DISTRIBUTION OF CHLOROPHYLL AND BENTHIC DIATOMS IN THE INTERTIDAL FLAT AROUND XIAMEN
厦门潮间滩涂小型底栖硅藻和叶绿素的分布

Some ecological characteristics of microphytobenthos in the intertidal flat around Xiamen were studied in 1987. These include the abundance and the distribution of benthic diatoms, and the chlorophyll concentration of microphytobenthos. Annual range of 0.35-130mg/m2 with the average of 18.5mg/m2 for chloropyll a and 0.2-411mg/m2 with the average of 57.9mg/m2 for phae-ophytin showed that the microphytobenthos is the main primary producer in the benthic ecosystem. All 162 species of benthic diatoms have been identified, belonging to 43 genera in which Pseudo-Nitzschia sicula v. bicuneata and Niizschia sigma are most dominant species. The gradient distribution of salinity resulted from the input of fresh water from Jiulongjiang river determines the population distribution of benthic distoms. The abundance of benthic diatoms varies positively with the radiation time and the temperature, negatively with the amount of rainfall during som months of raining season in lower salinity flat have been discussed.