Abstract

In order to determine the concentration and distribution of the phytoplankton biomass in waters of the islands of Old Providence and Santa Catalina, Colombian Caribbean a survey with 47 superficial samples, 12 in the whole water column, was carried out in 2005. Physicochemical parameters varied through the year; temperature fluctuated between 25 and 30 °C, salinity between 28 and 39, and pH between 8.30 and 9.65. Chlorophyll a and phaeopigment a concentrations were low, a characteristic of oligotrophic oceanic areas; chlorophyll a presented an average of 0.198±0.017 μg/L and 0.693±0.149 μg/L for dry and rainy seasons, while the phaeopigment a had a value below 0.01 μg/L in both seasons. It was found that the phytoplanktonic community is young and with an elevated renovation rate.