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Updated: May 10, 2026

A Low-Cost Method of Measuring the In Situ Primary Productivity of Periphyton Communities of Lentic Waters
Published on: December 16, 2022
Investigating the spatial distribution of phototrophic picoplankton in a tropical estuary
Choon Weng Lee1, Joon Hai Lim, Pei Li Heng
1Laboratory of Microbial Ecology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, lee@um.edu.my.
Abstract:
We sampled extensively (29 stations) at the Klang estuarine system over a 3-day scientific expedition. We measured physical and chemical variables (temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, total suspended solids, dissolved inorganic nutrients) and related them to the spatial distribution of phototrophic picoplankton (Ppico). Multivariate analysis of variance of the physicochemical variables showed the heterogeneity of the Klang estuarine system where the stations at each transect were significantly different (Rao's F₁₈, ₃₆ = 8.401, p < 0.001). Correlation analyses also showed that variables related to Ppico abundance and growth were mutually exclusive. Distribution of Ppico was best explained by the physical mixing between freshwater and seawater whereas Ppico growth was correlated with temperature.
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