Influence of Nutrients and Mixing on the Primary Production and Community Respiration in the Gulf of Riga

Abstract Rates of plankton community production and respiration in relation to wind, solar radiation, biomass and nutrients were measured in the mixed layer during a late spring, a mid-summer and an early autumn situation in the Gulf of Riga. System metabolism was estimated by the in vitro oxygen method and from oxygen mass balance directly in the water. Gross production (GPP) remained fairly stable throughout the investigation periods with a mean of 1.8 g C m−2 day−1 (range: 0.5–3.9 g C m−2 day−1). Community respiration varied from 0.5 to 6.4 g C m−2 day−1 during the two summer studies (the high respiration rates ranging from 3.0 to 10.4 g C m−2 day−1 found during the autumn cruise were pr…