Phosphorus availability, phytoplankton community dynamics, and taxon‐specific phosphorus status in the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea

Abstract

The relationships among phytoplankton taxon‐specific phosphorus‐status, phytoplankton community composition, and nutrient levels were assessed over three seasons in the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea. During summer and fall, stratified surface waters were depleted of nutrients, and picophytoplankton populations comprised the majority of cells (80% and 88%, respectively). In winter, surface nutrient concentrations were higher and larger phytoplankton were more abundant (63%). Cell‐specific alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) derived from enzyme‐labeled fluorescence was consistently low (

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