Pelagic production and respiration in the Gulf of Papua during May 2004

The metabolic balance between production and respiration in plankton communities of the Gulf of Papua was investigated in May 2004. Water samples taken at 19 stations were allocated to groups on the basis of physico-chemical characteristics. Oxygen consumption and production in flasks incubated in the dark and in the light was determined by micro-Winkler titration. Dark bottle respiration in samples influenced by the estuarine plume averaged 3.09±1.92 (SD) mmol O2 m−3 d−1 and production within surface light bottles averaged 7.63±3.36 (SD)  mmol O2 m−3 d−1. Corresponding values in stations more typical of the central Gulf of Papua were 1.68±1.30 (SD) mmol O2 m−3 d−1 and 1.08±2.25 (SD) mmol O2 m−3 d−1. Despite a shallow (<10 m) euphotic zone within the plume stations, phytoplankton production in the surface layers was sufficiently high to subsidise total water column respiration. Integrating production and respiration over the water column resulted in a calculation of net community production (NCP) of 626±504 (SD) mg C m−2 d−1, and community respiration (CR) of 712±492 mg C m−2 d−1 at the plume stations, with an average P:R ratio of 1.97. In the offshore group NCP was 157±450 (SD) mg C m−2 d−1 and CR was 1620±1576 mg C m−2 d−1. The average P:R ratio was 1.27. Three of the 7 stations allocated to the offshore group were net heterotrophic. In contrast to earlier studies in the area indicating that the Gulf of Papua waters is heterotrophic [Robertson, A.I., Dixon, P., Alongi, D.M., 1998. The influence of fluvial discharge on pelagic production in the Gulf of Papua, Northern Coral Sea. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 46, 319–331], our data indicate that in May 2004 the Gulf was in positive metabolic balance, but by only ∼120 mg C m−2 d−1. We conclude that waters of the Gulf of Papua under riverine influence are net autotrophic, but that within the central Gulf there is a fine metabolic balance alternating between autotrophy and heterotrophy.