SUMMER PHYTOPLANKTON SUCCESSION IN ELLIS FJORD, EASTERN ANTARCTICA

Spring phytoplankton communities in the water column of Ellis Fjord ar e characterized by diatoms originating from the bottom sea-ice strand community. Upon ice break-out in early summer, these are replaced by b looms of the phytoflagellates, Phaeocystis pouchetii, Cryptomonas cryo phila, Pyramimonas gelidicola, silicoflagellates and dinoflagellates. The narrow entrance of the fjord and the development of summer stratif ication is probably limiting the availability of nutrients and contain ing the magnitude of the small bloom (maximum 2.8 x 10(6) cells l-1).