Inter-Research
Marine Ecology Progress Series

ABSTRACT: The trends of dimethylsulphide (DMS) production by plankton communities in mesocosm systems were studied under various conditions. The results show that the DMS concentration in the water column can be highly variable over time, even within days, and under apparently identical conditions. DMS release in the water column appears to be highly correlated with phytoplankton senescence rather than growth. The development of the DMS peak could not be attributed to the zooplankton activity. It is argued that bacterial consumption may be an important sink for DMS.

KEY WORDS: DMS production . Diatoms . Phaeocystis . Senescence . Mesocosms

Published in MEPS Vol. 121 (1995) on May 25
Print ISSN: 0171-8630; Online ISSN: 1616-1599. Copyright © Inter-Research, Oldendorf/Luhe, 1995