LabSTAF was an important part of the research conducted on the Seine estuary. Its active fluorimeter and fluoroprobe were used to measure photosynthetic parameters and determine the phytoplankton community. The results showed that primary production was mainly controlled by light availability and nutrients in late spring and summer periods.
The phytoplankton dynamics were linked to the N:P balance, and not to absolute P concentrations, suggesting that the relative low P input compared to N was the main cause of the system‘s dystrophic nutrient balance. Furthermore, the local effect of tide lowering water residence time in a specific part of the estuary could explain the bloom area.
LabSTAF is a reliable and accurate tool for monitoring and assessing coastal systems. It allows researchers to measure photosynthetic parameters, phytoplankton composition, and nutrient concentrations, which are essential for understanding the dynamics of eutrophic and dystrophic systems. The use of LabSTAF in the Seine estuary study revealed the importance of the N:P balance in controlling phytoplankton dynamics and the biomass decrease observed in the last decades. Moreover, the local effect of tide lowering water residence time was identified as the cause of blooms in a particular area of the estuary.
Link to full study: Complex Drivers of Primary Production Along a Dystrophic Anthropised Estuary (Seine Estuary – France)
Phytoplankton monitoring
LabSTAF is the world’s leading portable instrumentation option for Phytoplankton primary productivity.
- Benchtop instrument to measure primary productivity using fluorescence, giving data for over 50 useful parameters within 15 minutes
- LabSTAF includes a peristaltic pump, solenoid unit and flow-through stirrer unit to provide for mixing, sample exchange and a periodic cleaning cycle.
- Data from LabSTAF is interpreted and analysed internally in the included Surface Go